Tafflin et al. v. Levitt et al.

Decided January 22, 1990. Sandra Day O'Connor delivered the opinion of the Court.

Docket 88-1650 · 493 U.S. 455 (1990) · Cited 634 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.

• Claflin v. Houseman · 93 U.S. 130 (1876)
• Charles Dowd Box Co. v. Courtney · 368 U.S. 502 (1962)
• Gulf Offshore Co. v. Mobil Oil Corp. · 453 U.S. 473 (1981)
• Sedima, S. P. R. L. v. Imrex Co. · 473 U.S. 479 (1985)
• Agency Holding Corp. v. Malley-Duff & Associates, Inc. · 483 U.S. 143 (1987)
• Houston v. Moore · 18 U.S. 1 (1820)
• H. J. Inc. v. Northwestern Bell Telephone Co. · 492 U.S. 229 (1989)
• Shearson/American Express Inc. v. McMahon · 482 U.S. 220 (1987)
• General Investment Co. v. Lake Shore & Michigan Southern Railway Co. · 260 U.S. 261 (1922)
• Minneapolis & St. Louis Railroad v. Bombolis · 241 U.S. 211 (1916)
• Hathorn v. Lovorn · 457 U.S. 255 (1982)
• Cannon v. University of Chicago · 441 U.S. 677 (1979)
• Burford v. Sun Oil Co. · 319 U.S. 315 (1943)
• Maine v. Thiboutot · 448 U.S. 1 (1980)
• Atascadero State Hospital v. Scanlon · 473 U.S. 234 (1985)
• Commissioner v. Estate of Bosch · 387 U.S. 456 (1967)
• Myers v. Bethlehem Shipbuilding Corp. · 303 U.S. 41 (1938)
• Garner v. Teamsters, Chauffeurs & Helpers Local Union No. 776 · 346 U.S. 485 (1953)
• Durland v. United States · 161 U.S. 306 (1896)
• United States v. Bank of New York & Trust Co. · 296 U.S. 463 (1936)
• Freeman v. Bee MacHine Co., Inc · 319 U.S. 448 (1943)
• Ableman v. Booth · 62 U.S. 506 (1859)
• Pan American Petroleum Corp. v. Superior Court of Del. for New Castle Cty. · 366 U.S. 656 (1961)
• Galveston, Harrisburg & San Antonio Railway Co. v. Wallace · 223 U.S. 481 (1912)
• Musser v. Utah · 333 U.S. 95 (1948)
• Blumenstock Bros. Advertising Agency v. Curtis Publishing Co. · 252 U.S. 436 (1920)

Cited by

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

• Wyeth v. Levine · 555 U.S. 555 (2009)
• Yellow Freight System, Inc. v. Donnelly · 494 U.S. 820 (1990)
• Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Inc. v. Manning · 578 U.S. 374 (2016)
• Atlantic Richfield Co. v. Christian · 590 U.S. 1 (2020)
• Burt v. Titlow · 571 U.S. 12 (2013)
• Howlett Ex Rel. Howlett v. Rose · 496 U.S. 356 (1990)
• Gunn v. Minton · 568 U.S. 251 (2013)
• Nevada v. Hicks · 533 U.S. 353 (2001)
• Haywood v. Drown · 556 U.S. 729 (2009)
• Gregory v. Ashcroft · 501 U.S. 452 (1991)
• New York v. United States · 505 U.S. 144 (1992)
• Printz v. United States · 521 U.S. 898 (1997)
• McKesson Corp. v. Division of Alcoholic Beverages and Tobacco, Fla. Dept. of Business Regulation · 496 U.S. 18 (1990)
• Mckesson v. Doe · 592 U.S. 1 (2020)

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).