Supreme Court decisions of October Term 1987

The Court’s 1987 Term began in October 1987. These are the 153 decisions SCDB records for it, decided between October 19, 1987 and June 29, 1988, during the Rehnquist Court.

← 1986 Term · 1988 Term →

Decided by one vote (17)

• Traynor v. Turnage
  485 U.S. 535Decided April 20, 19884–3Byron R. White
• Patterson v. McLean Credit Union
  485 U.S. 617Decided April 25, 19885–4Per curiam
• Wheat v. United States
  486 U.S. 153Decided May 23, 19885–4William H. Rehnquist
• K Mart Corp. v. Cartier, Inc.
  486 U.S. 281Decided May 31, 19885–4Anthony M. Kennedy
• Mills v. Maryland
  486 U.S. 367Decided June 6, 19885–4Harry A. Blackmun
• City of Lakewood v. Plain Dealer Publishing Co.Law held unconstitutional
  486 U.S. 750Decided June 17, 19884–3William J. Brennan Jr.
• Mackey v. Lanier Collection Agency & Service, Inc.
  486 U.S. 825Decided June 17, 19885–4Byron R. White
• Liljeberg v. Health Services Acquisition Corp.
  486 U.S. 847Decided June 17, 19885–4John Paul Stevens
• Ross v. Oklahoma
  487 U.S. 81Decided June 22, 19885–4William H. Rehnquist
• Braswell v. United States
  487 U.S. 99Decided June 22, 19885–4William H. Rehnquist
• Florida v. Long
  487 U.S. 223Decided June 22, 19885–4Anthony M. Kennedy
• Houston v. Lack
  487 U.S. 266Decided June 24, 19885–4William J. Brennan Jr.
• Patterson v. Illinois
  487 U.S. 285Decided June 24, 19885–4Byron R. White
• Kadrmas v. Dickinson Public Schools
  487 U.S. 450Decided June 24, 19885–4Sandra Day O'Connor
• Boyle v. United Technologies Corp.
  487 U.S. 500Decided June 27, 19885–4Antonin Scalia
• Murray v. United States
  487 U.S. 533Decided June 27, 19884–3Antonin Scalia
• Bowen v. Kendrick
  487 U.S. 589Decided June 27, 19885–4William H. Rehnquist

All decisions, in order

• Ronald W. Reagan v. James Abourezk
  484 U.S. 1Decided October 19, 19873–3
• Commissioner of Internal Revenue v. McCoy
  484 U.S. 3Decided October 19, 19877–1Per curiam
• Church of Scientology of California v. Internal Revenue Service
  484 U.S. 9Decided November 10, 19876–0William H. Rehnquist
• Carpenter v. United States
  484 U.S. 19Decided November 16, 19878–0Byron R. White
• United Paperworkers International Union v. Misco, Inc.
  484 U.S. 29Decided December 1, 19878–0Byron R. White
• Gwaltney of Smithfield, Ltd. v. Chesapeake Bay Foundation, Inc.
  484 U.S. 49Decided December 1, 19878–0Thurgood Marshall
• Karcher v. May
  484 U.S. 72Decided December 1, 19878–0Sandra Day O'Connor
• Langley et Ux. v. Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation
  484 U.S. 86Decided December 1, 19878–0Antonin Scalia
• Omni Capital International, Ltd. v. Rudolf Wolff & Co., Ltd.
  484 U.S. 97Decided December 8, 19878–0Harry A. Blackmun
• National Labor Relations Board v. United Food & Commercial Workers Union
  484 U.S. 112Decided December 14, 19878–0William J. Brennan Jr.
• Mullins Coal Co., Inc. of Virginia v. Director
  484 U.S. 135Decided December 14, 19876–2John Paul Stevens
• Neal F. Hartigan v. David Zbaraz and Allan G. Charles Etc.Law held unconstitutional
  484 U.S. 171Decided December 14, 19874–4
• Vermont v. Cox
  484 U.S. 173Decided December 14, 19878–0Per curiam
• Thompson v. Thompson
  484 U.S. 174Decided January 12, 19888–0Thurgood Marshall
• Deakins v. Monaghan
  484 U.S. 193Decided January 12, 19888–0Harry A. Blackmun
• Yates v. Aiken
  484 U.S. 211Decided January 12, 19888–0John Paul Stevens
• Forrester v. White
  484 U.S. 219Decided January 12, 19888–0Sandra Day O'Connor
• Lowenfield v. Phelps
  484 U.S. 231Decided January 13, 19885–3William H. Rehnquist
• Hazelwood School District v. Kuhlmeier
  484 U.S. 260Decided January 13, 19885–3Byron R. White
• Westfall v. Erwin et Ux.
