Missouri v. Jenkins
491 U.S. 274 · Decided June 19, 1989 · 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
Missouri v. Jenkins was decided on June 19, 1989 by a vote of 5–3. The Court affirmed the lower court's decision. Justice William J. Brennan Jr. wrote the opinion of the Court. SCDB classifies its main issue as “Attorneys' and officials' fees, compensation, or licenses” in the Attorneys area.
Read the opinion
Case details
- Citations
- 491 U.S. 274 · 109 S. Ct. 2463 · 105 L. Ed. 2d 229 · 1989 U.S. LEXIS 3038
- Docket number
- 88-64
- Decided
- June 19, 1989
- Argued
- February 21, 1989
- 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
- 5–3
- Majority opinion
- William J. Brennan Jr.
- Opinion assigned by
- William J. Brennan Jr.
- How the case arrived
- Certiorari
- Issue area
- Attorneys
- Legal provision
- Civil Rights Attorney's Fees Awards Act
- Type of law
- Federal statute
- Decision direction (SCDB)
- Liberal what this means
How the Justices voted
| Justice | Vote | Separate writing |
|---|---|---|
| Justice William J. Brennan Jr. | Majority | Wrote an opinion |
| Justice Byron R. White | Majority | |
| Justice Harry A. Blackmun | Majority | |
| Chief Justice William H. Rehnquist | Dissent | Wrote an opinion |
| Justice John Paul Stevens | Majority | |
| Justice Sandra Day O'Connor | Dissent | Wrote an opinion |
| Justice Antonin Scalia | Dissent | |
| Justice Anthony M. Kennedy | Majority |
Did not participate: Thurgood Marshall.
Full case caption
Missouri et al. v. Jenkins, by Her Friend, Agyei, et al.
SCDB identifiers: case 1988-119, docket 1988-119-01.
Related decisions
Other cases on “Attorneys' and officials' fees, compensation, or licenses”
- Independent Federation of Flight Attendants v. Zipes
- Sullivan v. Hudson
- Texas State Teachers Association v. Garland Independent School District
- Blanchard v. Bergeron
- Rhodes v. Stewart
- United States Department of Labor v. Triplett
Same Term, same area (Attorneys)
- Rhodes v. Stewart
- Blanchard v. Bergeron
- Texas State Teachers Association v. Garland Independent School District
- Sullivan v. Hudson
- Independent Federation of Flight Attendants v. Zipes
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