Past Rulings

The Supreme Court rarely rules unanimously and in fact its vote is often quite close. Highlights of rulings by the current justices, since 1994:

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June 30, 1994

Ruled 6-3

The activities of antiabortion activists near abortion clinics could be curbed.

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June 27, 1994

6-3

Citing church-state separation, ruled to void a N.Y. state school district that had been created to accommodate children of the Satmar Hasidim sect of Judaism.

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June 25, 1995

5-4

Race could not be used as a “predominant factor” in drawing electoral districts, declaring unconstitutional a majority-black Georgia district.

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May 20, 1996

Ruled 6-3

Voided a Colorado law barring gay-rights protections.

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May 20, 1996

6-3

Voided a Colorado law barring gay-rights protections.

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June 13, 1996

5-4

Struck down majority black and Latino congressional districts in Texas and North Carolina.

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June 26, 1996

7-1

Virginia Military Institute violated women’s 14th Amendment rights by adhering to a male-only admissions policy.

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May 27, 1997

9-0

Ruled that Bill Clinton is not shielded from answering questions under oath or standing trial on sexual harassment charges because he is president.

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June 25, 1997

6-3

Struck down the 1993 Religious Freedom Restoration Act protecting actions based on religious belief.

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June 26, 1997

9-0

Ruled to overturn the Communications Decency Act, which attempted to regulate pornography on the Internet.

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June 25, 1998

6-3

Struck down the line-item veto, declaring that the Constitution does not allow the president to cancel spending items once he has signed them into law.

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Jan. 25, 1999

5-3

Permits the Federal Communications Commission to set policy on opening the local telephone market to competition.

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June 23, 1999

5-4

In three decisions the court bolstered state sovereignty rights, shielding states from facing lawsuits for failing to comply with federal laws.

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June 19, 2000

6-3

School officials cannot sponsor student-led prayer at football games and other school events.

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June 26, 2000

7-2

Officers must give suspects Miranda warnings before questioning them.

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June 28, 2000

6-3

Abortion protesters can be barred from coming within 8 feet of patients and doctors on the sidewalks in front of a medical facility.

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June 28, 2000

5-4

States may not ban doctors from performing an abortion procedure that opponents call “partial-birth” abortion.

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June 28, 2000

5-4

The Boy Scouts have a 1st Amendment right to exclude openly gay men as adult leaders.

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Sources: Facts on File, World Almanac, Times files; Compiled by CARY SCHNEIDER / Los Angeles Times