Supreme Court Opinions
Justice Sandra Day O'Connor wrote 645 opinions during her 24 years on the Supreme Court. This page lists each of them by year and type, providing a valuable resource for researchers and scholars of Justice O'Connor's legacy and impact.
Clicking the name of a case will take you to the text of the opinion, while clicking a "W" will take you to the case's Wikipedia page.
An asterisk (*) indicates a 5-4 decision where Justice O'Connor's vote determined the opinion of the Court.
2005 term
Majority opinions
2004 term
Majority opinions
Concurrences
2003 term
Majority opinions
- SEC v. Edwards
- Fellers v. United States (W)
- South Florida Water Management Dist. v. Miccosukee Tribe of Indians (W)
- Dretke v. Haley
- Nelson v. Campbell
- Tennard v. Dretke (W)
- McConnell v. Federal Election Commission* (W) (written jointly with Justice John Paul Stevens)
- Hamdi v. Rumsfeld (W)
Concurrences
Dissents
2002 term
Majority opinions
Concurrences
Partial concurrence, partial dissent
2001 term
Majority opinions
Concurrences
Partial concurrence, partial dissent
2000 term
Majority opinions
Concurrences
Partial concurrence, partial dissent
Dissents
1999 term
Majority opinions
Concurrences
Dissents
1998 term
Majority opinions
- Marquez v. Screen Actors Guild, Inc. (W)
- Lopez v. Monterey County
- Department of Commerce v. United States House
- Minnesota v. Mille Lacs Band of Chippewa Indians* (W)
- Davis v. Monroe County Board of Ed.*
- O'Sullivan v. Boerckel
- Martin v. Hadix
- Sutton v. United Air Lines, Inc.
- Murphy v. United Parcel Service
- Kolstad v. American Dental Assn.*
Concurrences
Partial concurrence, partial dissent
1997 term
Majority opinions
- State Oil Co. v. Khan (W)
- City of Chicago v. International College of Surgeons
- Lunding v. New York Tax Appeals Tribunal
- South Dakota v. Yankton Sioux Tribe
- Cohen v. De La Cruz
- California v. Deep Sea Research, Inc.
- Gebser v. Lago Vista Independent School Dist.*
- Eastern Enterprises v. Apfel* (W)
- National Endowment For The Arts v. Finley (W)
- Monge v. California*
Concurrences
Partial concurrence, partial dissent
1996 term
Majority opinions
- Lopez v. Monterey County
- Ingalls Shipbuilding, Inc. v. Director, office of Workers' Compensation
- United States v. Gonzales
- Blessing v. Freestone
- Board of the County Commissioners of Bryan County, Oklahoma v. Brown*
- Reno v. Bossier Parish School Board
- Inter-Modal Rail Employees Assn. v. Atchison, Topeka And Santa Fe Railway Co.
- United States v. Alaska
- Agostini v. Felton* (W)
Concurrences
Partial concurrence, partial dissent
1995 term
Majority opinions
Concurrences
Partial concurrence, partial dissent
1994 term
Majority opinions
Concurrences
- Allied-Bruce Terminix Cos. v. Dobson
- Schlup v. Delo*
- Grubart v. Great Lakes Dredge & Dock Co.
- Arizona v. Evans
- Shalala v. Whitecotton
- Missouri v. Jenkins*
- Gutierrez De Martinez v. Lamagno*
- Vimar Seguros y Reaseguros, S. A. v. M/V Sky Reefer
- Babbitt v. Sweet Home Chapter of Communities for a Great Oregon (W)
- Capitol Square Review & Advisory Board v. Pinette (W)
- Rosenberger v. Rector & Visitors of the University of Virginia*
- Miller v. Johnson*
Partial concurrence, partial dissent
1993 term
Majority opinions
- Florence County School Dist. Four v. Carter
- Harris v. Forklift Systems, Inc.
