Attorneys cases at the Supreme Court

Cases about lawyers and officials: attorney fees, bar admission and discipline, and commercial speech by attorneys.

Issues in this area

Number of decisions SCDB assigns to each specific issue. Issues with at least 5 decisions have their own page.

Decisions that altered precedent or struck down a law (6)

• Gary E. Peel v. Attorney Registration and Disciplinary Commission of IllinoisLaw held unconstitutional
  496 U.S. 91Decided June 4, 19905–4John Paul Stevens
• Shapero v. Kentucky Bar AssociationLaw held unconstitutional
  486 U.S. 466Decided June 13, 19886–3William J. Brennan Jr.
• Zauderer v. Office of Disciplinary Counsel of the Supreme Court of OhioLaw held unconstitutional
  471 U.S. 626Decided May 28, 19855–3Byron R. White
• In re R. M. J.Law held unconstitutional
  455 U.S. 191Decided January 25, 19829–0Lewis F. Powell Jr.
• Bates v. State Bar of ArizonaLaw held unconstitutional
  433 U.S. 350Decided June 27, 19775–4Harry A. Blackmun
• In re Disbarment of IssermanAltered precedent
  348 U.S. 1Decided October 14, 19543–3Per curiam

Most recent decisions

• Lackey v. Stinnie
  145 S. Ct. 659Decided February 25, 20257–2John G. Roberts Jr.
• Peter v. Nantkwest Inc.
  140 S. Ct. 365Decided December 11, 20199–0Sonia Sotomayor
• Culbertson v. Berryhill
  139 S. Ct. 517Decided January 8, 20199–0Clarence Thomas
• Murphy v. Smith
  138 S. Ct. 784Decided February 21, 20185–4Neil M. Gorsuch
• Kirtsaeng v. John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
  579 U.S. 197Decided June 16, 20168–0Elena Kagan
• Melene James v. City of Boise
  577 U.S. 306Decided January 25, 20169–0Per curiam
• Baker Botts, L.L.P. v. Asarco, L.L.C.
  576 U.S. 121Decided June 15, 20156–3Clarence Thomas
• Octane Fitness, LLC v. Icon Health & Fitness, Inc.
  572 U.S. 545Decided April 29, 20149–0Sonia Sotomayor
• Highmark Inc. v. Allcare Health Mgmt. Sys.
  572 U.S. 559Decided April 29, 20149–0Sonia Sotomayor
• Edward F. Maracich v. Michael Eugene Spears
  570 U.S. 48Decided June 17, 20135–4Anthony M. Kennedy
• Kathleen Sebelius v. Melissa Cloer
  569 U.S. 369Decided May 20, 20139–0Sonia Sotomayor
• Steven Lefemine v. Dan Wideman
  568 U.S. 1Decided November 5, 20129–0Per curiam
• Ricky D Fox v. Judy Ann Vice
  563 U.S. 826Decided June 6, 20119–0Elena Kagan
• Michael J. Astrue v. Catherine G. Ratliff
  560 U.S. 586Decided June 14, 20109–0Clarence Thomas
• Bridget Hardt v. Reliance Standard Life Insurance Company
  560 U.S. 242Decided May 24, 20109–0Clarence Thomas
• Sonny Perdue v. Kenny A.
  559 U.S. 542Decided April 21, 20105–4Samuel A. Alito Jr.
• Milavetz v. United States
  559 U.S. 229Decided March 8, 20109–0Sonia Sotomayor
• Richlin Security Service Company v. Michael Chertoff
  553 U.S. 571Decided June 2, 20089–0Samuel A. Alito Jr.
• Michael W. Sole v. T. A. Wyner
  551 U.S. 74Decided June 4, 20079–0Ruth Bader Ginsburg
• Travelers Casualty & Surety Company of America v. Pacific Gas and Electric Company
  549 U.S. 443Decided March 20, 20079–0Samuel A. Alito Jr.
• Arlington Central School District Board of Education v. Pearl Murphy et Vir
  548 U.S. 291Decided June 26, 20066–3Samuel A. Alito Jr.
• Gerald T. Martin v. Franklin Capital Corporation
  546 U.S. 132Decided December 7, 20059–0John G. Roberts Jr.
• Randall C. Scarborough v. Anthony J. Principi
  541 U.S. 401Decided May 3, 20047–2Ruth Bader Ginsburg
• John M. Lamie v. United States Trustee
  540 U.S. 526Decided January 26, 20049–0Anthony M. Kennedy
• Gary E. Gisbrecht v. Jo Anne B. Barnhart
  535 U.S. 789Decided May 28, 20028–1Ruth Bader Ginsburg
• Buckhannon Board and Care Home, Inc. v. West Virginia Department of Health and Human Resources
  532 U.S. 598Decided May 29, 20015–4William H. Rehnquist
• Bill Martin v. Everett Hadix
  527 U.S. 343Decided June 21, 19997–2Sandra Day O'Connor
• Florida Bar v. Went for It, Inc.
  515 U.S. 618Decided June 21, 19955–4Sandra Day O'Connor
• Silvia S. Ibanez v. Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation
  512 U.S. 136Decided June 13, 19947–2Ruth Bader Ginsburg
• John C. Fogerty v. Fantasy, Inc.
  510 U.S. 517Decided March 1, 19949–0William H. Rehnquist

Search all 104 Attorneys decisions

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