Sorrell v. Ims Health Inc.
564 U.S. 552 · Decided June 23, 2011 · Supreme Court of the United States
At a glance
Sorrell v. Ims Health Inc. was decided on June 23, 2011 by a vote of 6–3. The Court affirmed the lower court's decision. Justice Anthony M. Kennedy wrote the opinion of the Court. SCDB classifies its main issue as “Commercial speech, excluding attorneys” in the First Amendment area. SCDB records that the Court declared a state or territorial law, regulation or constitutional provision unconstitutional.
Read the opinion
Case details
- Citations
- 564 U.S. 552 · 131 S. Ct. 2653 · 180 L. Ed. 2d 544 · 2011 U.S. LEXIS 4794
- Docket number
- 10-779
- Decided
- June 23, 2011
- Argued
- April 26, 2011
- Court era
- Roberts Court
- Decision type
- Opinion of the Court (orally argued)
- Disposition
- Affirmed
- Outcome for petitioner
- The petitioning party did not receive a favorable disposition
- Vote
- 6–3
- Majority opinion
- Anthony M. Kennedy
- Opinion assigned by
- John G. Roberts Jr.
- How the case arrived
- Certiorari
- Issue (SCDB)
- Commercial speech, excluding attorneys
- Issue area
- First Amendment
- Legal provision
- First Amendment (speech, press, and assembly)
- Type of law
- Constitutional amendment
- Held unconstitutional
- A state or territorial law, regulation or constitutional provision
- Decision direction (SCDB)
- Liberal what this means
How the Justices voted
| Justice | Vote | Separate writing |
|---|---|---|
| Justice Antonin Scalia | Majority | |
| Justice Anthony M. Kennedy | Majority | Wrote an opinion |
| Justice Clarence Thomas | Majority | |
| Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg | Dissent | |
| Justice Stephen G. Breyer | Dissent | Wrote an opinion |
| Chief Justice John G. Roberts Jr. | Majority | |
| Justice Samuel A. Alito Jr. | Majority | |
| Justice Sonia Sotomayor | Majority | |
| Justice Elena Kagan | Dissent |
Full case caption
Sorrell, Attorney General of Vermont, et al. v. Ims Health Inc. et Al
SCDB identifiers: case 2010-077, docket 2010-077-01.
Related decisions
Other cases on “Commercial speech, excluding attorneys”
- Expressions Hair Design v. Schneiderman
- Mike Johanns v. Livestock Marketing Association
- Tommy G. Thompson v. Western States Medical CenterLaw held unconstitutional
- United States and Department of Agriculture v. United Foods, Inc.Law held unconstitutional
- City of Austin v. Reagan National Advertising of Texas Inc
- Los Angeles Police Department v. United Reporting Publishing Corporation
Cases on the same legal provision: First Amendment (speech, press, and assembly)
- Edmund G. Brown, Jr. v. Entertainment Merchants AssociationLaw held unconstitutional
- Arizona Free Enterprise Club's Freedom Club Pac v. Ken BennettLaw held unconstitutional
- Nevada Commission on Ethics v. Michael A. Carrigan
- Albert Snyder v. Fred W. Phelps, Sr.
- Virgil D. 'gus' Reichle, Jr. v. Steven Howards
- John Doe #1 v. Sam Reed
Same Term, same area (First Amendment)
- Albert Snyder v. Fred W. Phelps, Sr.
- Nevada Commission on Ethics v. Michael A. Carrigan
- Borough of Duryea v. Charles J Guarnieri
- Edmund G. Brown, Jr. v. Entertainment Merchants AssociationLaw held unconstitutional
- Arizona Free Enterprise Club's Freedom Club Pac v. Ken BennettLaw 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