City of Los Angeles v. Preferred Communications, Inc.
476 U.S. 488 · Decided June 2, 1986 · 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
City of Los Angeles v. Preferred Communications, Inc. was decided on June 2, 1986 unanimously (9–0). The Court affirmed the lower court's decision. Justice William H. Rehnquist wrote the opinion of the Court. SCDB classifies its main issue as “First Amendment, miscellaneous” in the First Amendment area.
Read the opinion
Case details
- Citations
- 476 U.S. 488 · 106 S. Ct. 2034 · 90 L. Ed. 2d 480 · 1986 U.S. LEXIS 81
- Docket number
- 85-390
- Decided
- June 2, 1986
- Argued
- April 29, 1986
- 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
- William H. Rehnquist
- Opinion assigned by
- Warren E. Burger
- How the case arrived
- Certiorari
- Issue (SCDB)
- First Amendment, miscellaneous
- Issue area
- First Amendment
- Legal provision
- First Amendment (speech, press, and assembly)
- Type of law
- Constitutional amendment
- 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 | Majority | |
| Justice Thurgood Marshall | Concurrence | |
| Chief Justice Warren E. Burger | Majority | |
| Justice Harry A. Blackmun | Concurrence | Wrote an opinion |
| Justice Lewis F. Powell Jr. | Majority | |
| Justice William H. Rehnquist | Majority | Wrote an opinion |
| Justice John Paul Stevens | Majority | |
| Justice Sandra Day O'Connor | Concurrence |
Full case caption
City of Los Angeles et al. v. Preferred Communications, Inc.
SCDB identifiers: case 1985-095, docket 1985-095-01.
Related decisions
Other cases on “First Amendment, miscellaneous”
- Press-Enterprise Co. v. Superior Court of California for the County of Riverside
- Bethel School District No. 403 v. Fraser
- Arcara v. Cloud Books, Inc.
- Meese v. Keene
- Cornelius v. NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund, Inc.
- Turner v. Safley
Cases on the same legal provision: First Amendment (speech, press, and assembly)
- New York v. P.J. Video, Inc.
- Philadelphia Newspapers, Inc. v. HeppsLaw held unconstitutional
- Chicago Teachers Union v. Hudson
- Pacific Gas & Electric Co. v. Public Utilities Commission of CaliforniaLaw held unconstitutional
- City of Renton v. Playtime Theatres, Inc.
- Arkansas Writers' Project, Inc. v. RaglandLaw held unconstitutional
Same Term, same area (First Amendment)
- Witters v. Washington Department of Services for the Blind
- Pacific Gas & Electric Co. v. Public Utilities Commission of CaliforniaLaw held unconstitutional
- City of Renton v. Playtime Theatres, Inc.
- Goldman v. Weinberger
- Bender v. Williamsport Area School District
- Philadelphia Newspapers, Inc. v. HeppsLaw held unconstitutional
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