Marsh v. Chambers

463 U.S. 783 · Decided July 5, 1983 · Supreme Court of the United States

At a glance

Marsh v. Chambers was decided on July 5, 1983 by a vote of 6–3. The Court reversed the lower court's decision. Chief Justice Warren E. Burger wrote the opinion of the Court. SCDB classifies its main issue as “Establishment of religion” in the First Amendment area.

Read the opinion

• CourtListener (Free Law Project) — opinion text
• Library of Congress — official U.S. Reports scan

Case details

How the Justices voted

Full case caption

Marsh, Nebraska State Treasurer, et al. v. Chambers

SCDB identifiers: case 1982-157, docket 1982-157-01.

Related decisions

Other cases on “Establishment of religion”

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  459 U.S. 116Decided December 13, 19828–1Warren E. Burger
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  465 U.S. 668Decided March 5, 19845–4Warren E. Burger
• Larson v. ValenteLaw held unconstitutional
  456 U.S. 228Decided April 21, 19825–4William J. Brennan Jr.
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  454 U.S. 263Decided December 8, 19818–1Lewis F. Powell Jr.
• Board of Trustees of the Village of Scarsdale v. Kathleen S. McCreary
  471 U.S. 83Decided March 27, 19854–4
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Cases on the same legal provision: First Amendment (establishment of religion)

• Mueller v. Allen
  463 U.S. 388Decided June 29, 19835–4William H. Rehnquist
• Wallace v. JaffreeLaw held unconstitutional
  472 U.S. 38Decided June 4, 19856–3John Paul Stevens
• School District of the City of Grand Rapids v. Ball
  473 U.S. 373Decided July 1, 19855–4William J. Brennan Jr.
• Aguilar v. FeltonLaw held unconstitutional
  473 U.S. 402Decided July 1, 19855–4William J. Brennan Jr.
• Witters v. Washington Department of Services for the Blind
  474 U.S. 481Decided January 27, 19869–0Thurgood Marshall
• Committee for Public Education and Religious Liberty v. Regan
  444 U.S. 646Decided February 20, 19805–4Byron R. White

Same Term, same area (First Amendment)

• Brown v. Socialist Workers '74 Campaign CommitteeLaw held unconstitutional
  459 U.S. 87Decided December 8, 19826–3Thurgood Marshall
• Larkin v. Grendel's Den, Inc.Law held unconstitutional
  459 U.S. 116Decided December 13, 19828–1Warren E. Burger
• Federal Election Commission v. National Right to Work Committee
  459 U.S. 197Decided December 13, 19829–0William H. Rehnquist
• Perry Education Association v. Perry Local Educators' Association
  460 U.S. 37Decided February 23, 19835–4Byron R. White
• Minneapolis Star & Tribune Co. v. Minnesota Commissioner of RevenueLaw held unconstitutional
  460 U.S. 575Decided March 29, 19838–1Sandra Day O'Connor
• Connick v. Myers
  461 U.S. 138Decided April 20, 19835–4Byron R. White

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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