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Globe Newspaper Co. v. Superior Court for the County of Norfolk

457 U.S. 596 · Decided June 23, 1982 · 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

Globe Newspaper Co. v. Superior Court for the County of Norfolk was decided on June 23, 1982 by a vote of 6–3. The Court reversed 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 a state or territorial law, regulation or constitutional provision unconstitutional.

Read the opinion

Case details

Citations
457 U.S. 596 · 102 S. Ct. 2613 · 73 L. Ed. 2d 248 · 1982 U.S. LEXIS 137
Docket number
81-611
Decided
June 23, 1982
Argued
March 29, 1982
Court era
Burger Court
Decision type
Opinion of the Court (orally argued)
Disposition
Reversed
Outcome for petitioner
The petitioning party received a favorable disposition
Vote
6–3
Majority opinion
William J. Brennan Jr.
Opinion assigned by
William J. Brennan Jr.
How the case arrived
Appeal
Issue area
First Amendment
Legal provision
First Amendment (speech, press, and assembly)
Type of law
Constitutional amendment
Held unconstitutional
A state or territorial law, regulation or constitutional provision
Decision direction (SCDB)
Liberal what this means

How the Justices voted

JusticeVoteSeparate writing
Justice William J. Brennan Jr.MajorityWrote an opinion
Justice Byron R. WhiteMajority
Justice Thurgood MarshallMajority
Chief Justice Warren E. BurgerDissentWrote an opinion
Justice Harry A. BlackmunMajority
Justice Lewis F. Powell Jr.Majority
Justice William H. RehnquistDissent
Justice John Paul StevensJurisdictional dissentWrote an opinion
Justice Sandra Day O'ConnorSpecial concurrenceWrote an opinion

Full case caption

Globe Newspaper Co. v. Superior Court for the County of Norfolk

SCDB identifiers: case 1981-135, docket 1981-135-01.

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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