Baker v. McCollan
443 U.S. 137 · Decided June 26, 1979 · Supreme Court of the United States
Record summary. This page is generated from the Supreme Court Database’s coded data about the case. It describes who decided what, not the Court’s reasoning. Read the opinion itself before relying on it. Not legal advice.
At a glance
Baker v. McCollan was decided on June 26, 1979 by a vote of 6–3. The Court reversed the lower court's decision. Justice William H. Rehnquist wrote the opinion of the Court. SCDB classifies its main issue as “Liability under civil rights acts” in the Civil Rights area.
Read the opinion
Case details
- Citations
- 443 U.S. 137 · 99 S. Ct. 2689 · 61 L. Ed. 2d 433 · 1979 U.S. LEXIS 141
- Docket number
- 78-752
- Decided
- June 26, 1979
- Argued
- April 23, 1979
- Court era
- Burger Court
- Decision type
- Opinion of the Court (orally argued)
- Disposition
- Reversed
- Outcome for petitioner
- The petitioning party received a favorable disposition
- Vote
- 6–3
- Majority opinion
- William H. Rehnquist
- Opinion assigned by
- Warren E. Burger
- How the case arrived
- Certiorari
- Issue (SCDB)
- Liability under civil rights acts
- Issue area
- Civil Rights
- Legal provision
- 42 U.S.C. § 1983 (Reconstruction Civil Rights Acts)
- Type of law
- Federal statute
- Decision direction (SCDB)
- Conservative what this means
How the Justices voted
| Justice | Vote | Separate writing |
|---|---|---|
| Justice William J. Brennan Jr. | Dissent | |
| Justice Potter Stewart | Majority | |
| Justice Byron R. White | Majority | |
| Justice Thurgood Marshall | Dissent | Wrote an opinion |
| Chief Justice Warren E. Burger | Majority | |
| Justice Harry A. Blackmun | Concurrence | Wrote an opinion |
| Justice Lewis F. Powell Jr. | Majority | |
| Justice William H. Rehnquist | Majority | Wrote an opinion |
| Justice John Paul Stevens | Dissent | Wrote an opinion |
Full case caption
Baker v. McCollan
SCDB identifiers: case 1978-144, docket 1978-144-01.
Related decisions
Other cases on “Liability under civil rights acts”
- Martinez v. California
- Owen v. City of Independence
- Gomez v. Toledo
- Supreme Court of Virginia v. Consumers Union of the United States, Inc.
- Maine v. Thiboutot et Vir.
- Monell v. Department of Social Services of the City of New YorkAltered precedent
Cases on the same legal provision: 42 U.S.C. § 1983 (Reconstruction Civil Rights Acts)
- Robertson v. Wegmann
- Chardon v. Fernandez
- Fair Assessment in Real Estate Association, Inc. v. McNary
- Patsy v. Board of Regents of the State of Florida
- Aldinger v. Howard
- Examining Board of Engineers v. Flores de OteroLaw held unconstitutional
Same Term, same area (Civil Rights)
- Board of Trustees of Keene State College v. Sweeney
- Dougherty County v. White
- Holt Civic Club v. City of Tuscaloosa
- Califano v. Aznavorian
- Lalli v. Lalli
- Duren v. MissouriAltered precedentLaw held unconstitutional
Source: Supreme Court Database, 2026 Release 01 (data file dated September 8, 2026). Imported into CaseTrail November 5, 2026. Coverage: decisions from the 1946 through 2025 Terms. Methodology · Report an error