Schweiker v. Chilicky
487 U.S. 412 · Decided June 24, 1988 · 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
Schweiker v. Chilicky was decided on June 24, 1988 by a vote of 6–3. The Court reversed the lower court's decision. Justice Sandra Day O'Connor wrote the opinion of the Court. SCDB classifies its main issue as “Governmental liability” in the Economic Activity area.
Read the opinion
Case details
- Citations
- 487 U.S. 412 · 108 S. Ct. 2460 · 101 L. Ed. 2d 370 · 1988 U.S. LEXIS 2872
- Docket number
- 86-1781
- Decided
- June 24, 1988
- Argued
- March 1, 1988
- Court era
- Rehnquist Court
- Decision type
- Opinion of the Court (orally argued)
- Disposition
- Reversed
- Outcome for petitioner
- The petitioning party received a favorable disposition
- Vote
- 6–3
- Majority opinion
- Sandra Day O'Connor
- Opinion assigned by
- William H. Rehnquist
- How the case arrived
- Certiorari
- Issue (SCDB)
- Governmental liability
- Issue area
- Economic Activity
- Legal provision
- Social Security Act
- Type of law
- Federal statute
- Decision direction (SCDB)
- Liberal what this means
How the Justices voted
| Justice | Vote | Separate writing |
|---|---|---|
| Justice William J. Brennan Jr. | Dissent | Wrote an opinion |
| Justice Byron R. White | Majority | |
| Justice Thurgood Marshall | Dissent | |
| Justice Harry A. Blackmun | Dissent | |
| Chief Justice William H. Rehnquist | Majority | |
| Justice John Paul Stevens | Concurrence | Wrote an opinion |
| Justice Sandra Day O'Connor | Majority | Wrote an opinion |
| Justice Antonin Scalia | Majority | |
| Justice Anthony M. Kennedy | Majority |
Full case caption
Schweiker et al. v. Chilicky et al.
SCDB identifiers: case 1987-142, docket 1987-142-01.
Related decisions
Other cases on “Governmental liability”
- Sheridan et Ux. v. United States
- Boyle v. United Technologies Corp.
- Berkovitz v. United States
- Westfall v. Erwin et Ux.
- Finley v. United States
- Welch v. Texas Department of Highways and Public TransportationAltered precedent
Cases on the same legal provision: Social Security Act
- Bowen v. Yuckert
- Louis W. Sullivan v. Sandra Everhart
- Bowen v. Public Agencies Opposed to Social Security Entrapment
- Bowen v. City of New York
- Bowen v. Owens
- Sue Suter v. Artist M.
Same Term, same area (Economic Activity)
- Gwaltney of Smithfield, Ltd. v. Chesapeake Bay Foundation, Inc.
- Mullins Coal Co., Inc. of Virginia v. Director
- Westfall v. Erwin et Ux.
- United Savings Association of Texas v. Timbers of Inwood Forest Associates, Ltd.
- United States v. Fausto
- Laborers Health and Welfare Trust Fund for Northern California v. Advanced Lightweight Concrete Co., Inc.
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