Board of Education of the City School District of the City of New York v. Tom F.
552 U.S. 1 · Decided October 10, 2007 · Supreme Court of the United States
At a glance
Board of Education of the City School District of the City of New York v. Tom F. was decided on October 10, 2007 by a vote of 4–4. The Court affirmed the lower court's decision. The Justices were equally divided, which leaves the lower court's judgment in place without setting precedent. SCDB classifies its main issue as “Rights of handicapped persons” in the Civil Rights area.
Read the opinion
Case details
- Citations
- 552 U.S. 1 · 128 S. Ct. 1 · 169 L. Ed. 2d 1 · 2007 U.S. LEXIS 11481
- Docket number
- 06-637
- Decided
- October 10, 2007
- Argued
- October 1, 2007
- Court era
- Roberts Court
- Decision type
- Equally divided vote
- Disposition
- Affirmed
- Outcome for petitioner
- The petitioning party did not receive a favorable disposition
- Vote
- 4–4
- How the case arrived
- Certiorari
- Issue (SCDB)
- Rights of handicapped persons
- Issue area
- Civil Rights
- Legal provision
- Individuals with Disabilities Education Act and related statutes
- Type of law
- Federal statute
- Decision direction (SCDB)
- Liberal what this means
How the Justices voted
| Justice | Vote | Separate writing |
|---|---|---|
| Justice John Paul Stevens | Equally divided vote | |
| Justice Antonin Scalia | Equally divided vote | |
| Justice David H. Souter | Equally divided vote | |
| Justice Clarence Thomas | Equally divided vote | |
| Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg | Equally divided vote | |
| Justice Stephen G. Breyer | Equally divided vote | |
| Chief Justice John G. Roberts Jr. | Equally divided vote | |
| Justice Samuel A. Alito Jr. | Equally divided vote |
Did not participate: Anthony M. Kennedy.
Full case caption
Board of Education of the City School District of the City of New York v. Tom F., on Behalf of Gilbert F., a Minor Child
SCDB identifiers: case 2007-001, docket 2007-001-01.
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Cases on the same legal provision: Individuals with Disabilities Education Act and related statutes
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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