Aletha Dewsnup v. Louis L. Timm, et al.

Decided January 15, 1992. Harry Andrew Blackmun delivered the opinion of the Court.

Docket 90-741 · 502 U.S. 410 (1992) · Cited 1,346 times

Holding

Section 506(d) does not allow Dewsnup to “strip down” respondents’ lien to the judicially determined value of the collateral, because respondents’ claim is secured by a lien and has been fully allowed pursuant to § 502 and, therefore, cannot be classified as “not an allowed secured claim” for purposes of the lien-voiding provision of § 506(d).

The Court’s statement of the holding, from the opinion’s syllabus. The syllabus is prepared by the Reporter of Decisions and is not part of the opinion of the Court — read the official opinion for authority.

How the Justices voted

Decided 6–2.

“Concurring” means agreeing with the outcome; any split shown is the Court’s judgment, not each Justice’s reasoning. Source: the Supreme Court Database (Spaeth et al.), Washington University.

Precedents cited

Supreme Court decisions this opinion relies on, ordered by how often it cites each. Cases in our collection link through; others are named.

• United States v. Ron Pair Enterprises, Inc. · 489 U.S. 235 (1989)
• Pennsylvania Department of Public Welfare v. Davenport · 495 U.S. 552 (1990)
• Louisville Joint Stock Land Bank v. Radford · 295 U.S. 555 (1935)
• Kelly v. Robinson · 479 U.S. 36 (1986)
• United Sav. Assn. of Tex. v. Timbers of Inwood Forest Associates, Ltd. · 484 U.S. 365 (1988)
• Johnson v. Home State Bank · 501 U.S. 78 (1991)
• Midlantic National Bank v. New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection · 474 U.S. 494 (1986)
• Atlantic Cleaners & Dyers, Inc. v. United States · 286 U.S. 427 (1932)
• Montclair v. Ramsdell · 107 U.S. 147 (1883)
• Helvering v. Stockholms Enskilda Bank · 293 U.S. 84 (1934)
• Sullivan v. Stroop · 496 U.S. 478 (1990)
• Farrey v. Sanderfoot · 500 U.S. 291 (1991)
• Sorenson v. Secretary of the Treasury · 475 U.S. 851 (1986)

Cited by

Later Supreme Court opinions in our collection that cite this case.

• Bank of America National Trust & Savings Ass'n v. 203 North LaSalle Street Partnership · 526 U.S. 434 (1999)
• BFP v. Resolution Trust Corporation · 511 U.S. 531 (1994)
• Patterson v. Shumate · 504 U.S. 753 (1992)
• Harrington v. Purdue Pharma L.P. · 603 U.S. 204 (2024)
• Hartford Underwriters Insurance v. Union Planters Bank, N. A. · 530 U.S. 1 (2000)
• Smith v. United States · 508 U.S. 223 (1993)
• Nobelman v. American Savings Bank · 508 U.S. 324 (1993)
• Hall v. United States · 566 U.S. 506 (2012)

Official text

Read the official opinion (U.S. Reports, govinfo.gov)

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Harry Andrew Blackmun’s profile · All Supreme Court opinions · The Supreme Court

Source: Supreme Court of the United States, slip opinions (1992). Citation count from the Free Law Project’s CourtListener bulk data. Data last verified 2026-07-03. Informational only; verify against the primary source before relying. Not a consumer report (FCRA).