Texas Monthly, Inc. v. Bullock
489 U.S. 1 · Decided February 21, 1989 · Supreme Court of the United States
At a glance
Texas Monthly, Inc. v. Bullock was decided on February 21, 1989 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 announcing the judgment of the Court. SCDB classifies its main issue as “Establishment of religion” in the First Amendment area. SCDB records that the Court declared a state or territorial law, regulation or constitutional provision unconstitutional.
Read the opinion
Case details
- Citations
- 489 U.S. 1 · 109 S. Ct. 890 · 103 L. Ed. 2d 1 · 1989 U.S. LEXIS 662
- Docket number
- 87-1245
- Decided
- February 21, 1989
- Argued
- November 1, 1988
- Court era
- Rehnquist Court
- Decision type
- Judgment of the Court (orally argued)
- Disposition
- Reversed and remanded
- Outcome for petitioner
- The petitioning party received a favorable disposition
- Vote
- 6–3
- Majority opinion
- William J. Brennan Jr.
- Opinion assigned by
- William J. Brennan Jr.
- How the case arrived
- Appeal
- Issue (SCDB)
- Establishment of religion
- Issue area
- First Amendment
- Legal provision
- First Amendment (establishment of religion)
- Type of law
- Constitutional amendment
- Held unconstitutional
- A state or territorial law, regulation or constitutional provision
- Decision direction (SCDB)
- Liberal what this means
How the Justices voted
| Justice | Vote | Separate writing |
|---|---|---|
| Justice William J. Brennan Jr. | Judgment of the Court | Wrote an opinion |
| Justice Byron R. White | Special concurrence | Wrote an opinion |
| Justice Thurgood Marshall | Majority | |
| Justice Harry A. Blackmun | Special concurrence | Wrote an opinion |
| Chief Justice William H. Rehnquist | Dissent | |
| Justice John Paul Stevens | Majority | |
| Justice Sandra Day O'Connor | Special concurrence | |
| Justice Antonin Scalia | Dissent | Wrote an opinion |
| Justice Anthony M. Kennedy | Dissent |
Full case caption
Texas Monthly, Inc. v. Bullock, Comptroller of Public Accounts of State of Texas, et al.
SCDB identifiers: case 1988-029, docket 1988-029-01.
Related decisions
Other cases on “Establishment of religion”
- County of Allegheny v. American Civil Liberties Union
- Bowen v. Kendrick
- Corporation of the Presiding Bishop of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints v. Amos
- Bender v. Williamsport Area School District
- Robert E. Lee v. Daniel Weisman Etc.Law held unconstitutional
- Estate of Thornton v. Caldor, Inc.Law held unconstitutional
Cases on the same legal provision: First Amendment (establishment of religion)
- Edwards v. AguillardLaw held unconstitutional
- Witters v. Washington Department of Services for the Blind
- School District of the City of Grand Rapids v. Ball
- Aguilar v. FeltonLaw held unconstitutional
- Wallace v. JaffreeLaw held unconstitutional
- Larry Zobrest v. Catalina Foothills School District
Same Term, same area (First Amendment)
- Carlucci v. Doe
- Fort Wayne Books, Inc. v. Indiana
- Eu v. San Francisco County Democratic Central CommitteeLaw held unconstitutional
- Frazee v. Illinois Department of Employment Security
- City of Dallas v. Stanglin
- Thornburgh v. AbbottAltered precedent
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