Stanley v. Illinois

405 U.S. 645 · Decided April 3, 1972 · Supreme Court of the United States

At a glance

Stanley v. Illinois was decided on April 3, 1972 by a vote of 5–2. The Court reversed the lower court's decision and remanded the case. Justice Byron R. White wrote the opinion of the Court. SCDB classifies its main issue as “Sex discrimination (excluding employment)” in the Civil Rights area. SCDB records that the Court declared a state or territorial law, regulation or constitutional provision unconstitutional.

Read the opinion

• CourtListener (Free Law Project) — opinion text
• Library of Congress — official U.S. Reports scan

Case details

How the Justices voted

Did not participate: Lewis F. Powell Jr., William H. Rehnquist.

Full case caption

Stanley v. Illinois

SCDB identifiers: case 1971-087, docket 1971-087-01.

Related decisions

Other cases on “Sex discrimination (excluding employment)”

• Reed v. ReedLaw held unconstitutional
  404 U.S. 71Decided November 22, 19717–0Warren E. Burger
• Frontiero et Vir v. RichardsonLaw held unconstitutional
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• Kahn v. Shevin
  416 U.S. 351Decided April 24, 19746–3William O. Douglas
• Schlesinger v. Ballard
  419 U.S. 498Decided January 15, 19755–4Potter Stewart
• Taylor v. LouisianaAltered precedentLaw held unconstitutional
  419 U.S. 522Decided January 21, 19758–1Byron R. White
• Weinberger v. WiesenfeldLaw held unconstitutional
  420 U.S. 636Decided March 19, 19758–0William J. Brennan Jr.

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Cases on the same legal provision: Fourteenth Amendment (due process)

• Loper v. Beto
  405 U.S. 473Decided March 22, 19725–4Potter Stewart
• Rabe v. Washington
  405 U.S. 313Decided March 20, 19729–0Per curiam
• Papachristou v. City of JacksonvilleLaw held unconstitutional
  405 U.S. 156Decided February 24, 19727–0William O. Douglas
• Smith v. Florida
  405 U.S. 172Decided February 24, 19727–0William O. Douglas
• D. H. Overmyer Co., Inc. v. Frick Co.
  405 U.S. 174Decided February 24, 19727–0Harry A. Blackmun
• Swarb v. Lennox
  405 U.S. 191Decided February 24, 19726–1Harry A. Blackmun

Same Term, same area (Civil Rights)

• Engelman v. Amos
  404 U.S. 23Decided November 9, 19717–0Per curiam
• Doherty v. United States
  404 U.S. 28Decided November 9, 19717–0Per curiam
• Schreiner v. United States
  404 U.S. 67Decided November 16, 19717–0Per curiam
• Reed v. ReedLaw held unconstitutional
  404 U.S. 71Decided November 22, 19717–0Warren E. Burger
• Richardson v. Belcher
  404 U.S. 78Decided November 22, 19714–3Potter Stewart
• Mayer v. City of Chicago
  404 U.S. 189Decided December 13, 19717–0William J. Brennan Jr.

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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