Federal Communications Commission v. League of Women Voters of California
468 U.S. 364 · Decided July 2, 1984 · Supreme Court of the United States
At a glance
Federal Communications Commission v. League of Women Voters of California was decided on July 2, 1984 by a vote of 5–4. 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 “First Amendment, miscellaneous” in the First Amendment area. SCDB records that the Court declared an act of Congress unconstitutional.
Read the opinion
Case details
- Citations
- 468 U.S. 364 · 104 S. Ct. 3106 · 82 L. Ed. 2d 278 · 1984 U.S. LEXIS 139
- Docket number
- 82-912
- Decided
- July 2, 1984
- Argued
- January 16, 1984
- 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
- 5–4
- Majority opinion
- William J. Brennan Jr.
- Opinion assigned by
- William J. Brennan Jr.
- How the case arrived
- Appeal
- Issue (SCDB)
- First Amendment, miscellaneous
- Issue area
- First Amendment
- Legal provision
- 47 U.S.C. § 399
- Type of law
- Infrequently litigated statute
- Held unconstitutional
- An act of Congress
- 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 Byron R. White | Dissent | Wrote an opinion |
| Justice Thurgood Marshall | Majority | |
| Chief Justice Warren E. Burger | Dissent | |
| Justice Harry A. Blackmun | Majority | |
| Justice Lewis F. Powell Jr. | Majority | |
| Justice William H. Rehnquist | Dissent | Wrote an opinion |
| Justice John Paul Stevens | Dissent | Wrote an opinion |
| Justice Sandra Day O'Connor | Majority |
Full case caption
Federal Communications Commission v. League of Women Voters of California et al.
SCDB identifiers: case 1983-155, docket 1983-155-01.
Related decisions
Other cases on “First Amendment, miscellaneous”
- Roberts v. United States Jaycees
- Regan v. Time, Inc.Law held unconstitutional
- Secretary of State of Maryland v. Joseph H. Munson Co., Inc.Law held unconstitutional
- Seattle Times Co. v. Rhinehart
- Members of the City Council of the City of Los Angeles v. Taxpayers for Vincent
- Minnesota State Board for Community Colleges v. Knight
Same Term, same area (First Amendment)
- Press-Enterprise Co. v. Superior Court of California
- Minnesota State Board for Community Colleges v. Knight
- Lynch v. Donnelly
- Bose Corp. v. Consumers Union of United States, Inc.
- Members of the City Council of the City of Los Angeles v. Taxpayers for Vincent
- Seattle Times Co. v. Rhinehart
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