Snepp v. United States
444 U.S. 507 · Decided February 19, 1980 · Supreme Court of the United States
Record summary. This page is generated from the Supreme Court Database’s coded data about the case. It describes who decided what, not the Court’s reasoning. Read the opinion itself before relying on it. Not legal advice.
At a glance
Snepp v. United States was decided on February 19, 1980 by a vote of 6–3. The Court reversed the lower court's decision and remanded the case. The decision was issued per curiam (an unsigned opinion of the Court). SCDB classifies its main issue as “First Amendment, miscellaneous” in the First Amendment area.
Read the opinion
Case details
- Citations
- 444 U.S. 507 · 100 S. Ct. 763 · 62 L. Ed. 2d 704 · 1980 U.S. LEXIS 75
- Docket number
- 78-1871
- Decided
- February 19, 1980
- Court era
- Burger Court
- Decision type
- Per curiam (no oral argument)
- Disposition
- Reversed and remanded
- Outcome for petitioner
- The petitioning party did not receive a favorable disposition
- Vote
- 6–3
- Opinion assigned by
- Warren E. Burger
- How the case arrived
- Certiorari
- Issue (SCDB)
- First Amendment, miscellaneous
- Issue area
- First Amendment
- Decision direction (SCDB)
- Conservative what this means
How the Justices voted
| Justice | Vote | Separate writing |
|---|---|---|
| Justice William J. Brennan Jr. | Dissent | |
| Justice Potter Stewart | Majority | |
| Justice Byron R. White | Majority | |
| Justice Thurgood Marshall | Dissent | |
| Chief Justice Warren E. Burger | Majority | |
| Justice Harry A. Blackmun | Majority | |
| Justice Lewis F. Powell Jr. | Majority | |
| Justice William H. Rehnquist | Majority | |
| Justice John Paul Stevens | Dissent | Wrote an opinion |
Full case caption
Snepp v. United States
SCDB identifiers: case 1979-032, docket 1979-032-01.
Related decisions
Other cases on “First Amendment, miscellaneous”
- Village of Schaumburg v. Citizens for a Better EnvironmentLaw held unconstitutional
- Brown v. Glines
- Secretary of the Navy v. Huff
- Branti v. Finkel
- Consolidated Edison Company of New York, Inc. v. Public Service Commission of New YorkLaw held unconstitutional
- Richmond Newspapers, Inc. v. Virginia
Same Term, same area (First Amendment)
- Brown v. Glines
- Secretary of the Navy v. Huff
- Village of Schaumburg v. Citizens for a Better EnvironmentLaw held unconstitutional
- Committee for Public Education and Religious Liberty v. Regan
- Vance v. Universal Amusement Co., Inc.Law held unconstitutional
- Branti v. Finkel
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