Cabell v. Chavez-Salido

Cabell v. Chavez-Salido
Supreme Court of the United States
Argued November 3, 1981
Decided January 12, 1982
Full case nameClarence E. Cabell, et al. v. Jose Chavez-Salido, et al.
Citations454 U.S. 432 (more)
102 S. Ct. 735; 70 L. Ed. 2d 677
Holding
Laws excluding aliens from becoming probation officers are constitutional because they fall within the political function exception to the Equal Protection clause.
Court membership
Chief Justice
Warren E. Burger
Associate Justices
William J. Brennan Jr. · Byron White
Thurgood Marshall · Harry Blackmun
Lewis F. Powell Jr. · William Rehnquist
John P. Stevens · Sandra Day O'Connor
Case opinions
MajorityWhite, joined by Burger, Powell, Rehnquist, O'Connor
DissentBlackmun, joined by Brennan, Marshall, Stevens
Laws applied
United States Constitution, Amendment XIV

Cabell v. Chavez-Salido, 454 U.S. 432 (1982), was a case decided by the Supreme Court of the United States that upheld a state law as constitutional that excluded aliens from positions as probation officers. The Court found that probation officers fell within the political function exception to strict scrutiny equal protection analysis because probation officers exercise discretionary power involving a basic governmental function that gives them authority over the individual.[1]

  1. ^ Varat, J.D. et al. Constitutional Law Cases and Materials, Concise Thirteenth Edition. Foundation Press, New York, NY: 2009, p. 667