Carey v. Population Services International
431 U.S. 678 · Decided June 9, 1977 · Supreme Court of the United States
At a glance
Carey v. Population Services International was decided on June 9, 1977 by a vote of 7–2. The Court affirmed the lower court's decision. Justice William J. Brennan Jr. wrote the opinion of the Court. SCDB classifies its main issue as “Abortion and contraceptives” in the Privacy area. SCDB records that the Court declared a state or territorial law, regulation or constitutional provision unconstitutional.
Read the opinion
Case details
- Citations
- 431 U.S. 678 · 97 S. Ct. 2010 · 52 L. Ed. 2d 675 · 1977 U.S. LEXIS 104
- Docket number
- 75-443
- Decided
- June 9, 1977
- Argued
- January 10, 1977
- 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
- William J. Brennan Jr.
- Opinion assigned by
- William J. Brennan Jr.
- How the case arrived
- Appeal
- Issue (SCDB)
- Abortion and contraceptives
- Issue area
- Privacy
- Legal provision
- Fourteenth Amendment (due process)
- Type of law
- Constitutional amendment
- Held unconstitutional
- A state or territorial law, regulation or constitutional provision
- Decision direction (SCDB)
- Liberal what this means
How the Justices voted
| Justice | Vote | Separate writing |
|---|---|---|
| Justice William J. Brennan Jr. | Majority | Wrote an opinion |
| Justice Potter Stewart | Majority | |
| Justice Byron R. White | Special concurrence | Wrote an opinion |
| Justice Thurgood Marshall | Majority | |
| Chief Justice Warren E. Burger | Dissent | |
| Justice Harry A. Blackmun | Majority | |
| Justice Lewis F. Powell Jr. | Special concurrence | Wrote an opinion |
| Justice William H. Rehnquist | Dissent | Wrote an opinion |
| Justice John Paul Stevens | Concurrence | Wrote an opinion |
Full case caption
Carey, Governor of New York, et al. v. Population Services International et al.
SCDB identifiers: case 1976-126, docket 1976-126-01.
Related decisions
Other cases on “Abortion and contraceptives”
- Beal v. Doe
- Maher v. Roe
- Poelker v. Doe
- Guste v. Jackson
- Planned Parenthood of Central Missouri v. DanforthLaw held unconstitutional
- Connecticut v. Menillo
Cases on the same legal provision: Fourteenth Amendment (due process)
- Smith v. Organization of Foster Families for Equality & Reform
- Manson v. Brathwaite
- Patterson v. New York
- Moore v. City of East ClevelandLaw held unconstitutional
- Shaffer v. HeitnerAltered precedentLaw held unconstitutional
- Dixon v. Love
Same Term, same area (Privacy)
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