Richmond Newspapers, Inc. v. Virginia

448 U.S. 555 · Decided July 2, 1980 · Supreme Court of the United States

At a glance

Richmond Newspapers, Inc. v. Virginia was decided on July 2, 1980 by a vote of 7–1. The Court reversed the lower court's decision. Chief Justice Warren E. Burger wrote the opinion announcing the judgment of the Court. SCDB classifies its main issue as “First Amendment, miscellaneous” in the First Amendment 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: Lewis F. Powell Jr..

Full case caption

Richmond Newspapers, Inc., et al. v. Virginia et al.

SCDB identifiers: case 1979-154, docket 1979-154-01.

Related decisions

Other cases on “First Amendment, miscellaneous”

• Consolidated Edison Company of New York, Inc. v. Public Service Commission of New YorkLaw held unconstitutional
  447 U.S. 530Decided June 20, 19807–2Lewis F. Powell Jr.
• Branti v. Finkel
  445 U.S. 507Decided March 31, 19806–3John Paul Stevens
• Village of Schaumburg v. Citizens for a Better EnvironmentLaw held unconstitutional
  444 U.S. 620Decided February 20, 19808–1Byron R. White
• Snepp v. United States
  444 U.S. 507Decided February 19, 19806–3Per curiam
• Brown v. Glines
  444 U.S. 348Decided January 21, 19805–3Lewis F. Powell Jr.
• Secretary of the Navy v. Huff
  444 U.S. 453Decided January 21, 19805–3Per curiam

See all

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

• Central Hudson Gas & Electric Corp. v. Public Service Commission of New YorkLaw held unconstitutional
  447 U.S. 557Decided June 20, 19808–1Lewis F. Powell Jr.
• Vance v. Universal Amusement Co., Inc.Law held unconstitutional
  445 U.S. 308Decided March 18, 19805–4Per curiam
• Schad v. Borough of Mount EphraimLaw held unconstitutional
  452 U.S. 61Decided June 1, 19817–2Byron R. White
• Metromedia, Inc. v. City of San DiegoLaw held unconstitutional
  453 U.S. 490Decided July 2, 19816–3Byron R. White
• Wolston v. Reader's Digest Association, Inc.
  443 U.S. 157Decided June 26, 19798–1William H. Rehnquist
• Herbert v. Lando
  441 U.S. 153Decided April 18, 19796–3Byron R. White

Same Term, same area (First Amendment)

• Brown v. Glines
  444 U.S. 348Decided January 21, 19805–3Lewis F. Powell Jr.
• Secretary of the Navy v. Huff
  444 U.S. 453Decided January 21, 19805–3Per curiam
• Snepp v. United States
  444 U.S. 507Decided February 19, 19806–3Per curiam
• Village of Schaumburg v. Citizens for a Better EnvironmentLaw held unconstitutional
  444 U.S. 620Decided February 20, 19808–1Byron R. White
• Committee for Public Education and Religious Liberty v. Regan
  444 U.S. 646Decided February 20, 19805–4Byron R. White
• Vance v. Universal Amusement Co., Inc.Law held unconstitutional
  445 U.S. 308Decided March 18, 19805–4Per curiam

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