Dellmuth v. Muth
491 U.S. 223 · Decided June 15, 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
Dellmuth v. Muth was decided on June 15, 1989 by a vote of 5–4. The Court reversed the lower court's decision and remanded the case. Justice Anthony M. Kennedy wrote the opinion of the Court. SCDB classifies its main issue as “Rights of handicapped persons” in the Civil Rights area.
Read the opinion
Case details
- Citations
- 491 U.S. 223 · 109 S. Ct. 2397 · 105 L. Ed. 2d 181 · 1989 U.S. LEXIS 2972
- Docket number
- 87-1855
- Decided
- June 15, 1989
- Argued
- February 28, 1989
- 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
- Anthony M. Kennedy
- Opinion assigned by
- William H. Rehnquist
- How the case arrived
- Certiorari
- Issue (SCDB)
- Rights of handicapped persons
- Issue area
- Civil Rights
- Legal provision
- Individuals with Disabilities Education Act and related statutes
- Type of law
- Federal statute
- Decision direction (SCDB)
- Conservative what this means
How the Justices voted
| Justice | Vote | Separate writing |
|---|---|---|
| Justice William J. Brennan Jr. | Dissent | Wrote an opinion |
| Justice Byron R. White | Majority | |
| Justice Thurgood Marshall | Dissent | |
| Justice Harry A. Blackmun | Dissent | Wrote an opinion |
| Chief Justice William H. Rehnquist | Majority | |
| Justice John Paul Stevens | Dissent | Wrote an opinion |
| Justice Sandra Day O'Connor | Majority | |
| Justice Antonin Scalia | Concurrence | Wrote an opinion |
| Justice Anthony M. Kennedy | Majority | Wrote an opinion |
Full case caption
Dellmuth, Acting Secretary of Education of Pennsylvania v. Muth et al.
SCDB identifiers: case 1988-116, docket 1988-116-01.
Related decisions
Other cases on “Rights of handicapped persons”
- Pittston Coal Group v. Sebben
- Honig v. Doe
- School Board of Nassau County v. Arline
- United States Department of Transportation v. Paralyzed Veterans of America
- Bowen v. American Hospital Association
- Bowen v. City of New York
Cases on the same legal provision: Individuals with Disabilities Education Act and related statutes
Same Term, same area (Civil Rights)
- Town of Huntington v. Huntington Branch
- Penson v. Ohio
- Pittston Coal Group v. Sebben
- Owens v. Okure
- City of Richmond v. J. A. Croson CompanyLaw held unconstitutional
- In re McDonald
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