  484 U.S. 292Decided January 13, 19888–0Thurgood Marshall
• Marino v. Ortiz
  484 U.S. 301Decided January 13, 19884–4
• Honig v. Doe
  484 U.S. 305Decided January 20, 19886–2William J. Brennan Jr.
• Carnegie-Mellon University v. Cohill
  484 U.S. 343Decided January 20, 19885–3Thurgood Marshall
• United Savings Association of Texas v. Timbers of Inwood Forest Associates, Ltd.
  484 U.S. 365Decided January 20, 19888–0Antonin Scalia
• Virginia v. American Booksellers Association, Inc.
  484 U.S. 383Decided January 25, 19888–0William J. Brennan Jr.
• Taylor v. Illinois
  484 U.S. 400Decided January 25, 19885–3John Paul Stevens
• United States v. Fausto
  484 U.S. 439Decided January 25, 19885–3Antonin Scalia
• Phillips Petroleum Co. v. Mississippi
  484 U.S. 469Decided February 23, 19885–3Byron R. White
• Etsi Pipeline Project v. Missouri
  484 U.S. 495Decided February 23, 19888–0Byron R. White
• Department of the Navy v. Egan
  484 U.S. 518Decided February 23, 19885–3Harry A. Blackmun
• Laborers Health and Welfare Trust Fund for Northern California v. Advanced Lightweight Concrete Co., Inc.
  484 U.S. 539Decided February 23, 19888–0John Paul Stevens
• United States v. Owens
  484 U.S. 554Decided February 23, 19886–2Antonin Scalia
• Richard Pennell and Tri-County Apartment House Owners Association v. City of San Jose and City Council of San Jose
  485 U.S. 1Decided February 24, 19886–2William H. Rehnquist
• United States v. Thomas O. Robinson, Jr.
  485 U.S. 25Decided February 24, 19885–3William H. Rehnquist
• Hustler Magazine and Larry C. Flynt v. Jerry Falwell
  485 U.S. 46Decided February 24, 19888–0William H. Rehnquist
• Frederick Mathews v. United States
  485 U.S. 58Decided February 24, 19886–2William H. Rehnquist
• Otis R. Bowen v. Mary Alice Galbreath
  485 U.S. 74Decided February 24, 19888–0William J. Brennan Jr.
• R. 'roy' Peralta v. Heights Medical Center, Inc.
  485 U.S. 80Decided February 24, 19888–0Byron R. White
• United States of America v. State of Louisiana
  485 U.S. 88Decided March 1, 19887–0Harry A. Blackmun
• Immigration and Naturalization Service v. Assibi Abudu
  485 U.S. 94Decided March 1, 19888–0John Paul Stevens
• City of St. Louis v. James H. Praprotnik
  485 U.S. 112Decided March 2, 19887–1Sandra Day O'Connor
• Trans World Airlines, Inc. v. Independent Federation of Flight Attendants
  485 U.S. 175Decided March 2, 19884–4
• K Mart Corporation v. Cartier, Inc.
  485 U.S. 176Decided March 7, 19885–3William J. Brennan Jr.
• Norwest Bank Worthington v. James R. Ahlers et Ux.
  485 U.S. 197Decided March 7, 19888–0Byron R. White
• Arkansas Best Corporation v. Commissioner of Internal Revenue
  485 U.S. 212Decided March 7, 19888–0Thurgood Marshall
• Basic Incorporated v. Max L. Levinson
  485 U.S. 224Decided March 7, 19884–2Harry A. Blackmun
• Alexander Haig v. Gladys Bissonette
  485 U.S. 264Decided March 21, 19885–0Per curiam
• Mercilyn Buchanan Etc. v. Stanships, Inc.
