O'Lone v. Estate of Shabazz

482 U.S. 342 · Decided June 9, 1987 · Supreme Court of the United States

At a glance

O'Lone v. Estate of Shabazz was decided on June 9, 1987 by a vote of 5–4. The Court reversed the lower court's decision. Chief Justice William H. Rehnquist wrote the opinion of the Court. SCDB classifies its main issue as “Free exercise 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

O'Lone, Administrator, Leesburg Prison Complex, et al. v. Estate of Shabazz et al.

SCDB identifiers: case 1986-119, docket 1986-119-01.

Related decisions

Other cases on “Free exercise of religion”

• Hobbie v. Unemployment Appeals Commission of Florida
  480 U.S. 136Decided February 25, 19878–1William J. Brennan Jr.
• 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
• Bowen v. Roy
  476 U.S. 693Decided June 11, 19868–1Warren E. Burger
• Goldman v. Weinberger
  475 U.S. 503Decided March 25, 19865–4William H. Rehnquist
• Frazee v. Illinois Department of Employment Security
  489 U.S. 829Decided March 29, 19899–0Byron R. White

See all

Cases on the same legal provision: First Amendment (free exercise of religion)

• Gary Locke v. Joshua Davey
  540 U.S. 712Decided February 25, 20047–2William H. Rehnquist
• Trinity Lutheran Church v. ComerLaw held unconstitutional
  137 S. Ct. 2012Decided June 26, 20177–2John G. Roberts Jr.
• Masterpiece Cakeshop, Ltd. v. Colorado Civil Rights Commission
  138 S. Ct. 1719Decided June 4, 20187–2Anthony M. Kennedy
• Espinoza v. Montana Department of RevenueLaw held unconstitutional
  140 S. Ct. 2246Decided June 30, 20205–4John G. Roberts Jr.
• Carson v. MakinLaw held unconstitutional
  142 S. Ct. 1987Decided June 21, 20226–3John G. Roberts Jr.
• Zorach v. Clauson
  343 U.S. 306Decided April 28, 19526–3William O. Douglas

Same Term, same area (First Amendment)

• City of Newport v. Iacobucci
  479 U.S. 92Decided November 17, 19865–4Per curiam
• Federal Election Commission v. Massachusetts Citizens for Life, Inc.Law held unconstitutional
  479 U.S. 238Decided December 15, 19865–4William J. Brennan Jr.
• Hobbie v. Unemployment Appeals Commission of Florida
  480 U.S. 136Decided February 25, 19878–1William J. Brennan Jr.
• Meese v. Keene
  481 U.S. 465Decided April 28, 19875–3John Paul Stevens
• Pope v. Illinois
  481 U.S. 497Decided May 4, 19875–4Byron R. White
• Turner v. Safley
  482 U.S. 78Decided June 1, 19875–4Sandra Day O'Connor

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