Bowsher v. Merck & Co., Inc.
460 U.S. 824 · Decided April 19, 1983 · 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
Bowsher v. Merck & Co., Inc. was decided on April 19, 1983 by a vote of 7–2. The Court affirmed the lower court's decision. Justice Sandra Day O'Connor wrote the opinion of the Court. SCDB classifies its main issue as “Judicial review of agency actions” in the Judicial Power area.
Read the opinion
Case details
- Citations
- 460 U.S. 824 · 103 S. Ct. 1587 · 75 L. Ed. 2d 580 · 1983 U.S. LEXIS 22
- Docket number
- 81-1273
- Decided
- April 19, 1983
- Argued
- December 1, 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
- 7–2
- Majority opinion
- Sandra Day O'Connor
- Opinion assigned by
- Warren E. Burger
- How the case arrived
- Certiorari
- Issue (SCDB)
- Judicial review of agency actions
- Issue area
- Judicial Power
- Legal provision
- 10 U.S.C. § 2313
- Type of law
- Infrequently litigated statute
- Decision direction (SCDB)
- Liberal what this means
How the Justices voted
| Justice | Vote | Separate writing |
|---|---|---|
| Justice William J. Brennan Jr. | Majority | |
| Justice Byron R. White | Dissent | Wrote an opinion |
| Justice Thurgood Marshall | Dissent | |
| Chief Justice Warren E. Burger | Majority | |
| Justice Harry A. Blackmun | Special concurrence | Wrote an opinion |
| Justice Lewis F. Powell Jr. | Majority | |
| Justice William H. Rehnquist | Majority | |
| Justice John Paul Stevens | Special concurrence | |
| Justice Sandra Day O'Connor | Majority | Wrote an opinion |
Full case caption
Bowsher, Comptroller General of the United States, et al. v. Merck & Co., Inc.
SCDB identifiers: case 1982-061, docket 1982-061-01.
Related decisions
Other cases on “Judicial review of agency actions”
- National Association of Greeting Card Publishers v. United States Postal Service
- Motor Vehicle Manufacturers Association of the United States, Inc. v. State Farm Mutual Automobile Insurance Co.
- Public Service Commission of the State of New York v. Mid-Louisiana Gas Co.
- Burlington Northern Inc. v. United States
- National Labor Relations Board v. International Association of Bridge
- Block v. Community Nutrition Institute
Same Term, same area (Judicial Power)
- Griggs v. Provident Consumer Discount Co.
- Gillette Co. v. Miner
- Burlington Northern Inc. v. United States
- Moses H. Cone Memorial Hospital v. Mercury Construction Corp.
- District of Columbia Court of Appeals v. Feldman
- Thurston Motor Lines, Inc. v. Jordan K. Rand, Ltd.
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