Wallace v. Jaffree

472 U.S. 38 · Decided June 4, 1985 · Supreme Court of the United States

At a glance

Wallace v. Jaffree was decided on June 4, 1985 by a vote of 6–3. The Court affirmed the lower court's decision. Justice John Paul Stevens wrote the opinion of the Court. SCDB classifies its main issue as “Parochiaid (aid to religious schools)” in the First Amendment 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

Full case caption

Wallace, Governor of Alabama, et al. v. Jaffree et al.

SCDB identifiers: case 1984-115, docket 1984-115-01.

Related decisions

Other cases on “Parochiaid (aid to religious schools)”

• School District of the City of Grand Rapids v. Ball
  473 U.S. 373Decided July 1, 19855–4William J. Brennan Jr.
• Aguilar v. FeltonLaw held unconstitutional
  473 U.S. 402Decided July 1, 19855–4William J. Brennan Jr.
• Witters v. Washington Department of Services for the Blind
  474 U.S. 481Decided January 27, 19869–0Thurgood Marshall
• Mueller v. Allen
  463 U.S. 388Decided June 29, 19835–4William H. Rehnquist
• Edwards v. AguillardLaw held unconstitutional
  482 U.S. 578Decided June 19, 19877–2William J. Brennan Jr.
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  496 U.S. 226Decided June 4, 19908–1Sandra Day O'Connor

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Cases on the same legal provision: First Amendment (establishment of religion)

• Estate of Thornton v. Caldor, Inc.Law held unconstitutional
  472 U.S. 703Decided June 26, 19858–1Warren E. Burger
• Bender v. Williamsport Area School District
  475 U.S. 534Decided March 25, 19865–4John Paul Stevens
• Lynch v. Donnelly
  465 U.S. 668Decided March 5, 19845–4Warren E. Burger
• Marsh v. Chambers
  463 U.S. 783Decided July 5, 19836–3Warren E. Burger
• Corporation of the Presiding Bishop of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints v. Amos
  483 U.S. 327Decided June 24, 19879–0Byron R. White
• Larkin v. Grendel's Den, Inc.Law held unconstitutional
  459 U.S. 116Decided December 13, 19828–1Warren E. Burger

Same Term, same area (First Amendment)

• Federal Election Commission v. National Conservative Political Action CommitteeLaw held unconstitutional
  470 U.S. 480Decided March 18, 19857–2William H. Rehnquist
• Wayte v. United States
  470 U.S. 598Decided March 19, 19857–2Lewis F. Powell Jr.
• Board of Education of Oklahoma City v. National Gay Task ForceLaw held unconstitutional
  470 U.S. 903Decided March 26, 19854–4
• Board of Trustees of the Village of Scarsdale v. Kathleen S. McCreary
  471 U.S. 83Decided March 27, 19854–4
• Jensen v. QuaringLaw held unconstitutional
  472 U.S. 478Decided June 17, 19854–4
• McDonald v. Smith
  472 U.S. 479Decided June 19, 19858–0Warren E. Burger

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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