Otis R. Bowen v. Mary Alice Galbreath
485 U.S. 74 · Decided February 24, 1988 · Supreme Court of the United States
At a glance
Otis R. Bowen v. Mary Alice Galbreath was decided on February 24, 1988 unanimously (8–0). The Court reversed 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
- 485 U.S. 74 · 108 S. Ct. 892 · 99 L. Ed. 2d 68 · 1988 U.S. LEXIS 946
- Docket number
- 86-1146
- Decided
- February 24, 1988
- Argued
- December 9, 1987
- Court era
- Rehnquist Court
- Decision type
- Opinion of the Court (orally argued)
- Disposition
- Reversed
- Outcome for petitioner
- The petitioning party received a favorable disposition
- Vote
- 8–0 (unanimous)
- Majority opinion
- William J. Brennan Jr.
- Opinion assigned by
- William H. Rehnquist
- How the case arrived
- Certiorari
- Issue area
- Attorneys
- Legal provision
- Supplemental Security Income
- Type of law
- Federal statute
- Decision direction (SCDB)
- Conservative 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 Thurgood Marshall | Majority | |
| Justice Harry A. Blackmun | Majority | |
| Chief Justice William H. Rehnquist | Majority | |
| Justice John Paul Stevens | Majority | |
| Justice Sandra Day O'Connor | Majority | |
| Justice Antonin Scalia | Majority |
Did not participate: Anthony M. Kennedy.
Full case caption
Otis R. Bowen, Secretary of Health and Human Services v. Mary Alice Galbreath
SCDB identifiers: case 1987-037, docket 1987-037-01.
Related decisions
Other cases on “Attorneys' and officials' fees, compensation, or licenses”
- Pierce v. Underwood
- Rhodes v. Stewart
- Pennsylvania v. Delaware Valley Citizens' Council for Clean Air
- Hewitt v. Helms
- Blanchard v. Bergeron
- Texas State Teachers Association v. Garland Independent School District
Cases on the same legal provision: Supplemental Security Income
Same Term, same area (Attorneys)
- Shapero v. Kentucky Bar AssociationLaw held unconstitutional
- Pierce v. Underwood
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