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Massachusetts v. Oakes

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Oral Argument
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Advocates
Richard J. Vita (on behalf of the Respondent)
James M. Shannon (on behalf of the Petitioner)
Case Basics
Docket No.: 
87-1651
Petitioner: 
Massachusetts
Respondent: 
Oakes
Decided By: 
Rehnquist Court (1988-1990)
Opinion: 
491 U.S. 576 (1989)
Argued: 
Tuesday, January 17, 1989
Decided: 
Wednesday, June 21, 1989
Issues: 
First Amendment, Obscenity, State
Categories: 
children, juveniles, freedom of speech, criminal, first amendment

Cite this page
The Oyez Project, Massachusetts v. Oakes , 491 U.S. 576 (1989)
available at: (http://oyez.org/cases/1980-1989/1988/1988_87_1651)
(last visited Friday, November 27, 2009).
Facts of the Case: 

None

Question: 

None

Conclusion: 

None

Decisions

Decision: 6 votes for Massachusetts, 3 vote(s) against
Legal provision: Amendment 1: Speech, Press, and Assembly

Sort by Ideology

Voted with the majority
Rehnquist
Wrote a dissent
Brennan
Voted with the majority
White
Voted with the minority, joined Brennan's dissent
Marshall
Voted with the majority, joined Scalia's concurrence
Blackmun
Voted with the minority, joined Brennan's dissent
Stevens
Wrote the judgment of the Court
O'Connor
Wrote a special concurrence
Scalia
Voted with the majority
Kennedy

Judgment of the Court by Justice Sandra Day O'Connor