United States, et al. v. National Treasury Employees Union et al.

Decided February 22, 1995. John Paul Stevens delivered the opinion of the Court.

Docket 93-1170 · 513 U.S. 454 (1995) · Cited 659 times

Holding

Section 501(b) violates the First Amendment.

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 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.

• Pickering v. Board of Ed. of Township High School Dist. 205, Will Cty. · 391 U.S. 563 (1968)
• Waters v. Churchill · 511 U.S. 661 (1994)
• United Public Workers of America v. Mitchell · 330 U.S. 75 (1947)
• United States Civil Service Commission v. National Ass'n of Letter Carriers · 413 U.S. 548 (1973)
• Connick Ex Rel. Parish of Orleans v. Myers · 461 U.S. 138 (1983)
• United States v. Grace · 461 U.S. 171 (1983)
• Simon & Schuster, Inc. v. Members of the New York State Crime Victims Board · 502 U.S. 105 (1991)
• Rankin v. McPherson · 483 U.S. 378 (1987)
• Brockett v. Spokane Arcades, Inc. · 472 U.S. 491 (1985)
• Arnett v. Kennedy · 416 U.S. 134 (1974)
• Tennessee v. Garner · 471 U.S. 1 (1985)
• Ex Parte Curtis · 106 U.S. 371 (1882)
• City of Ladue v. Gilleo · 512 U.S. 43 (1994)
• Minneapolis Star & Tribune Co. v. Minnesota Commissioner of Revenue · 460 U.S. 575 (1983)
• Alaska Airlines, Inc. v. Brock · 480 U.S. 678 (1987)
• Buckley v. Valeo · 424 U.S. 1 (1976)
• Turner Broadcasting System, Inc. v. Federal Communications Commission · 512 U.S. 622 (1994)
• Board of Trustees of State Univ. of NY v. Fox · 492 U.S. 469 (1989)
• Federal Election Commission v. National Right to Work Committee · 459 U.S. 197 (1982)
• Perry v. Sindermann · 408 U.S. 593 (1972)
• Broadrick v. Oklahoma · 413 U.S. 601 (1973)
• Ward v. Rock Against Racism · 491 U.S. 781 (1989)
• Ashwander v. Tennessee Valley Authority · 297 U.S. 288 (1936)
• New York v. Ferber · 458 U.S. 747 (1982)
• Virginia State Board of Pharmacy v. Virginia Citizens Consumer Council, Inc. · 425 U.S. 748 (1976)
• City of Renton v. Playtime Theatres, Inc. · 475 U.S. 41 (1986)
• Near v. Minnesota Ex Rel. Olson · 283 U.S. 697 (1931)
• First Nat. Bank of Boston v. Bellotti · 435 U.S. 765 (1978)
• Whitney v. California · 274 U.S. 357 (1927)
• Secretary of State of Md. v. Joseph H. Munson Co. · 467 U.S. 947 (1984)

Cited by

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

• Janus v. State, County, and Municipal Employees · 585 U.S. 878 (2018)
• United States v. Booker · 543 U.S. 220 (2005)
• Board of Comm'rs, Wabaunsee Cty. v. Umbehr · 518 U.S. 668 (1996)
• Scott v. Harris · 550 U.S. 372 (2007)
• Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission · 558 U.S. 310 (2010)
• City of San Diego v. Roe · 543 U.S. 77 (2004)
• Garcetti v. Ceballos · 547 U.S. 410 (2006)
• Borough of Duryea v. Guarnieri · 564 U.S. 379 (2011)
• Ayotte v. Planned Parenthood of Northern New Eng. · 546 U.S. 320 (2006)
• Bartnicki v. Vopper · 532 U.S. 514 (2001)
• United States v. Stevens · 559 U.S. 460 (2010)
• Reno v. American Civil Liberties Union · 521 U.S. 844 (1997)
• Nixon v. Shrink Missouri Government PAC · 528 U.S. 377 (2000)
• United States v. Arthrex, Inc. · 594 U.S. 1 (2021)
• Fulton v. Philadelphia · 593 U.S. 522 (2021)

Official text

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

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Source: Supreme Court of the United States, slip opinions (1995). 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).