Papish v. Board of Curators of the University of Missouri
410 U.S. 667 · Decided March 19, 1973 · 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
Papish v. Board of Curators of the University of Missouri was decided on March 19, 1973 by a vote of 6–3. The Court reversed the lower court's decision and remanded the case. The decision was issued per curiam (an unsigned opinion of the Court). SCDB classifies its main issue as “First Amendment, miscellaneous” in the First Amendment area.
Read the opinion
Case details
- Citations
- 410 U.S. 667 · 93 S. Ct. 1197 · 35 L. Ed. 2d 618 · 1973 U.S. LEXIS 93
- Docket number
- 72-794
- Decided
- March 19, 1973
- Court era
- Burger Court
- Decision type
- Per curiam (no oral argument)
- Disposition
- Reversed and remanded
- Outcome for petitioner
- The petitioning party received a favorable disposition
- Vote
- 6–3
- Opinion assigned by
- William O. Douglas
- How the case arrived
- Certiorari
- Issue (SCDB)
- First Amendment, miscellaneous
- Issue area
- First Amendment
- Legal provision
- First Amendment (speech, press, and assembly)
- Type of law
- Constitutional amendment
- Decision direction (SCDB)
- Liberal what this means
How the Justices voted
| Justice | Vote | Separate writing |
|---|---|---|
| Justice William O. Douglas | Majority | |
| Justice William J. Brennan Jr. | Majority | |
| Justice Potter Stewart | Majority | |
| Justice Byron R. White | Majority | |
| Justice Thurgood Marshall | Majority | |
| Chief Justice Warren E. Burger | Dissent | Wrote an opinion |
| Justice Harry A. Blackmun | Dissent | |
| Justice Lewis F. Powell Jr. | Majority | |
| Justice William H. Rehnquist | Dissent | Wrote an opinion |
Full case caption
Papish v. Board of Curators of the University of Missouri et al.
SCDB identifiers: case 1972-075, docket 1972-075-01.
Related decisions
Other cases on “First Amendment, miscellaneous”
- Columbia Broadcasting System, Inc. v. Democratic National Committee
- United States Civil Service Commission v. National Association of Letter Carriers
- Broadrick v. Oklahoma
- Plummer v. City of ColumbusLaw held unconstitutional
- Gravel v. United States
- Branzburg v. Hayes
Cases on the same legal provision: First Amendment (speech, press, and assembly)
- Miller v. CaliforniaAltered precedent
- Paris Adult Theatre I v. Slaton
- Kaplan v. California
- United States v. 12 200-ft. Reels of Super 8mm. Film (Paladini
- United States v. Orito
- Pittsburgh Press Co. v. Pittsburgh Commission on Human Relations
Same Term, same area (First Amendment)
- California v. Larue
- Lemon v. Kurtzman
- Columbia Broadcasting System, Inc. v. Democratic National Committee
- Miller v. CaliforniaAltered precedent
- Paris Adult Theatre I v. Slaton
- Kaplan v. California
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