- Schiro v. Farley
- Caspari v. Bohlen
- Hagen v. Utah
- Victor v. Nebraska
- Beecham v. United States
- Waters v. Churchill (W)
- PUD No. 1 of Jefferson County v. Washington Department of Ecology (W)
- Director, office of Workers' Compensation Programs v. Greenwich Collieries
- Davis v. United States (W)
- Williamson v. United States
Concurrences
Partial concurrence, partial dissent
1992 term
Majority opinions
- Parke v. Raley
- Richmond v. Lewis
- Zafiro v. United States
- Voinovich v. Quilter
- Arave v. Creech
- Nebraska v. Wyoming
- Hazen Paper Co. v. Biggins
- United States v. Olano
- United States v. California
- Oklahoma Tax Commission v. Sac And Fox Nation
- United States Department of Justice v. Landano
- Smith v. United States
- Shaw v. Reno*
Concurrences
Partial concurrence, partial dissent
Dissents
- Bray v. Alexandria Women's Health Clinic
- Pioneer Investment Servs. v. Brunswick Assocs.
- Brecht v. Abrahamson
- Withrow v. Williams
- Edenfield v. Fane
- Northeastern Florida Chapter of the Associated General Contractors of America v. City of Jacksonville
- Zobrest v. Catalina Foothills School Dist. (W)
- Harper v. Virginia Dept. of Taxation
- Johnson v. Texas
- TXO Production Corp. v. Alliance Resources Corp.
1991 term
Majority opinions
- Hafer v. Melo
- Simon & Schuster, Inc. v. Members of the New York State Crime Victims Board
- Ardestani v. I.N.S.
- Smith v. Barry
- Hudson v. McMillian (W)
- General Motors Corp. v. Romein
- Williams v. United States
- Yee v. City of Escondido
- Denton v. Hernandez
- Riggins v. Nevada
- Wyatt v. Robbins
- Gade v. National Solid Wastes Mgmt. Assn.*
- New York v. United States
- Franklin v. Massachusetts
Plurality opinion
- Planned Parenthood of Southeastern Pennsylvania v. Casey* (W) (written jointly with Justices David Souter and Anthony Kennedy)
Concurrences
- Connecticut National Bank v. Germain
- Holmes v. Securities Investor Protection Corp.
- Foucha v. Louisiana*
- Evans v. United States
- Sochor v. Florida*
- Wisconsin Department of Revenue v. William Wrigley, Jr. Co. (W)
- Wright v. West
- Medina v. California
- International Society For Krishna Consciousness, Inc. v. Lee
- United States v. Fordice (W)
- Lee v. International Society For Krishna Consciousness, Inc.*
Partial concurrence, partial dissent
Dissents
- Hilton v. South Carolina Public Railways Commission
- United States v. R. L. C.
- Jacobson v. United States
- Keeney v. Tamayo-Reyes
- United States v. Burke
- Federal Trade Commission v. Ticor Title Ins. Co.
- Allied-Signal, Inc. v. Director, Division of Taxation
- Georgia v. McCollum
- City of Burlington v. Dague
- Doggett v. United States (W)
1990 term
Majority opinions
- Miles v. Apex Marine Corp.
- FMC Corp. v. Holliday
- Ingersoll-Rand Co. v. McClendon
- United States v. R. Enterprises, Inc.
- Parker v. Dugger*
- McDermott International, Inc. v. Wilander
- Business Guides, Inc. v. Chromatic Communications Enterprises, Inc.*
- Feist Publications, Inc. v. Rural Telephone Service Co., Inc.
- Leathers v. Medlock
- County of Riverside v. McLaughlin*
- Michigan v. Lucas
- Touby v. United States
- Melkonyan v. Sullivan
- Florida v. Bostick
- Gregory v. Ashcroft
- Coleman v. Thompson
Concurrences
1989 term
Majority opinions
- Hallstrom v. Tillamook County
- FW/PBS, Inc. v. City of Dallas
- Jimmy Swaggart Ministries v. Board of Equalization of California
- Tafflin v. Levitt
- Baltimore City Department of Social Services v. Bouknight
- Kaiser Aluminum & Chemical Corp. v. Bonjorno*
- Stewart v. Abend
- Port Authority Trans-Hudson Corp. v. Feeney
- Davis v. United States
- California v. Federal Energy Regulatory Commission
- American Trucking Assns., Inc. v. Smith*
- Borad of Ed. of the Westside Community Schools, v. Mergens
- Cooter & Gell v. Hartmarx Corp.
