Memphis Light, Gas & Water Division et al. v. Craft et al.

Decided May 1, 1978. Lewis Franklin Powell Jr. delivered the opinion of the Court.

Docket 76-39 · 436 U.S. 1 (1978) · Cited 1,419 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 6–3.

“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.

• Mathews v. Eldridge · 424 U.S. 319 (1976)
• Lindsey v. Normet · 405 U.S. 56 (1972)
• Goss v. Lopez · 419 U.S. 565 (1975)
• Fuentes v. Shevin · 407 U.S. 67 (1972)
• Ingraham v. Wright · 430 U.S. 651 (1977)
• Board of Regents of State Colleges v. Roth · 408 U.S. 564 (1972)
• Wolff v. McDonnell · 418 U.S. 539 (1974)
• Morrissey v. Brewer · 408 U.S. 471 (1972)
• Mullane v. Central Hanover Bank & Trust Co. · 339 U.S. 306 (1950)
• Bishop v. Wood · 426 U.S. 341 (1976)
• Arnett v. Kennedy · 416 U.S. 134 (1974)
• Sosna v. Iowa · 419 U.S. 393 (1975)
• Stanley v. Illinois · 405 U.S. 645 (1972)
• Roe v. Wade · 410 U.S. 113 (1973)
• In Re GAULT · 387 U.S. 1 (1967)
• Perry v. Sindermann · 408 U.S. 593 (1972)
• Powell v. McCormack · 395 U.S. 486 (1969)
• Boddie v. Connecticut · 401 U.S. 371 (1971)
• Bell v. Burson · 402 U.S. 535 (1971)
• Joint Anti-Fascist Refugee Committee v. McGrath · 341 U.S. 123 (1951)
• Sniadach v. Family Finance Corp. of Bay View · 395 U.S. 337 (1969)
• North Georgia Finishing, Inc. v. Di-Chem, Inc. · 419 U.S. 601 (1975)
• Moore v. Ogilvie · 394 U.S. 814 (1969)
• Strunk v. United States · 412 U.S. 434 (1973)
• Dixon v. Love · 431 U.S. 105 (1977)
• Londoner v. City and County of Denver · 210 U.S. 373 (1908)
• Richardson v. Ramirez · 418 U.S. 24 (1974)
• Graver Tank & Mfg. Co. v. Linde Air Products Co. · 336 U.S. 271 (1949)
• United Transportation Union v. State Bar of Michigan · 401 U.S. 576 (1971)

Cited by

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

• Atkins v. Parker · 472 U.S. 115 (1985)
• MacKey v. Montrym · 443 U.S. 1 (1979)
• O'Bannon v. Town Court Nursing Center · 447 U.S. 773 (1980)
• Logan v. Zimmerman Brush Co. · 455 U.S. 422 (1982)
• Town of Castle Rock v. Gonzales · 545 U.S. 748 (2005)
• City of West Covina v. Perkins · 525 U.S. 234 (1999)
• Zinermon v. Burch · 494 U.S. 113 (1990)
• Mission Product Holdings, Inc. v. Tempnology, LLC · 587 U.S. 370 (2019)
• Mennonite Board of Missions v. Adams · 462 U.S. 791 (1983)
• Texaco, Inc. v. Short · 454 U.S. 516 (1982)
• St. Paul Fire & Marine Insurance v. Barry · 438 U.S. 531 (1978)
• Cleveland Board of Education v. Loudermill · 470 U.S. 532 (1985)
• Greenholtz v. Inmates of the Nebraska Penal & Correctional Complex · 442 U.S. 1 (1979)
• Williamson County Regional Planning Commission v. Hamilton Bank of Johnson City · 473 U.S. 172 (1985)
• United States Parole Commission v. Geraghty · 445 U.S. 388 (1980)
• City of Richmond v. J. A. Croson Co. · 488 U.S. 469 (1989)
• Deposit Guaranty National Bank v. Roper · 445 U.S. 326 (1980)
• Tulsa Professional Collection Services, Inc. v. Pope · 485 U.S. 478 (1988)
• Board of Pardons v. Allen · 482 U.S. 369 (1987)
• United States v. Eight Thousand Eight Hundred & Fifty Dollars · 461 U.S. 555 (1983)
• Uzuegbunam v. Preczewski · 592 U.S. 279 (2021)
• Leis v. Flynt · 439 U.S. 438 (1979)
• Alvarez v. Smith · 558 U.S. 87 (2009)

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).