Macdonald v. County of Yolo
477 U.S. 340 · Decided June 25, 1986 · Supreme Court of the United States
Record summary. This page is generated from the Supreme Court Database’s coded data about the case. It describes who decided what, not the Court’s reasoning. Read the opinion itself before relying on it. Not legal advice.
At a glance
Macdonald v. County of Yolo was decided on June 25, 1986 by a vote of 5–4. The Court affirmed the lower court's decision. Justice John Paul Stevens wrote the opinion of the Court. SCDB classifies its main issue as “Due process, takings clause” in the Due Process area.
Read the opinion
Case details
- Citations
- 477 U.S. 340 · 106 S. Ct. 2561 · 91 L. Ed. 2d 285 · 1986 U.S. LEXIS 119
- Docket number
- 84-2015
- Decided
- June 25, 1986
- Argued
- March 26, 1986
- Court era
- Burger Court
- Decision type
- Opinion of the Court (orally argued)
- Disposition
- Affirmed
- Outcome for petitioner
- The petitioning party did not receive a favorable disposition
- Vote
- 5–4
- Majority opinion
- John Paul Stevens
- Opinion assigned by
- William J. Brennan Jr.
- How the case arrived
- Appeal
- Issue (SCDB)
- Due process, takings clause
- Issue area
- Due Process
- Legal provision
- Fifth Amendment (takings clause)
- Type of law
- Constitutional amendment
- Decision direction (SCDB)
- Liberal what this means
How the Justices voted
| Justice | Vote | Separate writing |
|---|---|---|
| Justice William J. Brennan Jr. | Majority | |
| Justice Byron R. White | Dissent | Wrote an opinion |
| Justice Thurgood Marshall | Majority | |
| Chief Justice Warren E. Burger | Dissent | |
| Justice Harry A. Blackmun | Majority | |
| Justice Lewis F. Powell Jr. | Dissent | |
| Justice William H. Rehnquist | Dissent | Wrote an opinion |
| Justice John Paul Stevens | Majority | Wrote an opinion |
| Justice Sandra Day O'Connor | Majority |
Full case caption
Macdonald, Sommer & Frates v. County of Yolo et al.
SCDB identifiers: case 1985-129, docket 1985-129-01.
Related decisions
Other cases on “Due process, takings clause”
- Bowen v. Public Agencies Opposed to Social Security Entrapment
- Lyng v. Payne
- Connolly v. Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation
- Federal Communications Commission v. Florida Power Corp.
- Keystone Bituminous Coal Assn. v. Debenedictis
- United States v. Cherokee Nation of Oklahoma
Cases on the same legal provision: Fifth Amendment (takings clause)
- Agins et Ux. v. City of Tiburon
- Gurley v. Rhoden
- City of Pittsburgh v. Alco Parking Corp.
- United States v. Fuller et Ux.
- United States v. Grand River Dam Authority
- General Box Co. v. United States
Same Term, same area (Due Process)
- Regents of the University of Michigan v. Ewing
- Connolly v. Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation
- Aetna Life Insurance Co. v. Lavoie
- Lyng v. Payne
- Bowen v. Public Agencies Opposed to Social Security Entrapment
- McMillan v. Pennsylvania
Source: Supreme Court Database, 2026 Release 01 (data file dated September 8, 2026). Imported into CaseTrail November 5, 2026. Coverage: decisions from the 1946 through 2025 Terms. Methodology · Report an error