Mueller v. Allen
463 U.S. 388 · Decided June 29, 1983 · 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
Mueller v. Allen was decided on June 29, 1983 by a vote of 5–4. The Court affirmed the lower court's decision. Justice William H. Rehnquist wrote the opinion of the Court. SCDB classifies its main issue as “Parochiaid (aid to religious schools)” in the First Amendment area.
Read the opinion
Case details
- Citations
- 463 U.S. 388 · 103 S. Ct. 3062 · 77 L. Ed. 2d 721 · 1983 U.S. LEXIS 96
- Docket number
- 82-195
- Decided
- June 29, 1983
- Argued
- April 18, 1983
- Court era
- Burger Court
- Decision type
- Opinion of the Court (orally argued)
- Disposition
- Affirmed
- Outcome for petitioner
- The petitioning party did not receive a favorable disposition
- Vote
- 5–4
- Majority opinion
- William H. Rehnquist
- Opinion assigned by
- Warren E. Burger
- How the case arrived
- Certiorari
- Issue (SCDB)
- Parochiaid (aid to religious schools)
- Issue area
- First Amendment
- Legal provision
- First Amendment (establishment of religion)
- 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 | |
| Justice Byron R. White | Majority | |
| Justice Thurgood Marshall | Dissent | Wrote an opinion |
| Chief Justice Warren E. Burger | Majority | |
| Justice Harry A. Blackmun | Dissent | |
| Justice Lewis F. Powell Jr. | Majority | |
| Justice William H. Rehnquist | Majority | Wrote an opinion |
| Justice John Paul Stevens | Dissent | |
| Justice Sandra Day O'Connor | Majority |
Full case caption
Mueller et al. v. Allen et al.
SCDB identifiers: case 1982-146, docket 1982-146-01.
Related decisions
Other cases on “Parochiaid (aid to religious schools)”
- Wallace v. JaffreeLaw held unconstitutional
- School District of the City of Grand Rapids v. Ball
- Aguilar v. FeltonLaw held unconstitutional
- Witters v. Washington Department of Services for the Blind
- Committee for Public Education and Religious Liberty v. Regan
- Edwards v. AguillardLaw held unconstitutional
Cases on the same legal provision: First Amendment (establishment of religion)
- Marsh v. Chambers
- Larkin v. Grendel's Den, Inc.Law held unconstitutional
- Lynch v. Donnelly
- Larson v. ValenteLaw held unconstitutional
- Widmar v. Vincent
- Estate of Thornton v. Caldor, Inc.Law held unconstitutional
Same Term, same area (First Amendment)
- Brown v. Socialist Workers '74 Campaign CommitteeLaw held unconstitutional
- Larkin v. Grendel's Den, Inc.Law held unconstitutional
- Federal Election Commission v. National Right to Work Committee
- Perry Education Association v. Perry Local Educators' Association
- Minneapolis Star & Tribune Co. v. Minnesota Commissioner of RevenueLaw held unconstitutional
- Connick v. Myers
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