Mackey v. Lanier Collection Agency & Service, Inc.
486 U.S. 825 · Decided June 17, 1988 · 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
Mackey v. Lanier Collection Agency & Service, Inc. was decided on June 17, 1988 by a vote of 5–4. The Court affirmed the lower court's decision. Justice Byron R. White wrote the opinion of the Court. SCDB classifies its main issue as “Federal preemption of state legislation or regulation” in the Federalism area.
Read the opinion
Case details
- Citations
- 486 U.S. 825 · 108 S. Ct. 2182 · 100 L. Ed. 2d 836 · 1988 U.S. LEXIS 2735
- Docket number
- 86-1387
- Decided
- June 17, 1988
- Argued
- April 19, 1988
- Court era
- Rehnquist 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
- Byron R. White
- Opinion assigned by
- William H. Rehnquist
- How the case arrived
- Certiorari
- Issue area
- Federalism
- Legal provision
- Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA)
- Type of law
- Federal statute
- Decision direction (SCDB)
- Conservative what this means
How the Justices voted
| Justice | Vote | Separate writing |
|---|---|---|
| Justice William J. Brennan Jr. | Majority | |
| Justice Byron R. White | Majority | Wrote an opinion |
| Justice Thurgood Marshall | Majority | |
| Justice Harry A. Blackmun | Dissent | |
| Chief Justice William H. Rehnquist | Majority | |
| Justice John Paul Stevens | Majority | |
| Justice Sandra Day O'Connor | Dissent | |
| Justice Antonin Scalia | Dissent | |
| Justice Anthony M. Kennedy | Dissent | Wrote an opinion |
Full case caption
Mackey et al. v. Lanier Collection Agency & Service, Inc.
SCDB identifiers: case 1987-120, docket 1987-120-01.
Related decisions
Other cases on “Federal preemption of state legislation or regulation”
- Felder v. Casey
- City of New York v. Federal Communications Commission
- Puerto Rico Department of Consumer Affairs v. Isla Petroleum Corporation
- Eric J. Schneidewind v. Anr Pipeline Company and Anr Storage Company
- Shell Oil Company v. Iowa Department of Revenue
- Bonito Boats, Inc. v. Thunder Craft Boats, Inc.Law held unconstitutional
Cases on the same legal provision: Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA)
- Laborers Health and Welfare Trust Fund for Northern California v. Advanced Lightweight Concrete Co., Inc.
- Firestone Tire & Rubber Co. v. Bruch
- Massachusetts v. Morash
- Mead Corp. v. Tilley
- Pilot Life Insurance Co. v. Dedeaux
- Metropolitan Life Insurance Co. v. Taylor
Same Term, same area (Federalism)
- United States of America v. State of Louisiana
- Eric J. Schneidewind v. Anr Pipeline Company and Anr Storage Company
- George S. Bennett v. ArkansasLaw held unconstitutional
- Puerto Rico Department of Consumer Affairs v. Isla Petroleum Corporation
- South Carolina v. BakerAltered precedent
- City of New York v. Federal Communications Commission
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