FMC Corporation v. Cynthia Ann Holliday
498 U.S. 52 · Decided November 27, 1990 · 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
FMC Corporation v. Cynthia Ann Holliday was decided on November 27, 1990 by a vote of 7–1. The Court reversed the lower court's decision and remanded the case. Justice Sandra Day O'Connor wrote the opinion of the Court. SCDB classifies its main issue as “Federal preemption of state legislation or regulation” in the Federalism area.
Read the opinion
Case details
- Citations
- 498 U.S. 52 · 111 S. Ct. 403 · 112 L. Ed. 2d 356 · 1990 U.S. LEXIS 6114
- Docket number
- 89-1048
- Decided
- November 27, 1990
- Argued
- October 2, 1990
- 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
- 7–1
- Majority opinion
- Sandra Day O'Connor
- Opinion assigned by
- William H. Rehnquist
- How the case arrived
- Certiorari
- Issue area
- Federalism
- Legal provision
- Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA)
- Type of law
- Federal statute
- Decision direction (SCDB)
- Liberal what this means
How the Justices voted
| Justice | Vote | Separate writing |
|---|---|---|
| Justice Byron R. White | Majority | |
| Justice Thurgood Marshall | Majority | |
| Justice Harry A. Blackmun | Majority | |
| Chief Justice William H. Rehnquist | Majority | |
| Justice John Paul Stevens | Dissent | Wrote an opinion |
| Justice Sandra Day O'Connor | Majority | Wrote an opinion |
| Justice Antonin Scalia | Majority | |
| Justice Anthony M. Kennedy | Majority |
Did not participate: David H. Souter.
Full case caption
FMC Corporation v. Cynthia Ann Holliday
SCDB identifiers: case 1990-010, docket 1990-010-01.
Related decisions
Other cases on “Federal preemption of state legislation or regulation”
- Ingersoll-Rand Company v. Perry McClendon
- Vera M. English v. General Electric Company
- California v. Federal Energy Regulatory Commission
- Wisconsin Public Intervenor v. Ralph Mortier
- Adams Fruit Co., Inc. v. Barrett
- Mansell v. Mansell
Cases on the same legal provision: Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA)
- Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation v. LTV Corporation
- Guidry v. Sheet Metal Workers National Pension Fund
- Nationwide Mutual Insurance Company v. Robert T. Darden
- Mead Corp. v. Tilley
- Massachusetts v. Morash
- Firestone Tire & Rubber Co. v. Bruch
Same Term, same area (Federalism)
- United States of America v. State of Louisiana
- State of Mississippi v. United States
- Ingersoll-Rand Company v. Perry McClendon
- James B. Beam Distilling Co. v. Georgia
- Wisconsin Public Intervenor v. Ralph Mortier
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