Tashjian v. Republican Party of Connecticut
479 U.S. 208 · Decided December 10, 1986 · Supreme Court of the United States
At a glance
Tashjian v. Republican Party of Connecticut was decided on December 10, 1986 by a vote of 5–4. The Court affirmed the lower court's decision. Justice Thurgood Marshall wrote the opinion of the Court. SCDB classifies its main issue as “Ballot access” in the Civil Rights area. SCDB records that the Court declared a state or territorial law, regulation or constitutional provision unconstitutional.
Read the opinion
Case details
- Citations
- 479 U.S. 208 · 107 S. Ct. 544 · 93 L. Ed. 2d 514 · 1986 U.S. LEXIS 25
- Docket number
- 85-766
- Decided
- December 10, 1986
- Argued
- October 8, 1986
- Court era
- Rehnquist 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
- Thurgood Marshall
- Opinion assigned by
- William J. Brennan Jr.
- How the case arrived
- Appeal
- Issue (SCDB)
- Ballot access
- Issue area
- Civil Rights
- Legal provision
- First Amendment (association)
- 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 William J. Brennan Jr. | Majority | |
| Justice Byron R. White | Majority | |
| Justice Thurgood Marshall | Majority | Wrote an opinion |
| Justice Harry A. Blackmun | Majority | |
| Justice Lewis F. Powell Jr. | Majority | |
| Chief Justice William H. Rehnquist | Dissent | |
| Justice John Paul Stevens | Dissent | Wrote an opinion |
| Justice Sandra Day O'Connor | Dissent | |
| Justice Antonin Scalia | Dissent | Wrote an opinion |
Full case caption
Tashjian, Secretary of State of Connecticut v. Republican Party of Connecticut et al.
SCDB identifiers: case 1986-014, docket 1986-014-01.
Related decisions
Other cases on “Ballot access”
- Munro v. Socialist Workers Party
- Anderson v. CelebrezzeLaw held unconstitutional
- Clements v. Fashing
- Barbara J. Norman v. Dorothy ReedLaw held unconstitutional
- Alan B. Burdick v. Morris Takushi
- Illinois State Board of Elections v. Socialist Workers PartyLaw held unconstitutional
Cases on the same legal provision: First Amendment (association)
- Board of Directors of Rotary International v. Rotary Club of Duarte
- City of Dallas v. Stanglin
- Roberts v. United States Jaycees
- Rodriguez v. Popular Democratic Party
- Citizens Against Rent Control/coalition for Fair Housing v. City of BerkeleyLaw held unconstitutional
- David Dawson v. Delaware
Same Term, same area (Civil Rights)
- Ansonia Board of Education v. Philbrook
- Immigration and Naturalization Service v. Hector
- Munro v. Socialist Workers Party
- California Federal Savings & Loan Assn. v. Guerra
- City of Pleasant Grove v. United States
- Wimberly v. Labor and Industrial Relations Commission of Missouri
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