  485 U.S. 265Decided March 21, 19888–1Per curiam
• Gulfstream Aerospace Corporation v. Mayacamas CorporationAltered precedent
  485 U.S. 271Decided March 22, 19888–0Thurgood Marshall
• Eric J. Schneidewind v. Anr Pipeline Company and Anr Storage Company
  485 U.S. 293Decided March 22, 19888–0Harry A. Blackmun
• Michael Boos, J. Michael Waller and Bridget Brooker v. Marion S. Barry, Jr.Law held unconstitutional
  485 U.S. 312Decided March 22, 19885–3Sandra Day O'Connor
• Commissioner of Internal Revenue v. Jesse C. Bollinger
  485 U.S. 340Decided March 22, 19888–0Antonin Scalia
• United States v. Wells Fargo Bank
  485 U.S. 351Decided March 23, 19888–0William J. Brennan Jr.
• Richard A. Lyng v. International Union
  485 U.S. 360Decided March 23, 19885–3Byron R. White
• Otis R. Bowen v. Kenneth Kizer
  485 U.S. 386Decided March 23, 19888–0Per curiam
• State of Texas v. State of New Mexico
  485 U.S. 388Decided March 28, 19888–0
• George S. Bennett v. ArkansasLaw held unconstitutional
  485 U.S. 395Decided March 29, 19889–0Per curiam
• Bethesda Hospital Association v. Otis R. Bowen
  485 U.S. 399Decided April 4, 19889–0Anthony M. Kennedy
• Federal Labor Relations Authority v. Aberdeen Proving Ground
  485 U.S. 409Decided April 4, 19889–0Per curiam
• Sandra Gardebring v. Kathryn Jenkins
  485 U.S. 415Decided April 19, 19885–3John Paul Stevens
• Richard E. Lyng v. Northwest Indian Cemetery Protective Association
  485 U.S. 439Decided April 19, 19885–3Sandra Day O'Connor
• Tulsa Professional Collection Services, Inc. v. Joanne PopeLaw held unconstitutional
  485 U.S. 478Decided April 19, 19888–1Sandra Day O'Connor
• Puerto Rico Department of Consumer Affairs v. Isla Petroleum Corporation
  485 U.S. 495Decided April 19, 19888–0Antonin Scalia
• South Carolina v. BakerAltered precedent
  485 U.S. 505Decided April 20, 19887–1William J. Brennan Jr.
• Traynor v. Turnage
  485 U.S. 535Decided April 20, 19884–3Byron R. White
• Edward J. Debartolo Corp. v. Florida Gulf Coast Building & Construction Trades Council
  485 U.S. 568Decided April 20, 19888–0Byron R. White
• Regents of the University of California v. Public Employment Relations Board
  485 U.S. 589Decided April 20, 19886–2Sandra Day O'Connor
• Patterson v. McLean Credit Union
  485 U.S. 617Decided April 25, 19885–4Per curiam
• Hicks v. Feiock
  485 U.S. 624Decided April 27, 19885–3Byron R. White
• Landers v. National Railroad Passengers Corporation
  485 U.S. 652Decided April 27, 19889–0Byron R. White
• Employment Division v. Smith
  485 U.S. 660Decided April 27, 19885–3John Paul Stevens
• United States Postal Service v. National Association of Letter Carriers
  485 U.S. 680Decided April 27, 19889–0Per curiam
• Huddleston v. United States
  485 U.S. 681Decided May 2, 19889–0William H. Rehnquist
• United States v. Providence Journal Co.
  485 U.S. 693Decided May 2, 19886–2Harry A. Blackmun
• Business Electronics Corp. v. Sharp Electronics Corp.
  485 U.S. 717Decided May 2, 19886–2Antonin Scalia
• Kungys v. United States
  485 U.S. 759Decided May 2, 19886–2Antonin Scalia
• United States Department of Justice v. Julian
  486 U.S. 1Decided May 16, 19885–3William H. Rehnquist
• D. H. Holmes Co., Ltd. v. McNamara
  486 U.S. 24Decided May 16, 19889–0William H. Rehnquist
• California v. Greenwood
  486 U.S. 35Decided May 16, 19886–2Byron R. White
• City of New York v. Federal Communications Commission
  486 U.S. 57Decided May 16, 19889–0Byron R. White
• Bankers Life & Casualty Co. v. Crenshaw
  486 U.S. 71Decided May 16, 19886–1Thurgood Marshall
• Patrick v. Burget
  486 U.S. 94Decided May 16, 19888–0Thurgood Marshall
• Equal Employment Opportunity Commission v. Commercial Office Products Co.
  486 U.S. 107Decided May 16, 19885–3Thurgood Marshall
• McLaughlin v. Richland Shoe Co.
