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Scott Wayne Blystone v. Pennsylvania

494 U.S. 299 · Decided February 28, 1990 · 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

Scott Wayne Blystone v. Pennsylvania was decided on February 28, 1990 by a vote of 5–4. The Court affirmed the lower court's decision. Chief Justice William H. Rehnquist wrote the opinion of the Court. SCDB classifies its main issue as “Cruel and unusual punishment, death penalty” in the Criminal Procedure area.

Read the opinion

Case details

Citations
494 U.S. 299 · 110 S. Ct. 1078 · 108 L. Ed. 2d 255 · 1990 U.S. LEXIS 1177
Docket number
88-6222
Decided
February 28, 1990
Argued
October 10, 1989
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
William H. Rehnquist
How the case arrived
Certiorari
Legal provision
Eighth Amendment (cruel and unusual punishment)
Type of law
Constitutional amendment
Decision direction (SCDB)
Conservative what this means

How the Justices voted

Full case caption

Scott Wayne Blystone v. Pennsylvania

SCDB identifiers: case 1989-040, docket 1989-040-01.

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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