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Reed v. Campbell

476 U.S. 852 · Decided June 11, 1986 · 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

Reed v. Campbell was decided on June 11, 1986 unanimously (9–0). The Court reversed the lower court's decision and remanded the case. Justice John Paul Stevens wrote the opinion of the Court. SCDB classifies its main issue as “Rights of illegitimates” in the Civil Rights area.

Read the opinion

Case details

Citations
476 U.S. 852 · 106 S. Ct. 2234 · 90 L. Ed. 2d 858 · 1986 U.S. LEXIS 56
Docket number
85-755
Decided
June 11, 1986
Argued
April 30, 1986
Court era
Burger Court
Decision type
Opinion of the Court (orally argued)
Disposition
Reversed and remanded
Outcome for petitioner
The petitioning party received a favorable disposition
Vote
9–0 (unanimous)
Majority opinion
John Paul Stevens
Opinion assigned by
Warren E. Burger
How the case arrived
Appeal
Issue area
Civil Rights
Legal provision
Fourteenth Amendment (equal protection)
Type of law
Constitutional amendment
Decision direction (SCDB)
Liberal what this means

How the Justices voted

Full case caption

Reed v. Campbell, Individually and as Administratrix of the Estate of Ricker

SCDB identifiers: case 1985-108, docket 1985-108-01.

Other cases on “Rights of illegitimates”

  • Clark v. JeterLaw held unconstitutional
    486 U.S. 456Decided June 6, 19889–0Sandra Day O'Connor
  • Pickett v. BrownLaw held unconstitutional
    462 U.S. 1Decided June 6, 19839–0William J. Brennan Jr.
  • Mills v. HabluetzelLaw held unconstitutional
    456 U.S. 91Decided April 5, 19829–0William H. Rehnquist
  • United States v. Clark
    445 U.S. 23Decided February 26, 19807–2Thurgood Marshall
  • Califano v. Boles
    443 U.S. 282Decided June 27, 19795–4William H. Rehnquist
  • Lalli v. Lalli
    439 U.S. 259Decided December 11, 19785–4Lewis F. Powell Jr.

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Cases on the same legal provision: Fourteenth Amendment (equal protection)

Same Term, same area (Civil Rights)

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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