Splawn v. California
431 U.S. 595 · Decided June 6, 1977 · 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
Splawn v. California was decided on June 6, 1977 by a vote of 5–4. The Court affirmed the lower court's decision. Justice William H. Rehnquist wrote the opinion of the Court. SCDB classifies its main issue as “Obscenity, state” in the First Amendment area.
Read the opinion
Case details
- Citations
- 431 U.S. 595 · 97 S. Ct. 1987 · 52 L. Ed. 2d 606 · 1977 U.S. LEXIS 100
- Docket number
- 76-143
- Decided
- June 6, 1977
- Argued
- March 23, 1977
- 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
- 5–4
- Majority opinion
- William H. Rehnquist
- Opinion assigned by
- Warren E. Burger
- How the case arrived
- Certiorari
- Issue (SCDB)
- Obscenity, state
- Issue area
- First Amendment
- Legal provision
- First Amendment (speech, press, and assembly)
- Type of law
- Constitutional amendment
- Decision direction (SCDB)
- Conservative what this means
How the Justices voted
| Justice | Vote | Separate writing |
|---|---|---|
| Justice William J. Brennan Jr. | Dissent | Wrote an opinion |
| Justice Potter Stewart | Dissent | Wrote an opinion |
| 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 | Wrote an opinion |
| Justice John Paul Stevens | Dissent | Wrote an opinion |
Full case caption
Splawn v. California
SCDB identifiers: case 1976-121, docket 1976-121-01.
Related decisions
Other cases on “Obscenity, state”
- Ward v. Illinois
- Young v. American Mini Theatres, Inc.
- McKinney v. AlabamaLaw held unconstitutional
- Erznoznik v. City of JacksonvilleLaw held unconstitutional
- Vance v. Universal Amusement Co., Inc.Law held unconstitutional
- Jenkins v. Georgia
Cases on the same legal provision: First Amendment (speech, press, and assembly)
- National Socialist Party of America v. Village of Skokie
- Bates v. State Bar of ArizonaLaw held unconstitutional
- Zacchini v. Scripps-Howard Broadcasting Co.
- Linmark Associates, Inc. v. Township of WillingboroLaw held unconstitutional
- Oklahoma Publishing Co. v. District Court in and for Oklahoma County
- City of Madison Joint School District No. 8 v. Wisconsin Employment Relations Commission
Same Term, same area (First Amendment)
- Parker Seal Co. v. Cummins
- City of Madison Joint School District No. 8 v. Wisconsin Employment Relations Commission
- Mt. Healthy City School District Board of Education v. Doyle
- Marks v. United States
- Oklahoma Publishing Co. v. District Court in and for Oklahoma County
- Wooley v. Maynard et Ux.Law held unconstitutional
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