  486 U.S. 128Decided May 16, 19886–3John Paul Stevens
• Chick Kam Choo v. Exxon Corp.
  486 U.S. 140Decided May 16, 19889–0Sandra Day O'Connor
• Wheat v. United States
  486 U.S. 153Decided May 23, 19885–4William H. Rehnquist
• Goodyear Atomic Corp. v. Miller
  486 U.S. 174Decided May 23, 19886–2Thurgood Marshall
• Budinich v. Becton Dickinson & Co.
  486 U.S. 196Decided May 23, 19889–0Antonin Scalia
• Federal Energy Regulatory Commission v. Martin Exploration Management Co.
  486 U.S. 204Decided May 31, 19888–0William J. Brennan Jr.
• Amadeo v. Zant
  486 U.S. 214Decided May 31, 19889–0Thurgood Marshall
• Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation v. Mallen
  486 U.S. 230Decided May 31, 19889–0John Paul Stevens
• Satterwhite v. Texas
  486 U.S. 249Decided May 31, 19888–0Sandra Day O'Connor
• New Energy Company of Indiana v. LimbachLaw held unconstitutional
  486 U.S. 269Decided May 31, 19889–0Antonin Scalia
• K Mart Corp. v. Cartier, Inc.
  486 U.S. 281Decided May 31, 19885–4Anthony M. Kennedy
• Monessen Southwestern Railway Co. v. Morgan
  486 U.S. 330Decided June 6, 19887–2Byron R. White
• Maynard v. CartwrightLaw held unconstitutional
  486 U.S. 356Decided June 6, 19889–0Byron R. White
• Mills v. Maryland
  486 U.S. 367Decided June 6, 19885–4Harry A. Blackmun
• Lingle v. Norge Division of Magic Chef, Inc.
  486 U.S. 399Decided June 6, 19889–0John Paul Stevens
• Meyer v. GrantLaw held unconstitutional
  486 U.S. 414Decided June 6, 19889–0John Paul Stevens
• McCoy v. Court of Appeals of Wisconsin
  486 U.S. 429Decided June 6, 19885–3John Paul Stevens
• Clark v. JeterLaw held unconstitutional
  486 U.S. 456Decided June 6, 19889–0Sandra Day O'Connor
• Shapero v. Kentucky Bar AssociationLaw held unconstitutional
  486 U.S. 466Decided June 13, 19886–3William J. Brennan Jr.
• Allied Tube & Conduit Corp. v. Indian Head, Inc.
  486 U.S. 492Decided June 13, 19887–2William J. Brennan Jr.
• Van Cauwenberghe v. Biard
  486 U.S. 517Decided June 13, 19889–0Thurgood Marshall
• Berkovitz v. United States
  486 U.S. 531Decided June 13, 19889–0Thurgood Marshall
• Loeffler v. Frank
  486 U.S. 549Decided June 13, 19885–3Harry A. Blackmun
• Michigan v. Chesternut
  486 U.S. 567Decided June 13, 19889–0Harry A. Blackmun
• Johnson v. Mississippi
  486 U.S. 578Decided June 13, 19889–0John Paul Stevens
• Webster v. Doe
  486 U.S. 592Decided June 15, 19886–2William H. Rehnquist
• Pinter v. Dahl
  486 U.S. 622Decided June 15, 19887–1Harry A. Blackmun
• Huffman v. Western Nuclear, Inc.
  486 U.S. 663Decided June 15, 19889–0Harry A. Blackmun
• Arizona v. Roberson
  486 U.S. 675Decided June 15, 19886–2John Paul Stevens
• Volkswagenwerk Aktiengesellschaft v. Schlunk
  486 U.S. 694Decided June 15, 19889–0Sandra Day O'Connor
• Sun Oil Co. v. Wortman
  486 U.S. 717Decided June 15, 19886–2Antonin Scalia
• City of Lakewood v. Plain Dealer Publishing Co.Law held unconstitutional
  486 U.S. 750Decided June 17, 19884–3William J. Brennan Jr.
• Christianson v. Colt Industries Operating Corp.
  486 U.S. 800Decided June 17, 19889–0William J. Brennan Jr.
• Mackey v. Lanier Collection Agency & Service, Inc.
  486 U.S. 825Decided June 17, 19885–4Byron R. White
• Liljeberg v. Health Services Acquisition Corp.