- United States v. Kokinda*
- Lewis v. Jeffers*
- Idaho v. Wright*
- Maryland v. Craig*
Concurrences
1988 term
Majority opinions
- City of Richmond v. J. A. Croson Co.
- Firestone Tire & Rubber Co. v. Bruch
- Mesa v. California
- Bonito Boats, Inc. v. Thunder Craft Boats, Inc.
- Teague v. Lane
- Trans World Airlines, Inc. v. Independent Federation of Flight Attendants
- Coit Independence Joint Venture v. Federal Savings and Loan Ins. Corp.
- Texas State Teachers Assn. v. Garland Independent School Dist.
- Skinner v. Mid-America Pipeline Co.
- Sullivan v. Hudson*
- Massachusetts v. Oakes
- Jett v. Dallas Independent School Dist.*
- Penry v. Lynaugh*
Concurrences
- Penson v. Ohio
- Goldberg v. Sweet
- Florida v. Riley*
- Harris v. Reed
- Price Waterhouse v. Hopkins
- Michael H. v. Gerald D.*
- Murray v. Giarratano*
- Hoffman v. Connecticut Dept. of Income Maintenance*
- Duckworth v. Eagan*
- Stanford v. Kentucky*
- Webster v. Reproductive Health Services*
- County of Allegheny v. ACLU*
Partial concurrence, partial dissent
1987 term
Majority opinions
- Karcher v. May
- Forrester v. White
- City of St. Louis v. Praprotnik
- Boos v. Barry
- Lyng v. Northwest Indian Cemetery Protective Assn.
- Tulsa Professional Collection Services, Inc. v. Pope
- Regents of University of California v. Public Employment Relations Board
- Chick Kam Choo v. Exxon Corp.
- Satterwhite v. Texas
- Clark v. Jeter
- Volkswagenwerk Aktiengesellschaft v. Schlunk
- Schweiker v. Chilicky
- Kadrmas v. Dickinson Public Schools*
- Frisby v. Schultz
- United States v. Kozminski
- Watson v. Fort Worth Bank & Trust
Concurrences
Partial concurrence, partial dissent
1986 term
Majority opinions
- North Carolina Department of Transportation v. Crest Street Community Council, Inc.
- Wimberly v. Labor And Industrial Relations Commission of Missouri
- Asahi Metal Industry Co., Ltd. v. Superior Court of California, Solano County
- Western Air Lines, Inc. v. Board of Equalization of the State of South Dakota
- California Coastal Commission v. Granite Rock Co.*
- O'Connor v. Ortega*
- Pilot Life Ins. Co. v. Dedeaux
- Metropolitan Life Ins. Co. v. Taylor
- Tison v. Arizona*
- Hodel v. Irving
- Turner v. Safley*
- Utah Div. of State Lands v. United States*
- Shearson/American Express, Inc. v. McMahon*
- California v. Superior Court of California, San Bernardino County
- Miller v. Florida
- Board of Airport Commissioners of the City of Los Angeles v. Jews For Jesus, Inc.
- Tanner v. United States*
- Agency Holding Corp. v. Malley-Duff & Associates, Inc.
Concurrences
- Federal Election Commission v. Massachusetts Citizens For Life, Inc.*
- California v. Brown*
- Town of Newton v. Rumery*
- Johnson v. Transportation Agency
- Rose v. Rose
- Bowen v. Yuckert
- Goodman v. Lukens Steel Co.
