Smith et al. v. Robinson, Rhode Island Associate Commissioner of Education, et al.

Decided July 5, 1984. Harry Andrew Blackmun delivered the opinion of the Court.

Docket 82-2120 · 468 U.S. 992 (1984) · Cited 994 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.

• Maher v. Gagne · 448 U.S. 122 (1980)
• Hensley v. Eckerhart · 461 U.S. 424 (1983)
• Board of Education of the Hendrick Hudson Central School District v. Rowley Ex Rel. Rowley · 458 U.S. 176 (1982)
• New York Gaslight Club, Inc. v. Carey · 447 U.S. 54 (1980)
• Maine v. Thiboutot · 448 U.S. 1 (1980)
• Southeastern Community College v. Davis · 442 U.S. 397 (1979)
• Bivens v. Six Unknown Named Agents of Federal Bureau of Narcotics · 403 U.S. 388 (1971)
• Alyeska Pipeline Service Co. v. Wilderness Society · 421 U.S. 240 (1975)
• Johnson v. Railway Express Agency, Inc. · 421 U.S. 454 (1975)
• Morton v. Mancari · 417 U.S. 535 (1974)
• Patsy v. Board of Regents of Fla. · 457 U.S. 496 (1982)
• Middlesex County Sewerage Authority v. National Sea Clammers Assn. · 453 U.S. 1 (1981)
• Radzanower v. Touche Ross & Co. · 426 U.S. 148 (1976)
• Posadas v. National City Bank · 296 U.S. 497 (1936)
• Adickes v. S. H. Kress & Co. · 398 U.S. 144 (1970)
• United Mine Workers of America v. Gibbs · 383 U.S. 715 (1966)
• Pennhurst State School and Hospital v. Halderman · 465 U.S. 89 (1984)
• Blum v. Stenson · 465 U.S. 886 (1984)
• Monroe v. Pape · 365 U.S. 167 (1961)
• Bell v. Hood · 327 U.S. 678 (1946)
• Griggs v. Duke Power Co. · 401 U.S. 424 (1971)
• Hutto v. Finney · 437 U.S. 678 (1978)
• Brown v. General Services Administration · 425 U.S. 820 (1976)
• Newman v. Piggie Park Enterprises, Inc. · 390 U.S. 400 (1968)
• Hall v. Cole · 412 U.S. 1 (1973)
• Mitchum v. Foster · 407 U.S. 225 (1972)
• Watt v. Alaska · 451 U.S. 259 (1981)
• St. Martin Evangelical Lutheran Church v. South Dakota · 451 U.S. 772 (1981)

Cited by

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

• Fry v. Napoleon Community Schools · 580 U.S. 154 (2017)
• Fitzgerald v. Barnstable School Committee · 555 U.S. 246 (2009)
• City of Rancho Palos Verdes v. Abrams · 544 U.S. 113 (2005)
• A. J. T. v. Osseo Area Schools, Independent School Dist. No. 279 · 605 U.S. 335 (2025)
• Blessing v. Freestone · 520 U.S. 329 (1997)
• Gonzaga University v. Doe · 536 U.S. 273 (2002)
• Wilder v. Virginia Hospital Assn. · 496 U.S. 498 (1990)
• Golden State Transit Corp. v. City of Los Angeles · 493 U.S. 103 (1989)
• Dellmuth v. Muth · 491 U.S. 223 (1989)
• Wright v. City of Roanoke Redevelopment & Housing Authority · 479 U.S. 418 (1987)
• Suter v. Artist M. · 503 U.S. 347 (1992)
• Arlington Central School District Board of Education v. Murphy · 548 U.S. 291 (2006)
• Health and Hospital Corporation of Marion Cty. v. Talevski · 599 U.S. 166 (2023)
• Plaut v. Spendthrift Farm, Inc. · 514 U.S. 211 (1995)
• Webb v. County Board of Education · 471 U.S. 234 (1985)
• Patterson v. McLean Credit Union · 491 U.S. 164 (1989)
• Honig v. Doe · 484 U.S. 305 (1988)
• Alexander v. Choate · 469 U.S. 287 (1985)
• California v. Brown · 479 U.S. 538 (1987)
• West Virginia University Hospitals, Inc. v. Casey · 499 U.S. 83 (1991)
• Bowen v. American Hospital Assn. · 476 U.S. 610 (1986)
• Ramdass v. Angelone · 530 U.S. 156 (2000)

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).