Michael Boos, J. Michael Waller and Bridget Brooker v. Marion S. Barry, Jr.

485 U.S. 312 · Decided March 22, 1988 · Supreme Court of the United States

At a glance

Michael Boos, J. Michael Waller and Bridget Brooker v. Marion S. Barry, Jr. was decided on March 22, 1988 by a vote of 5–3. The Court affirmed the lower court's decision in part and reversed or vacated it in part. Justice Sandra Day O'Connor wrote the opinion of the Court. SCDB classifies its main issue as “Protest demonstrations” in the First Amendment area. SCDB records that the Court declared an act of Congress unconstitutional.

Read the opinion

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

Case details

How the Justices voted

Did not participate: Anthony M. Kennedy.

Full case caption

Michael Boos, J. Michael Waller and Bridget Brooker v. Marion S. Barry, Jr., Mayor, District of Columbia, et al.

SCDB identifiers: case 1987-051, docket 1987-051-01.

Related decisions

Other cases on “Protest demonstrations”

• City of Houston v. HillLaw held unconstitutional
  482 U.S. 451Decided June 15, 19878–1William J. Brennan Jr.
• Texas v. JohnsonLaw held unconstitutional
  491 U.S. 397Decided June 21, 19895–4William J. Brennan Jr.
• Federal Trade Commission v. Superior Court Trial Lawyers Association
  493 U.S. 411Decided January 22, 19906–3John Paul Stevens
• United States v. Shawn D. EichmanLaw held unconstitutional
  496 U.S. 310Decided June 11, 19905–4William J. Brennan Jr.
• United States v. Albertini
  472 U.S. 675Decided June 24, 19856–3Sandra Day O'Connor
• Clark v. Community for Creative Non-Violence
  468 U.S. 288Decided June 29, 19847–2Byron R. White

See all

Cases on the same legal provision: First Amendment (speech, press, and assembly)

• Hustler Magazine and Larry C. Flynt v. Jerry Falwell
  485 U.S. 46Decided February 24, 19888–0William H. Rehnquist
• Hazelwood School District v. Kuhlmeier
  484 U.S. 260Decided January 13, 19885–3Byron R. White
• Meyer v. GrantLaw held unconstitutional
  486 U.S. 414Decided June 6, 19889–0John Paul Stevens
• Shapero v. Kentucky Bar AssociationLaw held unconstitutional
  486 U.S. 466Decided June 13, 19886–3William J. Brennan Jr.
• City of Lakewood v. Plain Dealer Publishing Co.Law held unconstitutional
  486 U.S. 750Decided June 17, 19884–3William J. Brennan Jr.
• Frisby v. Schultz
  487 U.S. 474Decided June 27, 19886–3Sandra Day O'Connor

Same Term, same area (First Amendment)

• Hazelwood School District v. Kuhlmeier
  484 U.S. 260Decided January 13, 19885–3Byron R. White
• Department of the Navy v. Egan
  484 U.S. 518Decided February 23, 19885–3Harry A. Blackmun
• Hustler Magazine and Larry C. Flynt v. Jerry Falwell
  485 U.S. 46Decided February 24, 19888–0William H. Rehnquist
• Richard E. Lyng v. Northwest Indian Cemetery Protective Association
  485 U.S. 439Decided April 19, 19885–3Sandra Day O'Connor
• Employment Division v. Smith
  485 U.S. 660Decided April 27, 19885–3John Paul Stevens
• Meyer v. GrantLaw held unconstitutional
  486 U.S. 414Decided June 6, 19889–0John Paul Stevens

See all

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