Melvin Jefferson v. City of Tarrant
522 U.S. 75 · Decided December 9, 1997 · Supreme Court of the United States
At a glance
Melvin Jefferson v. City of Tarrant was decided on December 9, 1997 by a vote of 8–1. SCDB codes the disposition as “petition denied or appeal dismissed.” Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg wrote the opinion of the Court. SCDB classifies its main issue as “Review of nonfinal orders” in the Judicial Power area.
Read the opinion
Case details
- Citations
- 522 U.S. 75 · 118 S. Ct. 481 · 139 L. Ed. 2d 433 · 1997 U.S. LEXIS 7494
- Docket number
- 96-957
- Decided
- December 9, 1997
- Argued
- November 4, 1997
- Court era
- Rehnquist Court
- Decision type
- Opinion of the Court (orally argued)
- Disposition
- Petition denied or appeal dismissed
- Outcome for petitioner
- The petitioning party did not receive a favorable disposition
- Vote
- 8–1
- Majority opinion
- Ruth Bader Ginsburg
- Opinion assigned by
- William H. Rehnquist
- How the case arrived
- Certiorari
- Issue (SCDB)
- Review of nonfinal orders
- Issue area
- Judicial Power
- Legal provision
- 28 U.S.C. § 1257
- Type of law
- Infrequently litigated statute
- Decision direction (SCDB)
- Conservative what this means
How the Justices voted
| Justice | Vote | Separate writing |
|---|---|---|
| Chief Justice William H. Rehnquist | Majority | |
| Justice John Paul Stevens | Dissent | Wrote an opinion |
| Justice Sandra Day O'Connor | Majority | |
| Justice Antonin Scalia | Majority | |
| Justice Anthony M. Kennedy | Majority | |
| Justice David H. Souter | Majority | |
| Justice Clarence Thomas | Majority | |
| Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg | Majority | Wrote an opinion |
| Justice Stephen G. Breyer | Majority |
Full case caption
Melvin Jefferson, Individually and as Administrator of the Estate of Alberta K. Jefferson, Deceased, et al. v. City of Tarrant, Alabama
SCDB identifiers: case 1997-007, docket 1997-007-01.
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Cases on the same legal provision: 28 U.S.C. § 1257
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Same Term, same area (Judicial Power)
- General Electric Company v. Robert K. Joiner et Ux.
- City of Chicago v. International College of Surgeons
- George G. Rogers v. United States
- Regions Hospital v. Donna E. Shalala
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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