Miller v. Youakim

440 U.S. 125 · Decided February 22, 1979 · Supreme Court of the United States

At a glance

Miller v. Youakim was decided on February 22, 1979 unanimously (8–0). The Court affirmed the lower court's decision. Justice Thurgood Marshall wrote the opinion of the Court. SCDB classifies its main issue as “Poverty law, statutory welfare benefits” in the Civil Rights area.

Read the opinion

• CourtListener (Free Law Project) — opinion text
• Library of Congress — official U.S. Reports scan

Case details

How the Justices voted

Did not participate: John Paul Stevens.

Full case caption

Miller, Director, Department of Children and Family Services of Illinois, et al. v. Youakim et al.

SCDB identifiers: case 1978-041, docket 1978-041-01.

Related decisions

Other cases on “Poverty law, statutory welfare benefits”

• Alexander v. United States Department of Housing and Urban Development
  441 U.S. 39Decided April 17, 19799–0Thurgood Marshall
• Califano v. Yamasaki
  442 U.S. 682Decided June 20, 19798–0Harry A. Blackmun
• Quern v. Mandley
  436 U.S. 725Decided June 6, 19788–0Potter Stewart
• Batterton v. Francis
  432 U.S. 416Decided June 20, 19775–4Harry A. Blackmun
• Maher v. Doe
  432 U.S. 526Decided June 20, 19779–0Per curiam
• Ohio Bureau of Employment Services v. Hodory
  431 U.S. 471Decided May 31, 19778–0Harry A. Blackmun

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Cases on the same legal provision: Aid to Families with Dependent Children (Social Security Act)

• Townsend v. SwankLaw held unconstitutional
  404 U.S. 282Decided December 20, 19717–0William J. Brennan Jr.
• Bowen v. Gilliard
  483 U.S. 587Decided June 25, 19876–3John Paul Stevens
• Dandridge v. Williams
  397 U.S. 471Decided April 6, 19705–3Potter Stewart
• Linda J. Blessing v. Cathy Freestone, Etc.
  520 U.S. 329Decided April 21, 19979–0Sandra Day O'Connor

Same Term, same area (Civil Rights)

• Board of Trustees of Keene State College v. Sweeney
  439 U.S. 24Decided November 13, 19785–4Per curiam
• Dougherty County v. White
  439 U.S. 32Decided November 28, 19785–4Thurgood Marshall
• Holt Civic Club v. City of Tuscaloosa
  439 U.S. 60Decided November 28, 19786–3William H. Rehnquist
• Califano v. Aznavorian
  439 U.S. 170Decided December 11, 19789–0Potter Stewart
• Lalli v. Lalli
  439 U.S. 259Decided December 11, 19785–4Lewis F. Powell Jr.
• Duren v. MissouriAltered precedentLaw held unconstitutional
  439 U.S. 357Decided January 9, 19798–1Byron R. White

See all

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