Philadelphia Newspapers, Inc. v. Hepps

475 U.S. 767 · Decided April 21, 1986 · Supreme Court of the United States

At a glance

Philadelphia Newspapers, Inc. v. Hepps was decided on April 21, 1986 by a vote of 5–4. The Court reversed the lower court's decision and remanded the case. Justice Sandra Day O'Connor wrote the opinion of the Court. SCDB classifies its main issue as “Libel and defamation” in the First Amendment area. SCDB records that the Court declared a state or territorial law, regulation or constitutional provision unconstitutional.

Read the opinion

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

Case details

How the Justices voted

Full case caption

Philadelphia Newspapers, Inc., et al. v. Hepps et al.

SCDB identifiers: case 1985-065, docket 1985-065-01.

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Other cases on “Libel and defamation”

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

• New York v. P.J. Video, Inc.
  475 U.S. 868Decided April 22, 19866–3William H. Rehnquist
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• City of Renton v. Playtime Theatres, Inc.
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  478 U.S. 1Decided June 30, 19867–2Warren E. Burger

Same Term, same area (First Amendment)

• Witters v. Washington Department of Services for the Blind
  474 U.S. 481Decided January 27, 19869–0Thurgood Marshall
• Pacific Gas & Electric Co. v. Public Utilities Commission of CaliforniaLaw held unconstitutional
  475 U.S. 1Decided February 25, 19865–3Lewis F. Powell Jr.
• City of Renton v. Playtime Theatres, Inc.
  475 U.S. 41Decided February 25, 19867–2William H. Rehnquist
• Goldman v. Weinberger
  475 U.S. 503Decided March 25, 19865–4William H. Rehnquist
• Bender v. Williamsport Area School District
  475 U.S. 534Decided March 25, 19865–4John Paul Stevens
• New York v. P.J. Video, Inc.
  475 U.S. 868Decided April 22, 19866–3William H. Rehnquist

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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