Kenneth Lee Baker and Steven Robert Baker, by His Next Friend, Melissa Thomas v. General Motors Corporation

Decided January 13, 1998. Ruth Bader Ginsburg delivered the opinion of the Court.

Docket 96-653 · 522 U.S. 222 (1998) · Cited 516 times

Holding

Elwell may testify in the Missouri action without offense to the national full faith and credit command.

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 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.

• Kremer v. Chemical Construction Corp. · 456 U.S. 461 (1982)
• Marrese v. American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons · 470 U.S. 373 (1985)
• Haring v. Prosise · 462 U.S. 306 (1983)
• Estin v. Estin · 334 U.S. 541 (1948)
• Matsushita Electric Industrial Co. v. Epstein · 516 U.S. 367 (1996)
• Donovan v. City of Dallas · 377 U.S. 408 (1964)
• Fauntleroy v. Lum · 210 U.S. 230 (1908)
• Milwaukee County v. M. E. White Co. · 296 U.S. 268 (1935)
• Migra v. Warren City School District Board of Education · 465 U.S. 75 (1984)
• Hansberry v. Lee · 311 U.S. 32 (1940)
• Martin v. Wilks · 490 U.S. 755 (1989)
• Sherrer v. Sherrer · 334 U.S. 343 (1948)
• Parsons Steel, Inc. v. First Alabama Bank · 474 U.S. 518 (1986)
• Magnolia Petroleum Co. v. Hunt · 320 U.S. 430 (1944)
• Cole v. Cunningham · 133 U.S. 107 (1890)
• Fall v. Eastin · 215 U.S. 1 (1909)
• Barber v. Barber · 323 U.S. 77 (1944)
• Allen v. McCurry · 449 U.S. 90 (1980)
• Parklane Hosiery Co. v. Shore · 439 U.S. 322 (1979)
• United States v. Nixon · 418 U.S. 683 (1974)
• Blonder-Tongue Laboratories, Inc. v. University of Illinois Foundation · 402 U.S. 313 (1971)
• Cromwell v. County of Sac · 94 U.S. 351 (1877)
• Commissioner v. Estate of Bosch · 387 U.S. 456 (1967)
• Phillips Petroleum Co. v. Shutts · 472 U.S. 797 (1985)
• Williams v. North Carolina · 317 U.S. 287 (1943)
• Nevada v. Hall · 440 U.S. 410 (1979)
• King v. Order of United Commercial Travelers of America · 333 U.S. 153 (1948)
• Sun Oil Co. v. Wortman · 486 U.S. 717 (1988)
• Pacific Employers Insurance v. Industrial Accident Comm'n · 306 U.S. 493 (1939)
• Oklahoma Packing Co. v. Oklahoma Gas & Electric Co. · 309 U.S. 4 (1940)

Cited by

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

• B&B Hardware, Inc. v. Hargis Industries, Inc. · 575 U.S. 138 (2015)
• Lance v. Dennis · 546 U.S. 459 (2006)

Official text

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

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Source: Supreme Court of the United States, slip opinions (1998). 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).