School District of the City of Grand Rapids v. Ball
473 U.S. 373 · Decided July 1, 1985 · 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
School District of the City of Grand Rapids v. Ball was decided on July 1, 1985 by a vote of 5–4. The Court affirmed the lower court's decision. Justice William J. Brennan Jr. 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
- 473 U.S. 373 · 105 S. Ct. 3216 · 87 L. Ed. 2d 267 · 1985 U.S. LEXIS 116
- Docket number
- 83-990
- Decided
- July 1, 1985
- Argued
- December 5, 1984
- 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 J. Brennan Jr.
- Opinion assigned by
- William J. Brennan Jr.
- 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)
- Liberal what this means
How the Justices voted
| Justice | Vote | Separate writing |
|---|---|---|
| Justice William J. Brennan Jr. | Majority | Wrote an opinion |
| Justice Byron R. White | Dissent | Wrote an opinion |
| Justice Thurgood Marshall | Majority | |
| Chief Justice Warren E. Burger | Dissent | Wrote an opinion |
| Justice Harry A. Blackmun | Majority | |
| Justice Lewis F. Powell Jr. | Majority | |
| Justice William H. Rehnquist | Dissent | Wrote an opinion |
| Justice John Paul Stevens | Majority | |
| Justice Sandra Day O'Connor | Dissent | Wrote an opinion |
Full case caption
School District of the City of Grand Rapids et al. v. Ball et al.
SCDB identifiers: case 1984-156, docket 1984-156-01.
Related decisions
Other cases on “Parochiaid (aid to religious schools)”
- Aguilar v. FeltonLaw held unconstitutional
- Wallace v. JaffreeLaw held unconstitutional
- Witters v. Washington Department of Services for the Blind
- Edwards v. AguillardLaw held unconstitutional
- Mueller v. Allen
- Board of Education of the Westside Community Schools, Etc. v. Bridget C. Mergens
Cases on the same legal provision: First Amendment (establishment of religion)
- Estate of Thornton v. Caldor, Inc.Law held unconstitutional
- Bender v. Williamsport Area School District
- Lynch v. Donnelly
- Corporation of the Presiding Bishop of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints v. Amos
- Marsh v. Chambers
- Larkin v. Grendel's Den, Inc.Law held unconstitutional
Same Term, same area (First Amendment)
- Federal Election Commission v. National Conservative Political Action CommitteeLaw held unconstitutional
- Wayte v. United States
- Board of Education of Oklahoma City v. National Gay Task ForceLaw held unconstitutional
- Board of Trustees of the Village of Scarsdale v. Kathleen S. McCreary
- Wallace v. JaffreeLaw held unconstitutional
- Jensen v. QuaringLaw held unconstitutional
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