Ohralik v. Ohio State Bar Assn.

436 U.S. 447 · Decided May 30, 1978 · Supreme Court of the United States

At a glance

Ohralik v. Ohio State Bar Assn. was decided on May 30, 1978 unanimously (8–0). The Court affirmed the lower court's decision. Justice Lewis F. Powell Jr. wrote the opinion of the Court. SCDB classifies its main issue as “Commercial speech, attorneys” in the Attorneys 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: William J. Brennan Jr..

Full case caption

Ohralik v. Ohio State Bar Assn.

SCDB identifiers: case 1977-093, docket 1977-093-01.

Related decisions

Other cases on “Commercial speech, attorneys”

• In re Primus
  436 U.S. 412Decided May 30, 19787–1Lewis F. Powell Jr.
• Bates v. State Bar of ArizonaLaw held unconstitutional
  433 U.S. 350Decided June 27, 19775–4Harry A. Blackmun
• In re R. M. J.Law held unconstitutional
  455 U.S. 191Decided January 25, 19829–0Lewis F. Powell Jr.
• Zauderer v. Office of Disciplinary Counsel of the Supreme Court of OhioLaw held unconstitutional
  471 U.S. 626Decided May 28, 19855–3Byron R. White
• United Transportation Union v. State Bar of Michigan
  401 U.S. 576Decided April 5, 19715–3Hugo L. Black
• Shapero v. Kentucky Bar AssociationLaw held unconstitutional
  486 U.S. 466Decided June 13, 19886–3William J. Brennan Jr.

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Cases on the same legal provision: First Amendment (speech, press, and assembly)

• Pinkus v. United States
  436 U.S. 293Decided May 23, 19788–1Warren E. Burger
• Houchins v. Kqed, Inc.
  438 U.S. 1Decided June 26, 19784–3Warren E. Burger
• Landmark Communications, Inc. v. VirginiaLaw held unconstitutional
  435 U.S. 829Decided May 1, 19787–0Warren E. Burger
• First National Bank of Boston v. BellottiLaw held unconstitutional
  435 U.S. 765Decided April 26, 19785–4Lewis F. Powell Jr.
• Federal Communications Commission v. Pacifica Foundation
  438 U.S. 726Decided July 3, 19785–4John Paul Stevens
• Givhan v. Western Line Consolidated School District
  439 U.S. 410Decided January 4, 19799–0William H. Rehnquist

Same Term, same area (Attorneys)

• Christiansburg Garment Co. v. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission
  434 U.S. 412Decided January 23, 19788–0Potter Stewart
• In re Primus
  436 U.S. 412Decided May 30, 19787–1Lewis F. Powell Jr.
• Hutto v. Finney
  437 U.S. 678Decided June 23, 19785–4John Paul Stevens

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