Engel v. Vitale

Engel v. Vitale
Argued April 3, 1962
Decided June 25, 1962
Full case nameSteven I. Engel, et al. v. William J. Vitale, Jr., et al.
Citations370 U.S. 421 (more)
82 S. Ct. 1261; 8 L. Ed. 2d 601; 1962 U.S. LEXIS 847; 20 Ohio Op. 2d 328; 86 A.L.R.2d 1285
Related casesAbington School District v. Schempp
ArgumentOral argument
Case history
Prior191 N.Y.S.2d 453 (Sup. Ct. 1959), aff'd, 206 N.Y.S.2d 183 (App. Div. 1960), aff'd, 176 N.E.2d 579 (N.Y. 1961); cert. granted, 368 U.S. 924 (1961).
Subsequent186 N.E.2d 124 (N.Y. 1962)
Holding
Recitation of a government-written prayer in public schools violates the Establishment Clause of the First Amendment, even if the prayer is denominationally neutral and students may remain silent or be excused from the classroom during its recitation.
Court membership
Chief Justice
Earl Warren
Associate Justices
Hugo Black · Felix Frankfurter
William O. Douglas · Tom C. Clark
John M. Harlan II · William J. Brennan Jr.
Potter Stewart · Byron White
Case opinions
MajorityBlack, joined by Warren, Douglas, Clark, Harlan, Brennan
ConcurrenceDouglas
DissentStewart
Frankfurter and White took no part in the consideration or decision of the case.
Laws applied
U.S. Const. amend. I

Engel v. Vitale, 370 U.S. 421 (1962), was a landmark United States Supreme Court case in which the Court ruled that it is unconstitutional for state officials to compose an official school prayer and encourage its recitation in public schools, due to violation of the First Amendment.[1] The ruling has been the subject of intense debate.[2][3][4]

  1. ^ Hudson, David L. Jr. "Engel v. Vitale". www.mtsu.edu. Retrieved May 18, 2021.
  2. ^ "Facts and Case Summary - Engel v. Vitale". United States Courts. Retrieved February 16, 2019.
  3. ^ "Engel v. Vitale". Oyez. Retrieved October 13, 2021.
  4. ^ "Engel v. Vitale (1962)". LII / Legal Information Institute. Retrieved May 18, 2021.