Santa Fe Independent School District v. Jane Doe
530 U.S. 290 · Decided June 19, 2000 · Supreme Court of the United States
At a glance
Santa Fe Independent School District v. Jane Doe was decided on June 19, 2000 by a vote of 6–3. The Court affirmed the lower court's decision. Justice John Paul Stevens wrote the opinion of the Court. SCDB classifies its main issue as “Establishment of religion” in the First Amendment area.
Read the opinion
Case details
- Citations
- 530 U.S. 290 · 120 S. Ct. 2266 · 147 L. Ed. 2d 295 · 2000 U.S. LEXIS 4154
- Docket number
- 99-62
- Decided
- June 19, 2000
- Argued
- March 29, 2000
- 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
- 6–3
- Majority opinion
- John Paul Stevens
- Opinion assigned by
- John Paul Stevens
- How the case arrived
- Certiorari
- Issue (SCDB)
- Establishment of religion
- Issue area
- First Amendment
- Legal provision
- First Amendment (establishment of religion)
- Type of law
- Constitutional amendment
- 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 | Dissent | |
| Justice Anthony M. Kennedy | Majority | |
| Justice David H. Souter | Majority | |
| Justice Clarence Thomas | Dissent | |
| Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg | Majority | |
| Justice Stephen G. Breyer | Majority |
Full case caption
Santa Fe Independent School District v. Jane Doe, Individually and as Next Friend for Her Minor Children, Jane and John Doe, et al.
SCDB identifiers: case 1999-077, docket 1999-077-01.
Related decisions
Other cases on “Establishment of religion”
- Good News Club v. Milford Central School
- Jon B. Cutter v. Reginald Wilkinson
- Capitol Square Review and Advisory Board v. Vincent J. Pinette
- Ronald W. Rosenberger v. Rector and Visitors of the University of Virginia
- Thomas Van Orden v. Rick Perry
- McCreary County v. American Civil Liberties Union of KentuckyLaw held unconstitutional
Cases on the same legal provision: First Amendment (establishment of religion)
- Guy Mitchell v. Mary L. HelmsAltered precedent
- Susan Tave Zelman v. Doris Simmons-Harris
- Rachel Agostini v. Betty-Louise FeltonAltered precedent
- Board of Education of Kiryas Joel Village School District v. Louis GrumetLaw held unconstitutional
- Larry Zobrest v. Catalina Foothills School District
- Arizona Christian School Tuition Organization v. Kathleen M. Winn
Same Term, same area (First Amendment)
- Los Angeles Police Department v. United Reporting Publishing Corporation
- Jeremiah W. (Jay) Nixon v. Shrink Missouri Government Pac
- Board of Regents of the University of Wisconsin System v. Scott Harold Southworth
- City of Erie v. Pap's A. M.
- United States v. Playboy Entertainment Group, Inc.Law held unconstitutional
- Guy Mitchell v. Mary L. HelmsAltered precedent
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