Home > Great American Court Cases > Grand Rapids School District v. Ball

Legal Citation: 473 U.S. 373 (1985)

Petitioner
Grand Rapids School District, Michigan

Respondent
Six Grand Rapids, Michigan, taxpayers

Petitioner's Claim
That two local public-school programs, Shared Time and Community Education, violated the separation of church and state called for in the First Amendment by using public funds to support courses offered in religious schools.

Chief Lawyer for Petitioner
Kenneth F. Ripple, Special Assistant Attorney General of Michigan

Chief Lawyer for Respondent
A. E. Dick Howard

Justices for the Court
Harry A. Blackmun, William J. Brennan, Jr. (writing for the Court), Warren E. Burger, Thurgood Marshall, Sandra Day O'Connor, Lewis F. Powell, Jr., John Paul Stevens

Justices Dissenting
William H. Rehnquist, Byron R. White

Place
Washington, D.C.