Baltimore City Department of Social Services v. Bouknight
493 U.S. 549 · Decided February 20, 1990 · 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
Baltimore City Department of Social Services v. Bouknight was decided on February 20, 1990 by a vote of 7–2. The Court reversed the lower court's decision and remanded the case. Justice Sandra Day O'Connor wrote the opinion of the Court. SCDB classifies its main issue as “Self-incrimination (general)” in the Criminal Procedure area.
Read the opinion
Case details
- Citations
- 493 U.S. 549 · 110 S. Ct. 900 · 107 L. Ed. 2d 992 · 1990 U.S. LEXIS 658
- Docket number
- 88-1182
- Decided
- February 20, 1990
- Argued
- November 7, 1989
- Court era
- Rehnquist Court
- Decision type
- Opinion of the Court (orally argued)
- Disposition
- Reversed and remanded
- Outcome for petitioner
- The petitioning party received a favorable disposition
- Vote
- 7–2
- Majority opinion
- Sandra Day O'Connor
- Opinion assigned by
- William H. Rehnquist
- How the case arrived
- Certiorari
- Issue (SCDB)
- Self-incrimination (general)
- Issue area
- Criminal Procedure
- Legal provision
- Fifth Amendment (self-incrimination)
- Type of law
- Constitutional amendment
- Decision direction (SCDB)
- Conservative what this means
How the Justices voted
| Justice | Vote | Separate writing |
|---|---|---|
| Justice William J. Brennan Jr. | Dissent | |
| Justice Byron R. White | Majority | |
| Justice Thurgood Marshall | Dissent | Wrote an opinion |
| Justice Harry A. Blackmun | Majority | |
| Chief Justice William H. Rehnquist | Majority | |
| Justice John Paul Stevens | Majority | |
| Justice Sandra Day O'Connor | Majority | Wrote an opinion |
| Justice Antonin Scalia | Majority | |
| Justice Anthony M. Kennedy | Majority |
Full case caption
Baltimore City Department of Social Services v. Bouknight
SCDB identifiers: case 1989-028, docket 1989-028-01.
Related decisions
Other cases on “Self-incrimination (general)”
- Braswell v. United States
- Doe v. United States
- United States v. Thomas O. Robinson, Jr.
- Allen v. Illinois
- Wainwright v. Greenfield
- Selective Service System v. Minnesota Public Interest Research Group
Cases on the same legal provision: Fifth Amendment (self-incrimination)
- Robert S. Minnick v. Mississippi
- Colorado v. Spring
- Moran v. Burbine
- Pillsbury Co. v. Conboy
- United States v. Aloyzas Balsys
- United States v. Apfelbaum
Same Term, same area (Criminal Procedure)
- Michael Terrell v. Terry L. Morris
- James v. Illinois
- Dowling v. United States
- Holland v. Illinois
- United States v. Rene Martin Verdugo-Urquidez
- Scott Wayne Blystone v. Pennsylvania
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