Harte-Hanks Communications, Inc. v. Connaughton
491 U.S. 657 · Decided June 22, 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
Harte-Hanks Communications, Inc. v. Connaughton was decided on June 22, 1989 unanimously (9–0). The Court affirmed the lower court's decision. Justice John Paul Stevens wrote the opinion of the Court. SCDB classifies its main issue as “Libel and defamation” in the First Amendment area.
Read the opinion
Case details
- Citations
- 491 U.S. 657 · 109 S. Ct. 2678 · 105 L. Ed. 2d 562 · 1989 U.S. LEXIS 3133
- Docket number
- 88-10
- Decided
- June 22, 1989
- Argued
- March 20, 1989
- 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
- 9–0 (unanimous)
- Majority opinion
- John Paul Stevens
- Opinion assigned by
- William H. Rehnquist
- How the case arrived
- Certiorari
- Issue (SCDB)
- Libel and defamation
- Issue area
- First Amendment
- Decision direction (SCDB)
- Conservative what this means
How the Justices voted
| Justice | Vote | Separate writing |
|---|---|---|
| Justice William J. Brennan Jr. | Majority | |
| Justice Byron R. White | Concurrence | Wrote an opinion |
| Justice Thurgood Marshall | Majority | |
| Justice Harry A. Blackmun | Concurrence | Wrote an opinion |
| Chief Justice William H. Rehnquist | Concurrence | |
| Justice John Paul Stevens | Majority | Wrote an opinion |
| Justice Sandra Day O'Connor | Majority | |
| Justice Antonin Scalia | Special concurrence | Wrote an opinion |
| Justice Anthony M. Kennedy | Concurrence | Wrote an opinion |
Full case caption
Harte-Hanks Communications, Inc. v. Connaughton
SCDB identifiers: case 1988-132, docket 1988-132-01.
Related decisions
Other cases on “Libel and defamation”
- Milkovich v. Lorain Journal Co.
- Hustler Magazine and Larry C. Flynt v. Jerry Falwell
- Jeffrey M. Masson v. New Yorker Magazine, Inc.
- Anderson v. Liberty Lobby, Inc.
- Philadelphia Newspapers, Inc. v. HeppsLaw held unconstitutional
- Dun & Bradstreet, Inc. v. Greenmoss Builders, Inc.
Same Term, same area (First Amendment)
- Carlucci v. Doe
- Texas Monthly, Inc. v. BullockLaw held unconstitutional
- Fort Wayne Books, Inc. v. Indiana
- Eu v. San Francisco County Democratic Central CommitteeLaw held unconstitutional
- Frazee v. Illinois Department of Employment Security
- City of Dallas v. Stanglin
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