Lalli v. Lalli
439 U.S. 259 · Decided December 11, 1978 · 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
Lalli v. Lalli was decided on December 11, 1978 by a vote of 5–4. The Court affirmed the lower court's decision. Justice Lewis F. Powell Jr. wrote the opinion announcing the judgment of the Court. SCDB classifies its main issue as “Rights of illegitimates” in the Civil Rights area.
Read the opinion
Case details
- Citations
- 439 U.S. 259 · 99 S. Ct. 518 · 58 L. Ed. 2d 503 · 1978 U.S. LEXIS 145
- Docket number
- 77-1115
- Decided
- December 11, 1978
- Argued
- October 4, 1978
- Court era
- Burger Court
- Decision type
- Judgment of the Court (orally argued)
- Disposition
- Affirmed
- Outcome for petitioner
- The petitioning party did not receive a favorable disposition
- Vote
- 5–4
- Majority opinion
- Lewis F. Powell Jr.
- Opinion assigned by
- Warren E. Burger
- How the case arrived
- Appeal
- Issue (SCDB)
- Rights of illegitimates
- Issue area
- Civil Rights
- Legal provision
- Fourteenth Amendment (equal protection)
- Type of law
- Constitutional amendment
- 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 Potter Stewart | Concurrence | Wrote an opinion |
| Justice Byron R. White | Dissent | |
| Justice Thurgood Marshall | Dissent | |
| Chief Justice Warren E. Burger | Majority | |
| Justice Harry A. Blackmun | Special concurrence | Wrote an opinion |
| Justice Lewis F. Powell Jr. | Judgment of the Court | Wrote an opinion |
| Justice William H. Rehnquist | Special concurrence | Wrote an opinion |
| Justice John Paul Stevens | Dissent |
Full case caption
Lalli v. Lalli, Administratrix, et al.
SCDB identifiers: case 1978-016, docket 1978-016-01.
Related decisions
Other cases on “Rights of illegitimates”
- Califano v. Boles
- United States v. Clark
- Trimble v. GordonLaw held unconstitutional
- Fiallo v. Bell
- Mathews v. Lucas
- Norton v. Mathews
Cases on the same legal provision: Fourteenth Amendment (equal protection)
- Holt Civic Club v. City of Tuscaloosa
- Illinois State Board of Elections v. Socialist Workers PartyLaw held unconstitutional
- Orr v. OrrLaw held unconstitutional
- Ambach v. Norwick
- Parham v. Hughes
- Caban v. Mohammed et Ux.Law held unconstitutional
Same Term, same area (Civil Rights)
- Board of Trustees of Keene State College v. Sweeney
- Dougherty County v. White
- Holt Civic Club v. City of Tuscaloosa
- Califano v. Aznavorian
- Duren v. MissouriAltered precedentLaw held unconstitutional
- Harlin v. Missouri
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