Home > Great American Court Cases > Ward v. Rock Against Racism

Legal Citation: 491 U.S. 781 (1989)

Petitioner
Benjamin R. Ward, New York City Police Commissioner

Respondent
Rock Against Racism

Petitioner's Claim
U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruling that a city guideline regulating sound volume as unconstitutional was in error.

Chief Lawyer for Petitioner
Leonard J. Koerner

Chief Lawyer for Respondent
William M. Kunstler

Justices for the Court
Harry A. Blackmun, Anthony M. Kennedy (writing for the Court), Sandra Day O'Connor, William H. Rehnquist, Antonin Scalia, Byron R. White

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

Place
Washington, D.C.

Date of Decision
22 June 1989

Decision
In favor of appellant Ward, reversing the appeal court decision.