| National Endowment for the Arts v. Finley | |
|---|---|
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| Argued March 31, 1998 Decided June 25, 1998 | |
| Full case name | National Endowment for the Arts v. Finley, et al. |
| Citations | 524 U.S. 569 (more) 118 S. Ct. 2168; 141 L. Ed. 2d 500 |
| Holding | |
| Section 954(d)(1) is facially valid, as it neither inherently interferes with First Amendment rights nor violates constitutional vagueness principles. | |
| Court membership | |
| |
| Case opinions | |
| Majority | O'Connor, joined by Rehnquist, Stevens, Kennedy, Breyer; Ginsburg (all but Part II–B) |
| Concurrence | Scalia (in judgment), joined by Thomas |
| Dissent | Souter |
National Endowment for the Arts v. Finley, 524 U.S. 569 (1998), was a United States Supreme Court case in which the Court ruled that the National Foundation on the Arts and Humanities Act, as amended in 1990, (20 U.S.C. § 954(d)(1)), was facially valid, as it neither inherently interfered with First Amendment rights nor violated constitutional vagueness principles. The act in question required the chairperson of the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) to ensure that "artistic excellence and artistic merit are the criteria by which [grant] applications are judged, taking into consideration general standards of decency and respect for the diverse beliefs and values of the American public". Justice Sandra Day O'Connor delivered the opinion of the Court.