Home > Great American Court Cases > Pennhurst State School & Hospital v. Halderman

Legal Citation: 451 U.S. 1 (1981)

Petitioner
Pennhurst State School & Hospital

Respondent
Terri Lee Halderman

Petitioner's Claim
That the federal court cannot award injunctive relief against state officials where the relief is justified through state law.

Chief Lawyer for Petitioner
H. Bartow Farr III

Chief Lawyer for Respondent
Thomas K. Gilhool

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

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

Place
Washington, D.C.

Date of Decision
23 January 1984

Decision
The Eleventh Amendment of the Constitution bars federal courts from granting an injunction ordering...