  486 U.S. 847Decided June 17, 19885–4John Paul Stevens
• Immigration and Naturalization Service v. Pangilinan
  486 U.S. 875Decided June 17, 19888–0Antonin Scalia
• Bendix Autolite Corp. v. Midwesco Enterprises, Inc.Law held unconstitutional
  486 U.S. 888Decided June 17, 19888–1Anthony M. Kennedy
• New York State Club Association, Inc. v. City of New York
  487 U.S. 1Decided June 20, 19889–0Byron R. White
• Stewart Organization, Inc. v. Ricoh Corp.
  487 U.S. 22Decided June 20, 19888–1Thurgood Marshall
• West v. Atkins
  487 U.S. 42Decided June 20, 19889–0Harry A. Blackmun
• Supreme Court of Virginia v. FriedmanLaw held unconstitutional
  487 U.S. 59Decided June 20, 19887–2Anthony M. Kennedy
• United States Catholic Conference v. Abortion Rights Mobilization, Inc.
  487 U.S. 72Decided June 20, 19888–1Anthony M. Kennedy
• Ross v. Oklahoma
  487 U.S. 81Decided June 22, 19885–4William H. Rehnquist
• Braswell v. United States
  487 U.S. 99Decided June 22, 19885–4William H. Rehnquist
• Felder v. Casey
  487 U.S. 131Decided June 22, 19887–2William J. Brennan Jr.
• Franklin v. Lynaugh
  487 U.S. 164Decided June 22, 19886–3Byron R. White
• Doe v. United States
  487 U.S. 201Decided June 22, 19888–1Harry A. Blackmun
• Florida v. Long
  487 U.S. 223Decided June 22, 19885–4Anthony M. Kennedy
• Bank of Nova Scotia v. United States
  487 U.S. 250Decided June 22, 19888–1Anthony M. Kennedy
• Houston v. Lack
  487 U.S. 266Decided June 24, 19885–4William J. Brennan Jr.
• Patterson v. Illinois
  487 U.S. 285Decided June 24, 19885–4Byron R. White
• Torres v. Oakland Scavenger Co.
  487 U.S. 312Decided June 24, 19888–1Thurgood Marshall
• United States v. Taylor
  487 U.S. 326Decided June 24, 19886–3Harry A. Blackmun
• Mississippi Power & Light Co. v. Mississippi ex Rel. Moore
  487 U.S. 354Decided June 24, 19886–3John Paul Stevens
• Sheridan et Ux. v. United States
  487 U.S. 392Decided June 24, 19886–3John Paul Stevens
• Schweiker v. Chilicky
  487 U.S. 412Decided June 24, 19886–3Sandra Day O'Connor
• Kadrmas v. Dickinson Public Schools
  487 U.S. 450Decided June 24, 19885–4Sandra Day O'Connor
• Frisby v. Schultz
  487 U.S. 474Decided June 27, 19886–3Sandra Day O'Connor
• Boyle v. United Technologies Corp.
  487 U.S. 500Decided June 27, 19885–4Antonin Scalia
• Murray v. United States
  487 U.S. 533Decided June 27, 19884–3Antonin Scalia
• Pierce v. Underwood
  487 U.S. 552Decided June 27, 19886–2Antonin Scalia
• Bowen v. Kendrick
  487 U.S. 589Decided June 27, 19885–4William H. Rehnquist
• Morrison v. Olson
  487 U.S. 654Decided June 27, 19887–1William H. Rehnquist
• Communications Workers of America v. Beck
  487 U.S. 735Decided June 29, 19885–3William J. Brennan Jr.
• Riley v. National Federation of the Blind of North Carolina, Inc.Law held unconstitutional
  487 U.S. 781Decided June 29, 19887–2William J. Brennan Jr.
• Thompson v. OklahomaLaw held unconstitutional
  487 U.S. 815Decided June 29, 19885–3John Paul Stevens
• Bowen v. Massachusetts
  487 U.S. 879Decided June 29, 19886–3John Paul Stevens
• United States v. Kozminski
  487 U.S. 931Decided June 29, 19889–0Sandra Day O'Connor
• Watson v. Fort Worth Bank & Trust
  487 U.S. 977Decided June 29, 19888–0Sandra Day O'Connor
• Coy v. IowaLaw held unconstitutional
  487 U.S. 1012Decided June 29, 19886–2Antonin Scalia

← 1986 Term · 1988 Term →

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