Randy G. Spencer v. Mike Kemna
523 U.S. 1 · Decided March 3, 1998 · 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
Randy G. Spencer v. Mike Kemna was decided on March 3, 1998 by a vote of 8–1. The Court affirmed the lower court's decision. Justice Antonin Scalia wrote the opinion of the Court. SCDB classifies its main issue as “Mootness” in the Judicial Power area.
Read the opinion
Case details
- Citations
- 523 U.S. 1 · 118 S. Ct. 978 · 140 L. Ed. 2d 43 · 1998 U.S. LEXIS 1597
- Docket number
- 96-7171
- Decided
- March 3, 1998
- Argued
- November 12, 1997
- 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
- 8–1
- Majority opinion
- Antonin Scalia
- Opinion assigned by
- William H. Rehnquist
- How the case arrived
- Certiorari
- Issue (SCDB)
- Mootness
- Issue area
- Judicial Power
- Legal provision
- Article III, Section 2, Paragraph 1 (case or controversy requirement)
- Type of law
- Constitution
- Decision direction (SCDB)
- Conservative what this means
How the Justices voted
| Justice | Vote | Separate writing |
|---|---|---|
| Chief Justice William H. Rehnquist | Majority | |
| Justice John Paul Stevens | Dissent | Wrote an opinion |
| Justice Sandra Day O'Connor | Majority | |
| Justice Antonin Scalia | Majority | Wrote an opinion |
| Justice Anthony M. Kennedy | Majority | |
| Justice David H. Souter | Majority | |
| Justice Clarence Thomas | Majority | |
| Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg | Majority | |
| Justice Stephen G. Breyer | Majority |
Full case caption
Randy G. Spencer v. Mike Kemna, Superintendent, Western Missouri Correctional Center, et al.
SCDB identifiers: case 1997-032, docket 1997-032-01.
Related decisions
Other cases on “Mootness”
- Sylvester Mosley v. United States
- Arizonans for Official English and Robert D. Park v. Arizona
- Arthur Calderon v. Charles Edward Moore, Jr.
- Adarand Constructors, Inc. v. Rodney Slater
- United States v. Chesapeake and Potomac Telephone Company of Virginia
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Cases on the same legal provision: Article III, Section 2, Paragraph 1 (case or controversy requirement)
- Steel Company v. Citizens for a Better Environment
- Texas v. United States
- Terry Campbell v. Louisiana
- Arthur Calderon v. Troy Ashmus, Etc.
- Frederick D. Raines v. Robert C. Byrd
- Brad Bennett v. Michael Spear
Same Term, same area (Judicial Power)
- Melvin Jefferson v. City of Tarrant
- General Electric Company v. Robert K. Joiner et Ux.
- City of Chicago v. International College of Surgeons
- George G. Rogers v. United States
- Regions Hospital v. Donna E. Shalala
- Mary Anna Rivet v. Regions Bank of Louisiana
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