Robert E. Rubin v. Coors Brewing Company
514 U.S. 476 · Decided April 19, 1995 · Supreme Court of the United States
At a glance
Robert E. Rubin v. Coors Brewing Company was decided on April 19, 1995 unanimously (9–0). The Court affirmed the lower court's decision. Justice Clarence Thomas wrote the opinion of the Court. SCDB classifies its main issue as “Commercial speech, excluding attorneys” in the First Amendment area. SCDB records that the Court declared an act of Congress unconstitutional.
Read the opinion
Case details
- Citations
- 514 U.S. 476 · 115 S. Ct. 1585 · 131 L. Ed. 2d 532 · 1995 U.S. LEXIS 2844
- Docket number
- 93-1631
- Decided
- April 19, 1995
- Argued
- November 30, 1994
- 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
- 9–0 (unanimous)
- Majority opinion
- Clarence Thomas
- Opinion assigned by
- William H. Rehnquist
- How the case arrived
- Certiorari
- Issue (SCDB)
- Commercial speech, excluding attorneys
- Issue area
- First Amendment
- Legal provision
- 27 U.S.C. § 205
- Type of law
- Infrequently litigated statute
- Held unconstitutional
- An act of Congress
- Decision direction (SCDB)
- Liberal what this means
How the Justices voted
| Justice | Vote | Separate writing |
|---|---|---|
| Chief Justice William H. Rehnquist | Majority | |
| Justice John Paul Stevens | Special concurrence | 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 | Majority | Wrote an opinion |
| Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg | Majority | |
| Justice Stephen G. Breyer | Majority |
Full case caption
Robert E. Rubin, Secretary of the Treasury v. Coors Brewing Company
SCDB identifiers: case 1994-048, docket 1994-048-01.
Related decisions
Other cases on “Commercial speech, excluding attorneys”
- 44 Liquormart, Inc. and Peoples Super Liquor Stores, Inc. v. Rhode Island and Rhode Island Liquor Stores AssociationAltered precedentLaw held unconstitutional
- United States and Federal Communications Commission v. Edge Broadcasting Company T/a Power 94
- Fred H. Edenfield v. Scott FaneLaw held unconstitutional
- City of Cincinnati v. Discovery Network, Inc.Law held unconstitutional
- Dan Glickman v. Wileman Brothers & Elliott, Inc.
- Greater New Orleans Broadcasting Association, Inc., Etc. v. United StatesLaw held unconstitutional
Same Term, same area (First Amendment)
- United States v. X-Citement Video, Inc.
- Michael A. Lebron v. National Railroad Passenger Corporation
- United States v. National Treasury Employees UnionLaw held unconstitutional
- Joseph McIntyre v. Ohio Elections CommissionLaw held unconstitutional
- John J. Hurley and South Boston Allied War Veterans Council v. Irish-American GayLaw held unconstitutional
- Capitol Square Review and Advisory Board v. Vincent J. Pinette
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