Stanford v. Kentucky
492 U.S. 361 · Decided June 26, 1989 · 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
Stanford v. Kentucky was decided on June 26, 1989 by a vote of 5–4. The Court affirmed the lower court's decision. Justice Antonin Scalia wrote the opinion of the Court. SCDB classifies its main issue as “Cruel and unusual punishment, death penalty” in the Criminal Procedure area.
Read the opinion
Case details
- Citations
- 492 U.S. 361 · 109 S. Ct. 2969 · 106 L. Ed. 2d 306 · 1989 U.S. LEXIS 3195
- Docket number
- 87-5765
- Decided
- June 26, 1989
- Argued
- March 27, 1989
- 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
- 5–4
- Majority opinion
- Antonin Scalia
- Opinion assigned by
- William H. Rehnquist
- How the case arrived
- Certiorari
- Issue (SCDB)
- Cruel and unusual punishment, death penalty
- Issue area
- Criminal Procedure
- Legal provision
- Eighth Amendment (cruel and unusual punishment)
- 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 Byron R. White | Majority | |
| Justice Thurgood Marshall | Dissent | |
| Justice Harry A. Blackmun | Dissent | |
| Chief Justice William H. Rehnquist | Majority | |
| Justice John Paul Stevens | Dissent | |
| Justice Sandra Day O'Connor | Special concurrence | Wrote an opinion |
| Justice Antonin Scalia | Majority | Wrote an opinion |
| Justice Anthony M. Kennedy | Majority |
Full case caption
Stanford v. Kentucky
SCDB identifiers: case 1988-146, docket 1988-146-01.
Related decisions
Other cases on “Cruel and unusual punishment, death penalty”
- Penry v. Lynaugh
- South Carolina v. Gathers
- Hildwin v. Florida
- Scott Wayne Blystone v. Pennsylvania
- Richard Boyde v. California
- McKoy v. North CarolinaLaw held unconstitutional
Cases on the same legal provision: Eighth Amendment (cruel and unusual punishment)
- Murray v. Giarratano
- Pearly L. Wilson v. Richard Seiter
- Ronald Allen Harmelin v. Michigan
- California v. Brown
- Keith J. Hudson v. Jack McMillian
- Whitley v. Albers
Same Term, same area (Criminal Procedure)
- Pennsylvania v. Bruder
- Lockhart, A. L. v. Nelson
- Olden v. Kentucky
- Perry v. Leeke
- Florida v. Riley
- United States v. Broce
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