- Puerto Rico v. Branstad
- Tyler Pipe Industries, Inc. v. Washington State Dept. of Revenue
- Corporation of the Presiding Bishop of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints v. Amos
- Rivera v. Minnich
- Pennsylvania v. Delaware Valley Citizens' Council For Clean Air*
Partial concurrence, partial dissent
Dissents
- 324 Liquor Corp. v. Duffy
- Wright v. City of Roanoke Redevelopment And Housing Authority
- United States v. Paradise
- City of Springfield, Massachusetts v. Kibbe
- Arizona v. Hicks
- Illinois v. Krull
- United States v. General Dynamics Corp.
- Board of Pardons v. Allen
- Perry v. Thomas
- South Dakota v. Dole
- American Trucking Assns., Inc. v. Scheiner
- United States v. Stanley
1985 term
Majority opinions
- Heath v. Alabama
- Miller v. Fenton
- New York v. Class*
- Whitley v. Albers*
- Moran v. Burbine
- Philadelphia Newspapers, Inc. v. Hepps*
- Federal Deposit Ins. Corp. v. Philadelphia Gear Corp.
- Crane v. Kentucky
- Three Affiliated Tribes of Fort Berthold Reservation v. Wold Engineering, P. C.
- Lyng v. Payne
- Nantahala Power & Light Co. v. Thornburg
- Young v. Community Nutrition Institute
- Offshore Logistics, Inc. v. Tallentire*
- Murray, Director, Virginia Department of Corrections v. Carrier
- Smith v. Murray*
- Randall v. Loftsgaarden
- Commodity Futures Trading Commission v. Schor
Concurrences
- Lanier v. South Carolina
- Vasquez v. Hillery
- Witters v. Washington Department of Services for the Blind
- United States v. Mechanik
- Connolly v. Pension Benefit Guaranty Corp.
- Pembaur v. City of Cincinnati
- Diamond v. Charles
- Batson v. Kentucky
- Wygant v. Jackson Board of Ed.*
- Thornburg v. Gingles
- Firefighters v. City of Cleveland
- Arcara v. Cloud Books, Inc.
Partial concurrence, partial dissent
1984 term
Majority opinions
- Park 'N Fly, Inc. v. Dollar Park And Fly, Inc.
- United States v. Hensley
- United States v. Johns
- Oregon v. Elstad
- Marrese v. American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons
- Air France v. Saks
- Bennett v. New Jersey
- Bennett v. Kentucky Department of Education
- Harper & Row Publishers, Inc. v. Nation Enterprises
- Black v. Romano
- Richardson-Merrell Inc. v. Koller
- Superintendent, Massachusetts Correctional Institution At Walpole v. Hill
- Maryland v. Macon
- United States v. Albertini
- Thomas v. Union Carbide Agr. Products Co.
- Cornelius v. NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund, Inc.
Concurrences
- United States v. 50 Acres of Land
- Ohio v. Kovacs
- United States v. Locke
- Garrett v. United States
- Wallace v. Jaffree
- Northeast Bancorp, Inc. v. Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System
- Caldwell v. Mississippi
- Brockett v. Spokane Arcades, Inc.
- Estate of Thornton v. Caldor, Inc.
- Walters v. Radiation Survivors
Partial concurrence, partial dissent
Dissents
- Paulsen v. Commissioner of Internal Revenue
- Garcia v. San Antonio Metropolitan Transit Authority
- Chemical Manufacturers Assn. v. Natural Resources Defense Council, Inc.
- Metropolitan Life Ins. Co. v. Ward
- Tennessee v. Garner
- Wilson v. Garcia
- Mitchell v. Forsyth
- School Dist. of the City of Grand Rapids v. Ball
- Aguilar v. Felton
1983 term
Majority opinions
- INS v. Phinpathya
- Commissioner of Internal Revenue v. Engle*
- Secretary of the Interior v. California*
- McKaskle v. Wiggins
- Flanagan v. United States
- Minnesota State Board For Community Colleges v. Knight
- Trans World Airlines, Inc. v. Franklin Mint Corp.
