School Committee of the Town of Burlington v. Department of Education of Massachusetts
471 U.S. 359 · Decided April 29, 1985 · Supreme Court of the United States
At a glance
School Committee of the Town of Burlington v. Department of Education of Massachusetts was decided on April 29, 1985 unanimously (9–0). The Court affirmed the lower court's decision. Justice William H. Rehnquist wrote the opinion of the Court. SCDB classifies its main issue as “Rights of handicapped persons” in the Civil Rights area.
Read the opinion
Case details
- Citations
- 471 U.S. 359 · 105 S. Ct. 1996 · 85 L. Ed. 2d 385 · 1985 U.S. LEXIS 6
- Docket number
- 84-433
- Decided
- April 29, 1985
- Argued
- March 26, 1985
- Court era
- Burger 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
- William H. Rehnquist
- Opinion assigned by
- Warren E. Burger
- How the case arrived
- Certiorari
- Issue (SCDB)
- Rights of handicapped persons
- Issue area
- Civil Rights
- Legal provision
- Individuals with Disabilities Education Act and related statutes
- Type of law
- Federal statute
- Decision direction (SCDB)
- Liberal what this means
How the Justices voted
| Justice | Vote | Separate writing |
|---|---|---|
| Justice William J. Brennan Jr. | Majority | |
| Justice Byron R. White | Majority | |
| Justice Thurgood Marshall | Majority | |
| Chief Justice Warren E. Burger | Majority | |
| Justice Harry A. Blackmun | Majority | |
| Justice Lewis F. Powell Jr. | Majority | |
| Justice William H. Rehnquist | Majority | Wrote an opinion |
| Justice John Paul Stevens | Majority | |
| Justice Sandra Day O'Connor | Majority |
Full case caption
School Committee of the Town of Burlington, Massachusetts, et al. v. Department of Education of Massachusetts et al.
SCDB identifiers: case 1984-088, docket 1984-088-01.
Related decisions
Other cases on “Rights of handicapped persons”
- Alexander v. Choate
- Irving Independent School District v. Tatro et Ux.
- Bowen v. City of New York
- Bowen v. American Hospital Association
- United States Department of Transportation v. Paralyzed Veterans of America
- School Board of Nassau County v. Arline
Cases on the same legal provision: Individuals with Disabilities Education Act and related statutes
Same Term, same area (Civil Rights)
- Trans World Airlines, Inc. v. Thurston
- Alexander v. Choate
- Brandon v. Holt
- United States v. Dann
- Ake v. Oklahoma
- National Association for the Advancement of Colored People v. Hampton County Election Commission
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