California Coastal Commission v. Granite Rock Co.
480 U.S. 572 · Decided March 24, 1987 · 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
California Coastal Commission v. Granite Rock Co. was decided on March 24, 1987 by a vote of 5–4. 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 “Natural resources and environmental protection” in the Economic Activity area.
Read the opinion
Case details
- Citations
- 480 U.S. 572 · 107 S. Ct. 1419 · 94 L. Ed. 2d 577 · 1987 U.S. LEXIS 1384
- Docket number
- 85-1200
- Decided
- March 24, 1987
- Argued
- December 2, 1986
- 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
- 5–4
- Majority opinion
- Sandra Day O'Connor
- Opinion assigned by
- William H. Rehnquist
- How the case arrived
- Appeal
- Issue (SCDB)
- Natural resources and environmental protection
- Issue area
- Economic Activity
- Legal provision
- 28 U.S.C. § 1254
- Type of law
- Infrequently litigated statute
- Decision direction (SCDB)
- Conservative what this means
How the Justices voted
| Justice | Vote | Separate writing |
|---|---|---|
| Justice William J. Brennan Jr. | Majority | |
| Justice Byron R. White | Dissent | |
| Justice Thurgood Marshall | Majority | |
| Justice Harry A. Blackmun | Majority | |
| Justice Lewis F. Powell Jr. | Dissent | Wrote an opinion |
| Chief Justice William H. Rehnquist | Majority | |
| Justice John Paul Stevens | Dissent | |
| Justice Sandra Day O'Connor | Majority | Wrote an opinion |
| Justice Antonin Scalia | Dissent | Wrote an opinion |
Full case caption
California Coastal Commission et al. v. Granite Rock Co.
SCDB identifiers: case 1986-057, docket 1986-057-01.
Related decisions
Other cases on “Natural resources and environmental protection”
- Amoco Production Co. v. Village of Gambell
- Gwaltney of Smithfield, Ltd. v. Chesapeake Bay Foundation, Inc.
- Japan Whaling Association v. American Cetacean Society
- United States v. Riverside Bayview Homes, Inc.
- Bateman Eichler v. Berner
- Lowe v. Securities and Exchange Commission
Cases on the same legal provision: 28 U.S.C. § 1254
- Ohio Civil Rights Commission v. Dayton Christian Schools, Inc.
- Silkwood v. Kerr-McGee Corp.
- Arnold F. Hohn v. United StatesAltered precedent
- International Union v. Scofield
- United Gas Pipe Line Co. v. Ideal Cement Co.
Same Term, same area (Economic Activity)
- Kelly v. Robinson
- Cargill, Inc. v. Monfort of Colorado, Inc.
- R. J. Reynolds Tobacco Co. v. Durham County
- 324 Liquor Corp. v. Duffy
- Clarke v. Securities Industry Association
- Jersey Shore State Bank v. United States
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