Zauderer v. Office of Disciplinary Counsel of the Supreme Court of Ohio

471 U.S. 626 · Decided May 28, 1985 · Supreme Court of the United States

At a glance

Zauderer v. Office of Disciplinary Counsel of the Supreme Court of Ohio was decided on May 28, 1985 by a vote of 5–3. The Court affirmed the lower court's decision in part and reversed or vacated it in part. Justice Byron R. White wrote the opinion of the Court. SCDB classifies its main issue as “Commercial speech, attorneys” in the Attorneys area. SCDB records that the Court declared a state or territorial law, regulation or constitutional provision unconstitutional.

Read the opinion

• CourtListener (Free Law Project) — opinion text
• Library of Congress — official U.S. Reports scan

Case details

How the Justices voted

Did not participate: Lewis F. Powell Jr..

Full case caption

Zauderer v. Office of Disciplinary Counsel of the Supreme Court of Ohio

SCDB identifiers: case 1984-102, docket 1984-102-01.

Related decisions

Other cases on “Commercial speech, attorneys”

• Shapero v. Kentucky Bar AssociationLaw held unconstitutional
  486 U.S. 466Decided June 13, 19886–3William J. Brennan Jr.
• In re R. M. J.Law held unconstitutional
  455 U.S. 191Decided January 25, 19829–0Lewis F. Powell Jr.
• Gary E. Peel v. Attorney Registration and Disciplinary Commission of IllinoisLaw held unconstitutional
  496 U.S. 91Decided June 4, 19905–4John Paul Stevens
• In re Primus
  436 U.S. 412Decided May 30, 19787–1Lewis F. Powell Jr.
• Ohralik v. Ohio State Bar Assn.
  436 U.S. 447Decided May 30, 19788–0Lewis F. Powell Jr.
• Bates v. State Bar of ArizonaLaw held unconstitutional
  433 U.S. 350Decided June 27, 19775–4Harry A. Blackmun

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

• Brockett v. Spokane Arcades, Inc.Law held unconstitutional
  472 U.S. 491Decided June 19, 19856–2Byron R. White
• Dun & Bradstreet, Inc. v. Greenmoss Builders, Inc.
  472 U.S. 749Decided June 26, 19855–4Lewis F. Powell Jr.
• Cornelius v. NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund, Inc.
  473 U.S. 788Decided July 2, 19854–3Sandra Day O'Connor
• Wayte v. United States
  470 U.S. 598Decided March 19, 19857–2Lewis F. Powell Jr.
• Federal Election Commission v. National Conservative Political Action CommitteeLaw held unconstitutional
  470 U.S. 480Decided March 18, 19857–2William H. Rehnquist
• Pacific Gas & Electric Co. v. Public Utilities Commission of CaliforniaLaw held unconstitutional
  475 U.S. 1Decided February 25, 19865–3Lewis F. Powell Jr.

Same Term, same area (Attorneys)

• Roger L. Spencer v. South Carolina Tax Commission
  471 U.S. 82Decided March 27, 19854–4
• Webb v. County Board of Education of Dyer County
  471 U.S. 234Decided April 17, 19856–2John Paul Stevens
• In re Snyder
  472 U.S. 634Decided June 24, 19858–0Warren E. Burger
• Marek v. Chesny
  473 U.S. 1Decided June 27, 19856–3Warren E. Burger
• Kentucky v. Graham
  473 U.S. 159Decided June 28, 19859–0Thurgood Marshall
• Walters v. National Association of Radiation Survivors
  473 U.S. 305Decided June 28, 19856–3William H. Rehnquist

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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