McKinney v. Alabama
424 U.S. 669 · Decided March 23, 1976 · Supreme Court of the United States
At a glance
McKinney v. Alabama was decided on March 23, 1976 unanimously (8–0). The Court reversed the lower court's decision and remanded the case. Justice William H. Rehnquist wrote the opinion of the Court. SCDB classifies its main issue as “Obscenity, state” in the First Amendment area. SCDB records that the Court declared a state or territorial law, regulation or constitutional provision unconstitutional.
Read the opinion
Case details
- Citations
- 424 U.S. 669 · 96 S. Ct. 1189 · 47 L. Ed. 2d 387 · 1976 U.S. LEXIS 11
- Docket number
- 74-532
- Decided
- March 23, 1976
- Argued
- December 15, 1975
- Court era
- Burger Court
- Decision type
- Opinion of the Court (orally argued)
- Disposition
- Reversed and remanded
- Outcome for petitioner
- The petitioning party received a favorable disposition
- Vote
- 8–0 (unanimous)
- Majority opinion
- William H. Rehnquist
- Opinion assigned by
- Warren E. Burger
- How the case arrived
- Certiorari
- Issue (SCDB)
- Obscenity, state
- Issue area
- First Amendment
- Legal provision
- First Amendment (speech, press, and assembly)
- Type of law
- Constitutional amendment
- Held unconstitutional
- A state or territorial law, regulation or constitutional provision
- Decision direction (SCDB)
- Liberal what this means
How the Justices voted
| Justice | Vote | Separate writing |
|---|---|---|
| Justice William J. Brennan Jr. | Special concurrence | Wrote an opinion |
| Justice Potter Stewart | Special concurrence | |
| Justice Byron R. White | Majority | |
| Justice Thurgood Marshall | Special concurrence | |
| Chief Justice Warren E. Burger | Majority | |
| Justice Harry A. Blackmun | Concurrence | Wrote an opinion |
| Justice Lewis F. Powell Jr. | Majority | |
| Justice William H. Rehnquist | Majority | Wrote an opinion |
Did not participate: John Paul Stevens.
Full case caption
McKinney v. Alabama
SCDB identifiers: case 1975-055, docket 1975-055-01.
Related decisions
Other cases on “Obscenity, state”
- Young v. American Mini Theatres, Inc.
- Erznoznik v. City of JacksonvilleLaw held unconstitutional
- Splawn v. California
- Ward v. Illinois
- Jenkins v. Georgia
- Heller v. New York
Cases on the same legal provision: First Amendment (speech, press, and assembly)
- Greer v. Spock
- Kelley v. Johnson
- Hudgens v. National Labor Relations BoardAltered precedent
- Time, Inc. v. Firestone
- Hynes v. Mayor and Council of Borough of OradellLaw held unconstitutional
- Virginia State Board of Pharmacy v. Virginia Citizens Consumer Council, Inc.Altered precedentLaw held unconstitutional
Same Term, same area (First Amendment)
- Buckley v. ValeoLaw held unconstitutional
- Time, Inc. v. Firestone
- Hudgens v. National Labor Relations BoardAltered precedent
- Greer v. Spock
- Kelley v. Johnson
- Hynes v. Mayor and Council of Borough of OradellLaw held unconstitutional
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