Tommy G. Thompson v. Western States Medical Center

535 U.S. 357 · Decided April 29, 2002 · Supreme Court of the United States

At a glance

Tommy G. Thompson v. Western States Medical Center was decided on April 29, 2002 by a vote of 5–4. The Court affirmed the lower court's decision. Justice Sandra Day O'Connor 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 an act of Congress unconstitutional.

Read the opinion

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

Case details

How the Justices voted

Full case caption

Tommy G. Thompson, Secretary of Health and Human Services, et al. v. Western States Medical Center et al.

SCDB identifiers: case 2001-041, docket 2001-041-01.

Related decisions

Other cases on “Commercial speech, excluding attorneys”

• United States and Department of Agriculture v. United Foods, Inc.Law held unconstitutional
  533 U.S. 405Decided June 25, 20016–3Anthony M. Kennedy
• Los Angeles Police Department v. United Reporting Publishing Corporation
  528 U.S. 32Decided December 7, 19997–2William H. Rehnquist
• Greater New Orleans Broadcasting Association, Inc., Etc. v. United StatesLaw held unconstitutional
  527 U.S. 173Decided June 14, 19999–0John Paul Stevens
• Mike Johanns v. Livestock Marketing Association
  544 U.S. 550Decided May 23, 20056–3Antonin Scalia
• Dan Glickman v. Wileman Brothers & Elliott, Inc.
  521 U.S. 457Decided June 25, 19975–4John Paul Stevens
• 44 Liquormart, Inc. and Peoples Super Liquor Stores, Inc. v. Rhode Island and Rhode Island Liquor Stores AssociationAltered precedentLaw held unconstitutional
  517 U.S. 484Decided May 13, 19969–0John Paul Stevens

See all

Cases on the same legal provision: First Amendment (speech, press, and assembly)

• City of Los Angeles v. Alameda Books, Inc.
  535 U.S. 425Decided May 13, 20025–4Sandra Day O'Connor
• Watchtower Bible and Tract Society of New York, Inc. v. Village of StrattonLaw held unconstitutional
  536 U.S. 150Decided June 17, 20028–1John Paul Stevens
• Be & K Construction Company v. National Labor Relations Board
  536 U.S. 516Decided June 24, 20029–0Sandra Day O'Connor
• Republican Party of Minnesota v. Suzanne White
  536 U.S. 765Decided June 27, 20025–4Antonin Scalia
• Caren Cronk Thomas and Windy City Hemp Development Board v. Chicago Park District
  534 U.S. 316Decided January 15, 20029–0Antonin Scalia
• Good News Club v. Milford Central School
  533 U.S. 98Decided June 11, 20016–3Clarence Thomas

Same Term, same area (First Amendment)

• Caren Cronk Thomas and Windy City Hemp Development Board v. Chicago Park District
  534 U.S. 316Decided January 15, 20029–0Antonin Scalia
• John D. Ashcroft v. the Free Speech CoalitionLaw held unconstitutional
  535 U.S. 234Decided April 16, 20026–3Anthony M. Kennedy
• City of Los Angeles v. Alameda Books, Inc.
  535 U.S. 425Decided May 13, 20025–4Sandra Day O'Connor
• John Ashcroft v. American Civil Liberties Union
  535 U.S. 564Decided May 13, 20028–1Clarence Thomas
• Watchtower Bible and Tract Society of New York, Inc. v. Village of StrattonLaw held unconstitutional
  536 U.S. 150Decided June 17, 20028–1John Paul Stevens
• Susan Tave Zelman v. Doris Simmons-Harris
  536 U.S. 639Decided June 27, 20025–4William H. Rehnquist

See all

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