Shapero v. Kentucky Bar Association

486 U.S. 466 · Decided June 13, 1988 · Supreme Court of the United States

At a glance

Shapero v. Kentucky Bar Association was decided on June 13, 1988 by a vote of 6–3. The Court reversed the lower court's decision and remanded the case. Justice William J. Brennan Jr. wrote the opinion of the Court. SCDB classifies its main issue as “Commercial speech, attorneys” in the Attorneys area. SCDB records that the Court declared a state or territorial law, regulation or constitutional provision unconstitutional.

Read the opinion

• CourtListener (Free Law Project) — opinion text
• Library of Congress — official U.S. Reports scan

Case details

How the Justices voted

Full case caption

Shapero v. Kentucky Bar Association

SCDB identifiers: case 1987-105, docket 1987-105-01.

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Other cases on “Commercial speech, attorneys”

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• Silvia S. Ibanez v. Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation
  512 U.S. 136Decided June 13, 19947–2Ruth Bader Ginsburg
• In re R. M. J.Law held unconstitutional
  455 U.S. 191Decided January 25, 19829–0Lewis F. Powell Jr.
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Cases on the same legal provision: First Amendment (speech, press, and assembly)

• City of Lakewood v. Plain Dealer Publishing Co.Law held unconstitutional
  486 U.S. 750Decided June 17, 19884–3William J. Brennan Jr.
• Meyer v. GrantLaw held unconstitutional
  486 U.S. 414Decided June 6, 19889–0John Paul Stevens
• Frisby v. Schultz
  487 U.S. 474Decided June 27, 19886–3Sandra Day O'Connor
• Riley v. National Federation of the Blind of North Carolina, Inc.Law held unconstitutional
  487 U.S. 781Decided June 29, 19887–2William J. Brennan Jr.
• Michael Boos, J. Michael Waller and Bridget Brooker v. Marion S. Barry, Jr.Law held unconstitutional
  485 U.S. 312Decided March 22, 19885–3Sandra Day O'Connor
• Hustler Magazine and Larry C. Flynt v. Jerry Falwell
  485 U.S. 46Decided February 24, 19888–0William H. Rehnquist

Same Term, same area (Attorneys)

• Otis R. Bowen v. Mary Alice Galbreath
  485 U.S. 74Decided February 24, 19888–0William J. Brennan Jr.
• Pierce v. Underwood
  487 U.S. 552Decided June 27, 19886–2Antonin Scalia

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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