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Blum v. Bacon

457 U.S. 132 · Decided June 14, 1982 · 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

Blum v. Bacon was decided on June 14, 1982 unanimously (9–0). The Court affirmed the lower court's decision. Justice Thurgood Marshall wrote the opinion of the Court. SCDB classifies its main issue as “Poverty law, statutory welfare benefits” in the Civil Rights area. SCDB records that the Court declared a state or territorial law, regulation or constitutional provision unconstitutional.

Read the opinion

Case details

Citations
457 U.S. 132 · 102 S. Ct. 2355 · 72 L. Ed. 2d 728 · 1982 U.S. LEXIS 20
Docket number
81-770
Decided
June 14, 1982
Argued
April 28, 1982
Court era
Burger Court
Decision type
Opinion of the Court (orally argued)
Disposition
Affirmed
Outcome for petitioner
The petitioning party did not receive a favorable disposition
Vote
9–0 (unanimous)
Majority opinion
Thurgood Marshall
Opinion assigned by
Warren E. Burger
How the case arrived
Appeal
Issue area
Civil Rights
Legal provision
Article VI, Section 2 (supremacy clause)
Type of law
Constitution
Held unconstitutional
A state or territorial law, regulation or constitutional provision
Decision direction (SCDB)
Liberal what this means

How the Justices voted

Full case caption

Blum, Commissioner, Department of Social Services of New York v. Bacon et Al

SCDB identifiers: case 1981-114, docket 1981-114-01.

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Cases on the same legal provision: Article VI, Section 2 (supremacy clause)

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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