Pennhurst State School and Hospital et al. v. Halderman et al.

Decided April 20, 1981. William Hubbs Rehnquist delivered the opinion of the Court.

Docket 79-1404 · 451 U.S. 1 (1981) · Cited 1,660 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.

• Rosado v. Wyman · 397 U.S. 397 (1970)
• Maine v. Thiboutot · 448 U.S. 1 (1980)
• Harris v. McRae · 448 U.S. 297 (1980)
• Edelman v. Jordan · 415 U.S. 651 (1974)
• King v. Smith · 392 U.S. 309 (1968)
• Fitzpatrick v. Bitzer · 427 U.S. 445 (1976)
• Employees of Department of Public Health v. Department of Public Health · 411 U.S. 279 (1973)
• Carleson v. Remillard · 406 U.S. 598 (1972)
• Cort v. Ash · 422 U.S. 66 (1975)
• Cannon v. University of Chicago · 441 U.S. 677 (1979)
• Southeastern Community College v. Davis · 442 U.S. 397 (1979)
• O'Connor v. Donaldson · 422 U.S. 563 (1975)
• Parham v. J. R. · 442 U.S. 584 (1979)
• Katzenbach v. Morgan · 384 U.S. 641 (1966)
• Steward MacHine Co. v. Davis · 301 U.S. 548 (1937)
• Oregon v. Mitchell · 400 U.S. 112 (1970)
• Townsend v. Swank · 404 U.S. 282 (1971)
• Lau v. Nichols · 414 U.S. 563 (1974)
• Adickes v. S. H. Kress & Co. · 398 U.S. 144 (1970)
• Preiser v. Rodriguez · 411 U.S. 475 (1973)
• San Antonio Independent School District v. Rodriguez · 411 U.S. 1 (1973)
• Addington v. Texas · 441 U.S. 418 (1979)
• Ingraham v. Wright · 430 U.S. 651 (1977)
• Chapman v. Houston Welfare Rights Organization · 441 U.S. 600 (1979)
• Jackson v. Indiana · 406 U.S. 715 (1972)
• National League of Cities v. Usery · 426 U.S. 833 (1976)
• General Electric Co. v. Gilbert · 429 U.S. 125 (1976)
• South Carolina v. Katzenbach · 383 U.S. 301 (1966)
• United States v. Carolene Products Co. · 304 U.S. 144 (1938)
• Fullilove v. Klutznick · 448 U.S. 448 (1980)

Cited by

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

• National Federation of Independent Business v. Sebelius · 567 U.S. 519 (2012)
• Guardians Assn. v. Civil Serv. Comm'n of New York City · 463 U.S. 582 (1983)
• Medina v. Planned Parenthood South Atlantic · 606 U.S. 357 (2025)
• Pennhurst State School and Hospital v. Halderman · 465 U.S. 89 (1984)
• Health and Hospital Corporation of Marion Cty. v. Talevski · 599 U.S. 166 (2023)
• Wilder v. Virginia Hospital Assn. · 496 U.S. 498 (1990)
• Cummings v. Premier Rehab Keller · 596 U.S. 212 (2022)
• School Bd. of Nassau Cty. v. Arline · 480 U.S. 273 (1987)
• Arlington Central School District Board of Education v. Murphy · 548 U.S. 291 (2006)
• Equal Employment Opportunity Commission v. Wyoming · 460 U.S. 226 (1983)
• Gonzaga University v. Doe · 536 U.S. 273 (2002)
• Barnes v. Gorman · 536 U.S. 181 (2002)
• Davis Ex Rel. LaShonda D. v. Monroe County Board of Education · 526 U.S. 629 (1999)
• Gregory v. Ashcroft · 501 U.S. 452 (1991)
• Suter v. Artist M. · 503 U.S. 347 (1992)
• Olmstead v. L.C. · 527 U.S. 581 (1999)
• Jackson v. Birmingham Board of Education · 544 U.S. 167 (2005)
• Bennett v. Kentucky Department of Education · 470 U.S. 656 (1985)
• Middlesex County Sewerage Authority v. National Sea Clammers Assn. · 453 U.S. 1 (1981)
• Blessing v. Freestone · 520 U.S. 329 (1997)
• Wright v. City of Roanoke Redevelopment & Housing Authority · 479 U.S. 418 (1987)
• South Dakota v. Dole · 483 U.S. 203 (1987)
• Winkelman Ex Rel. Winkelman v. Parma City School District · 550 U.S. 516 (2007)
• Armstrong v. Exceptional Child Center, Inc. · 575 U.S. 320 (2015)
• Bond v. United States · 572 U.S. 844 (2014)
• United States v. Texas · 507 U.S. 529 (1993)
• Bell v. New Jersey · 461 U.S. 773 (1983)
• Moyle v. United States · 603 U.S. 324 (2024)
• Will v. Michigan Department of State Police · 491 U.S. 58 (1989)
• Board of Education of the Hendrick Hudson Central School District v. Rowley Ex Rel. Rowley · 458 U.S. 176 (1982)

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).