Atkins, Commissioner of the Massachusetts Department of Public Welfare v. Parker et al.

Decided June 4, 1985. John Paul Stevens delivered the opinion of the Court.

Docket 83-1660 · 472 U.S. 115 (1985) · Cited 377 times

We don’t yet publish a summary of this opinion — read the official text below for the Court’s holding and reasoning.

How the Justices voted

Decided 7–2.

“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.

• Goldberg v. Kelly · 397 U.S. 254 (1970)
• Memphis Light, Gas & Water Division v. Craft · 436 U.S. 1 (1978)
• Texaco, Inc. v. Short · 454 U.S. 516 (1982)
• Mathews v. Eldridge · 424 U.S. 319 (1976)
• Mullane v. Central Hanover Bank & Trust Co. · 339 U.S. 306 (1950)
• Logan v. Zimmerman Brush Co. · 455 U.S. 422 (1982)
• Cleveland Board of Education v. Loudermill · 470 U.S. 532 (1985)
• Flemming v. Nestor · 363 U.S. 603 (1960)
• Richardson v. Belcher · 404 U.S. 78 (1971)
• Richardson v. Perales · 402 U.S. 389 (1971)
• Board of Regents of State Colleges v. Roth · 408 U.S. 564 (1972)
• Motor Vehicle Mfrs. Assn. of United States, Inc. v. State Farm Mut. Automobile Ins. Co. · 463 U.S. 29 (1983)
• Citizens to Preserve Overton Park, Inc. v. Volpe · 401 U.S. 402 (1971)
• Fuentes v. Shevin · 407 U.S. 67 (1972)
• Ashwander v. Tennessee Valley Authority · 297 U.S. 288 (1936)
• Goss v. Lopez · 419 U.S. 565 (1975)
• Joint Anti-Fascist Refugee Committee v. McGrath · 341 U.S. 123 (1951)
• United States Railroad Retirement Board v. Fritz · 449 U.S. 166 (1980)
• Hisquierdo v. Hisquierdo · 439 U.S. 572 (1979)
• MacKey v. Montrym · 443 U.S. 1 (1979)
• Bi-Metallic Investment Co. v. State Board of Equalization · 239 U.S. 441 (1915)
• Haig v. Agee · 453 U.S. 280 (1981)
• Baldwin v. Hale · 68 U.S. 223 (1864)
• Roller v. Holly · 176 U.S. 398 (1900)
• North Laramie Land Co. v. Hoffman · 268 U.S. 276 (1925)
• Escambia County v. McMillan · 466 U.S. 48 (1984)
• Jewett v. Commissioner · 455 U.S. 305 (1982)

Cited by

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

• Hodel v. Irving · 481 U.S. 704 (1987)
• Ricci v. DeStefano · 557 U.S. 557 (2009)
• Walters v. National Assn. of Radiation Survivors · 473 U.S. 305 (1985)
• Gilmore v. Taylor · 508 U.S. 333 (1993)
• Bowen v. Gilliard · 483 U.S. 587 (1987)
• City of West Covina v. Perkins · 525 U.S. 234 (1999)

Official text

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

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Source: the U.S. Reports via govinfo.gov; authoring Justice and vote lineup from the Supreme Court Database (Washington University). 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).