David Riggins v. Nevada

Decided May 18, 1992. Sandra Day O'Connor delivered the opinion of the Court.

Docket 90-8466 · 504 U.S. 127 (1992) · Cited 734 times

Holding

The forced administration of antipsychotic medication during Riggins’ trial violated rights guaranteed by the Sixth and Fourteenth Amendments.

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 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.

• Washington v. Harper · 494 U.S. 210 (1990)
• Estelle v. Williams · 425 U.S. 501 (1976)
• Rock v. Arkansas · 483 U.S. 44 (1987)
• Coy v. Iowa · 487 U.S. 1012 (1988)
• Illinois v. Allen · 397 U.S. 337 (1970)
• Pate v. Robinson · 383 U.S. 375 (1966)
• Yee v. City of Escondido · 503 U.S. 519 (1992)
• Drope v. Missouri · 420 U.S. 162 (1975)
• Brady v. Maryland · 373 U.S. 83 (1963)
• Faretta v. California · 422 U.S. 806 (1975)
• Bell v. Wolfish · 441 U.S. 520 (1979)
• Estelle v. McGuire · 502 U.S. 62 (1991)
• Arizona v. Fulminante · 499 U.S. 279 (1991)
• Ohio v. Roberts · 448 U.S. 56 (1980)
• Arizona v. Youngblood · 488 U.S. 51 (1988)
• Massiah v. United States · 377 U.S. 201 (1964)
• Addington v. Texas · 441 U.S. 418 (1979)
• O'Lone v. Estate of Shabazz · 482 U.S. 342 (1987)
• In Re Oliver · 333 U.S. 257 (1948)
• Burgett v. Texas · 389 U.S. 109 (1967)
• Marshall v. Lonberger · 459 U.S. 422 (1983)
• Spencer v. Texas · 385 U.S. 554 (1967)
• Lisenba v. California · 314 U.S. 219 (1942)
• Geders v. United States · 425 U.S. 80 (1976)
• Holbrook v. Flynn · 475 U.S. 560 (1986)
• Taylor v. United States · 414 U.S. 17 (1973)
• Dennis v. Higgins · 498 U.S. 439 (1991)

Cited by

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

• Sell v. United States · 539 U.S. 166 (2003)
• Medina v. California · 505 U.S. 437 (1992)
• Deck v. Missouri · 544 U.S. 622 (2005)
• Godinez v. Moran · 509 U.S. 389 (1993)
• Cooper v. Oklahoma · 517 U.S. 348 (1996)
• Planned Parenthood of Southeastern Pa. v. Casey · 505 U.S. 833 (1992)

Official text

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

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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).