City of Richmond v. J. A. Croson Company
488 U.S. 469 · Decided January 23, 1989 · 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 Richmond v. J. A. Croson Company was decided on January 23, 1989 by a vote of 6–3. 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 “Affirmative action” in the Civil Rights area. SCDB records that the Court declared a municipal or other local ordinance unconstitutional.
Read the opinion
Case details
- Citations
- 488 U.S. 469 · 109 S. Ct. 706 · 102 L. Ed. 2d 854 · 1989 U.S. LEXIS 579
- Docket number
- 87-998
- Decided
- January 23, 1989
- Argued
- October 5, 1988
- Court era
- Rehnquist Court
- Decision type
- Opinion of the Court (orally argued)
- Disposition
- Affirmed
- Outcome for petitioner
- The petitioning party did not receive a favorable disposition
- Vote
- 6–3
- Majority opinion
- Sandra Day O'Connor
- Opinion assigned by
- William H. Rehnquist
- How the case arrived
- Appeal
- Issue (SCDB)
- Affirmative action
- Issue area
- Civil Rights
- Legal provision
- Fourteenth Amendment (equal protection)
- Type of law
- Constitutional amendment
- Held unconstitutional
- A municipal or other local ordinance
- Decision direction (SCDB)
- Conservative what this means
How the Justices voted
| Justice | Vote | Separate writing |
|---|---|---|
| Justice William J. Brennan Jr. | Dissent | |
| Justice Byron R. White | Majority | |
| Justice Thurgood Marshall | Dissent | Wrote an opinion |
| Justice Harry A. Blackmun | Dissent | Wrote an opinion |
| Chief Justice William H. Rehnquist | Majority | |
| Justice John Paul Stevens | Concurrence | Wrote an opinion |
| Justice Sandra Day O'Connor | Majority | Wrote an opinion |
| Justice Antonin Scalia | Special concurrence | Wrote an opinion |
| Justice Anthony M. Kennedy | Concurrence | Wrote an opinion |
Full case caption
City of Richmond v. J. A. Croson Company
SCDB identifiers: case 1988-026, docket 1988-026-01.
Related decisions
Other cases on “Affirmative action”
- Martin v. Wilks
- Metro Broadcasting, Inc. v. Federal Communications Commission
- Johnson v. Transportation Agency
- United States v. Paradise
- Local 28 of the Sheet Metal Workers' International Association v. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission
- Local Number 93 v. City of Cleveland
Cases on the same legal provision: Fourteenth Amendment (equal protection)
- Allegheny Pittsburgh Coal Co. v. County Commission of Webster CountyLaw held unconstitutional
- Penson v. Ohio
- Board of Estimate of City of New York v. MorrisLaw held unconstitutional
- Quinn v. MillsapLaw held unconstitutional
- Clark v. JeterLaw held unconstitutional
- Bankers Life & Casualty Co. v. Crenshaw
Same Term, same area (Civil Rights)
- Town of Huntington v. Huntington Branch
- Penson v. Ohio
- Pittston Coal Group v. Sebben
- Owens v. Okure
- In re McDonald
- Deshaney v. Winnebago County Department of Social Services
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