Healy et al. v. James et al.

Decided June 26, 1972. Lewis Franklin Powell Jr. delivered the opinion of the Court.

Docket 71-452 · 408 U.S. 169 (1972) · Cited 723 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 9–0.

“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.

• Tinker v. Des Moines Independent Community School District · 393 U.S. 503 (1969)
• Pickering v. Board of Ed. of Township High School Dist. 205, Will Cty. · 391 U.S. 563 (1968)
• National Ass'n for the Advancement of Colored People v. Alabama Ex Rel. Patterson · 357 U.S. 449 (1958)
• United States v. O'Brien · 391 U.S. 367 (1968)
• Keyishian v. Board of Regents of Univ. of State of NY · 385 U.S. 589 (1967)
• Near v. Minnesota Ex Rel. Olson · 283 U.S. 697 (1931)
• Brandenburg v. Ohio · 395 U.S. 444 (1969)
• Yates v. United States · 354 U.S. 298 (1957)
• Sweezy v. New Hampshire Ex Rel. Wyman · 354 U.S. 234 (1957)
• United States v. Robel · 389 U.S. 258 (1967)
• Scales v. United States · 367 U.S. 203 (1961)
• Noto v. United States · 367 U.S. 290 (1961)
• Law Students Civil Rights Research Council, Inc. v. Wadmond · 401 U.S. 154 (1971)
• Louisiana Ex Rel. Gremillion v. National Ass'n for the Advancement of Colored People · 366 U.S. 293 (1961)
• National Ass'n for the Advancement of Colored People v. Button · 371 U.S. 415 (1963)
• Shelton v. Tucker · 364 U.S. 479 (1960)
• Speiser v. Randall · 357 U.S. 513 (1958)
• Freedman v. Maryland · 380 U.S. 51 (1965)
• United Public Workers of America v. Mitchell · 330 U.S. 75 (1947)
• Cox v. Louisiana · 379 U.S. 536 (1965)
• Adderley v. Florida · 385 U.S. 39 (1966)
• Bates v. City of Little Rock · 361 U.S. 516 (1960)
• Aptheker v. Secretary of State · 378 U.S. 500 (1964)
• Organization for a Better Austin v. Keefe · 402 U.S. 415 (1971)
• Communist Party of United States v. Subversive Activities Control Bd. · 367 U.S. 1 (1961)
• Watkins v. United States · 354 U.S. 178 (1957)
• Gibson v. Florida Legislative Investigation Committee · 372 U.S. 539 (1963)
• National Ass'n for the Advancement of Colored People v. Alabama Ex Rel. Flowers · 377 U.S. 288 (1964)
• Elfbrandt v. Russell · 384 U.S. 11 (1966)
• Baird v. State Bar of Arizona · 401 U.S. 1 (1971)

Cited by

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

• Christian Legal Soc. Chapter of Univ. of Cal., Hastings College of Law v. Martinez · 561 U.S. 661 (2010)
• Minnesota State Board for Community Colleges v. Knight · 465 U.S. 271 (1984)
• Widmar v. Vincent · 454 U.S. 263 (1981)
• National Ass'n for the Advancement of Colored People v. Claiborne Hardware Co. · 458 U.S. 886 (1982)
• Papish v. Board of Curators of the University of Missouri · 410 U.S. 667 (1973)
• Perry Education Ass'n v. Perry Local Educators' Ass'n · 460 U.S. 37 (1983)
• Procunier v. Martinez · 416 U.S. 396 (1974)
• Jones v. North Carolina Prisoners' Labor Union, Inc. · 433 U.S. 119 (1977)
• Hazelwood School District v. Kuhlmeier · 484 U.S. 260 (1988)
• Pell v. Procunier · 417 U.S. 817 (1974)
• Roberts v. United States Jaycees · 468 U.S. 609 (1984)
• Cornelius v. NAACP Legal Defense & Educational Fund, Inc. · 473 U.S. 788 (1985)
• Rosenberger v. Rector & Visitors of University of Virginia · 515 U.S. 819 (1995)
• Nebraska Press Assn. v. Stuart · 427 U.S. 539 (1976)
• Abood v. Detroit Board of Education · 431 U.S. 209 (1977)
• Rumsfeld v. Forum for Academic and Institutional Rights, Inc. · 547 U.S. 47 (2006)
• Spence v. Washington · 418 U.S. 405 (1974)
• Board of Comm'rs, Wabaunsee Cty. v. Umbehr · 518 U.S. 668 (1996)
• In Re Primus · 436 U.S. 412 (1978)
• Arcara v. Cloud Books, Inc. · 478 U.S. 697 (1986)
• Lyng v. International Union, United Automobile, Aerospace, & Agricultural Implement Workers · 485 U.S. 360 (1988)
• Brown v. Glines · 444 U.S. 348 (1980)
• Saxbe v. Washington Post Co. · 417 U.S. 843 (1974)
• Cousins v. Wigoda · 419 U.S. 477 (1975)
• Americans for Prosperity Foundation v. Bonta · 594 U.S. 595 (2021)
• Gilmore v. City of Montgomery · 417 U.S. 556 (1974)
• Morse v. Republican Party of Virginia · 517 U.S. 186 (1996)

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).