- Strickland v. Washington
- Arizona v. Rumsey
- Hawaii Housing Authority v. Midkiff
- Colorado v. New Mexico
- Block v. Community Nutrition Institute
- Sure-Tan, Inc. v. National Labor Relations Board
- Tower v. Glover
- Brown v. Hotel & Restaurant Employees & Bartenders Intern. Union
- Allen v. Wright
- INS v. Lopez-Mendoza*
Concurrences
Partial concurrence, partial dissent
1982 term
Majority opinions
- Landon v. Plasencia
- Director, Office of Workers' Compensation Programs, United States Department of Labor v. Perini North River Associates
- South Dakota v. Neville
- Hillsboro National Bank v. Commissioner of Internal Revenue
- Minneapolis Star & Tribune Co. v. Minnesota Commissioner of Revenue
- Bowsher v. Merck & Co., Inc.
- Kolender v. Lawson
- United States v. Eight Thousand Eight Hundred and Fifty Dollars ($ 8,850) in United States Currency
- Bearden v. Georgia
- Bell v. New Jersey
- Baltimore Gas & Electric Co. v. Natural Resources Defense Council, Inc.
- First National City Bank v. Banco Para El Comercio Exterior De Cuba
- United States v. Place
- Rice v. Rehner
- California v. Ramos*
- Michigan v. Long
Concurrences
- Colorado v. New Mexico
- Commissioner of Internal Revenue v. Tufts
- Philko Aviation, Inc. v. Shacket
- Planned Parenthood Assn. v. Ashcroft*
- Simopoulos v. Virginia
- Brown v. Thomson*
- Guardians Assn. v. Civil Service Commission of the City of New York*
- Arizona Governing Committee for Tax Deferred Annuity and Deferred Compensation Plans v. Norris*
Dissents
- Brown v. Socialist Workers Comm.
- Shepard v. National Labor Relations Board
- Jefferson County Pharmaceutical Assn. v. Abbott Laboratories
- North Dakota v. United States
- Smith v. Wade
- Block v. North Dakota ex rel. Board of University and School Lands
- DelCostello v. International Brotherhood of Teamsters
- City of Akron v. Akron Center For Reproductive Health, Inc.
- Mennonite Board of Missions v. Adams
- Idaho ex rel. Evans v. Oregon
1981 term
Majority opinions
- Watt v. Energy Action Educational Foundation
- United States v. Clark
- Rose v. Lundy*
- Bread Political Action Committee v. Federal Election Commission
- McElroy v. United States
- Engle v. Isaac
- United States v. Frady
- Inwood Laboratories, Inc. v. Ives Laboratories, Inc.
- Tibbs v. Florida*
- Hathorn v. Lovorn
- California v. Grace Brethren Church
- Ford Motor Co. v. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission
- Mississippi University for Women v. Hogan*
Concurrences
- Boag v. MacDougall
- Eddings v. Oklahoma*
- Smith v. Phillips
- Mills v. Habluetzel
- Zobel v. Williams
- Patsy v. Board of Regents of the State of Florida
- Globe Newspaper Co. v. Superior Court for the County of Norfolk
- Edgar v. MITE Corp.
- Jacksonville Bulk Terminals, Inc. v. International Longshoremen's Assn.
- Fidelity Federal Savings & Loan Assn. v. De La Cuesta
- General Building Contractors Assn., Inc. v. Pennsylvania
- New York v. Ferber
- United States v. Valenzuela-Bernal
Partial concurrence, partial dissent
Dissents
- Charles D. Bonanno Linen Service, Inc. v. National Labor Relations Board
- Greene v. Lindsey
- Federal Bureau of Investigation v. Abramson
- Federal Energy Regulatory Commission v. Mississippi
- Taylor v. Alabama
- Borad of Ed., Island Trees Union Free School Dist. No. 26 v. Pico
- Asarco Inc. v. Idaho State Tax Commission
- F.W. Woolworth Co. v. Taxation And Revenue Department of New Mexico
- Enmund v. Florida
