Doretha H. Henderson, Authorized Representative of David L. Henderson, Deceased, Petitioner v. Eric K. Shineski, Secretary of Veterans Affairs

Decided March 1, 2011. Samuel A. Alito Jr. delivered the opinion of the Court.

Docket 09-1036 · 562 U.S. 428 (2011) · Cited 1,451 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 8–0.

“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.

• Bowles v. Russell · 551 U.S. 205 (2007)
• Arbaugh v. Y & H Corp. · 546 U.S. 500 (2006)
• Union Pacific R. Co. v. Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen Gen. Comm. of Adjustment, Central Region · 558 U.S. 67 (2009)
• Shinseki, Secretary of Veterans Affairs v. Sanders · 556 U.S. 396 (2009)
• Kontrick v. Ryan · 540 U.S. 443 (2004)
• Reed Elsevier, Inc. v. Muchnick · 559 U.S. 154 (2010)
• Stone v. Immigration & Naturalization Service · 514 U.S. 386 (1995)
• Eberhart v. United States · 546 U.S. 12 (2005)
• Scarborough v. Principi · 541 U.S. 401 (2004)
• Sanchez-Llamas v. Oregon · 548 U.S. 331 (2006)
• Mathews v. Eldridge · 424 U.S. 319 (1976)
• Bowen v. City of New York · 476 U.S. 467 (1986)
• Zipes v. Trans World Airlines, Inc. · 455 U.S. 385 (1982)
• Weinberger v. Salfi · 422 U.S. 749 (1975)
• Sims v. Apfel · 530 U.S. 103 (2000)
• Johnson v. Robison · 415 U.S. 361 (1974)
• King v. St. Vincent's Hospital · 502 U.S. 215 (1991)
• John R. Sand & Gravel Co. v. United States · 552 U.S. 130 (2008)
• Fishgold v. Sullivan Drydock & Repair Corp. · 328 U.S. 275 (1946)
• Walters v. National Assn. of Radiation Survivors · 473 U.S. 305 (1985)
• Traynor v. Turnage · 485 U.S. 535 (1988)
• United States v. Oregon · 366 U.S. 643 (1961)
• Missouri v. Jenkins · 495 U.S. 33 (1990)
• Immigration & Naturalization Service v. National Center for Immigrants' Rights, Inc. · 502 U.S. 183 (1991)
• Heckler v. Day · 467 U.S. 104 (1984)
• Coffy v. Republic Steel Corp. · 447 U.S. 191 (1980)

Cited by

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

• Wilkins v. United States · 598 U.S. 152 (2023)
• MOAC Mall Holdings LLC v. Transform Holdco LLC · 598 U.S. 288 (2023)
• Sebelius v. Auburn Regional Medical Center · 568 U.S. 145 (2013)
• United States v. Kwai Fun Wong · 575 U.S. 402 (2015)
• Manrique v. United States · 581 U.S. 116 (2017)
• Boechler v. Commissioner · 596 U.S. 199 (2022)
• Riley v. Bondi · 606 U.S. 259 (2025)
• Musacchio v. United States · 577 U.S. 237 (2016)
• Bufkin v. Collins · 604 U.S. 369 (2025)
• Foster v. Chatman · 578 U.S. 488 (2016)
• Santos-Zacaria v. Garland · 598 U.S. 411 (2023)
• George v. McDonough · 596 U.S. 740 (2022)
• Cameron v. EMW Women's Surgical Center, P. S. C. · 595 U.S. 267 (2022)
• Stern v. Marshall · 564 U.S. 462 (2011)
• Royal Canin U. S. A. v. Wullschleger · 604 U.S. 22 (2025)
• Medina v. Planned Parenthood South Atlantic · 606 U.S. 357 (2025)
• Monsalvo Velazquez v. Bondi · 604 U.S. 712 (2025)
• Texas v. New Mexico · 592 U.S. 98 (2020)

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).