Rita L. Saenz v. Brenda Roe and Anna Doe Etc.
526 U.S. 489 · Decided May 17, 1999 · Supreme Court of the United States
At a glance
Rita L. Saenz v. Brenda Roe and Anna Doe Etc. was decided on May 17, 1999 by a vote of 7–2. The Court affirmed the lower court's decision. Justice John Paul Stevens wrote the opinion of the Court. SCDB classifies its main issue as “Residency requirements” in the Civil Rights area. SCDB records that the Court declared a state or territorial law, regulation or constitutional provision unconstitutional.
Read the opinion
Case details
- Citations
- 526 U.S. 489 · 119 S. Ct. 1518 · 143 L. Ed. 2d 689 · 1999 U.S. LEXIS 3174
- Docket number
- 98-97
- Decided
- May 17, 1999
- Argued
- January 13, 1999
- 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
- 7–2
- Majority opinion
- John Paul Stevens
- Opinion assigned by
- John Paul Stevens
- How the case arrived
- Certiorari
- Issue (SCDB)
- Residency requirements
- Issue area
- Civil Rights
- Legal provision
- Fourteenth Amendment (privileges and immunities clause)
- Type of law
- Constitutional amendment
- Held unconstitutional
- A state or territorial law, regulation or constitutional provision
- Decision direction (SCDB)
- Liberal what this means
How the Justices voted
| Justice | Vote | Separate writing |
|---|---|---|
| Chief Justice William H. Rehnquist | Dissent | Wrote an opinion |
| Justice John Paul Stevens | Majority | Wrote an opinion |
| Justice Sandra Day O'Connor | Majority | |
| Justice Antonin Scalia | Majority | |
| Justice Anthony M. Kennedy | Majority | |
| Justice David H. Souter | Majority | |
| Justice Clarence Thomas | Dissent | Wrote an opinion |
| Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg | Majority | |
| Justice Stephen G. Breyer | Majority |
Full case caption
Rita L. Saenz, Director, California Department of Social Services, et al. v. Brenda Roe and Anna Doe Etc.
SCDB identifiers: case 1998-052, docket 1998-052-01.
Related decisions
Other cases on “Residency requirements”
- Barnard v. ThorstennLaw held unconstitutional
- Supreme Court of Virginia v. FriedmanLaw held unconstitutional
- Frazier v. Heebe
- Attorney General of New York v. Soto-LopezLaw held unconstitutional
- Hooper v. Bernalillo County AssessorLaw held unconstitutional
- Supreme Court of New Hampshire v. PiperLaw held unconstitutional
Same Term, same area (Civil Rights)
- Michael A. Haddle v. Jeanette G. Garrison
- In re Michael Kennedy
- Vicky M. Lopez v. Monterey County
- National Collegiate Athletic Association v. R. M. Smith
- Janet Reno v. American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee
- Cedar Rapids Community School District v. Garret F.
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