Zacchini v. Scripps-Howard Broadcasting Co.

433 U.S. 562 · Decided June 28, 1977 · Supreme Court of the United States

At a glance

Zacchini v. Scripps-Howard Broadcasting Co. was decided on June 28, 1977 by a vote of 5–4. The Court reversed the lower court's decision. Justice Byron R. White wrote the opinion of the Court. SCDB classifies its main issue as “Libel and privacy (false light)” in the First Amendment area.

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

Zacchini v. Scripps-Howard Broadcasting Co.

SCDB identifiers: case 1976-177, docket 1976-177-01.

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Other cases on “Libel and privacy (false light)”

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Cases on the same legal provision: First Amendment (speech, press, and assembly)

• Bates v. State Bar of ArizonaLaw held unconstitutional
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  432 U.S. 43Decided June 14, 19775–4Per curiam
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Same Term, same area (First Amendment)

• Parker Seal Co. v. Cummins
  429 U.S. 65Decided November 2, 19764–4
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  429 U.S. 274Decided January 11, 19779–0William H. Rehnquist
• Marks v. United States
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• Oklahoma Publishing Co. v. District Court in and for Oklahoma County
  430 U.S. 308Decided March 7, 19779–0Per curiam
• Wooley v. Maynard et Ux.Law held unconstitutional
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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