Home > Great American Court Cases > Marsh v. Chambers

Legal Citation: 463 U.S. 783 (1983)

Petitioner
Frank Marsh, Nebraska State Treasurer, et al.

Respondent
Ernest Chambers

Petitioner's Claim
That prayer led by a publicly paid chaplain to open Nebraska legislature sessions should not be found in violation of the First Amendment's Establishment Clause due to its historical and secular role.

Chief Lawyer for Petitioner
Shanler D. Cronk

Chief Lawyer for Respondent
Herbert J. Friedman

Justices for the Court
Harry A. Blackmun, Warren E. Burger (writing for the Court), Sandra Day O'Connor, Lewis F. Powell, Jr., William H. Rehnquist, Byron R. White

Justices Dissenting
William J. Brennan, Jr., Thurgood Marshall, John Paul Stevens

Place
Washington, D.C.

Date of Decision
5 July 1983

Decision
Upheld the state of...