Wallace, Governor of Alabama, Et al v Jaffree Et al...

1985. Slip Opinion. Signed by John Paul Stevens. Slip Opinion. Signed by John Paul Stevens. United States Supreme Court Slip Opinion of a Notable Case Concerning Prayer in Public Schools Signed by Justice Stevens Supreme Court, United States. [Stevens, John Paul]. Wallace, Governor of Alabama, Et al. v. Jaffree, Et al. [Washington, DC: Government Printing Office, 1985]. ii, 23, [1], 6, 19, [1], 7, [1], 2, 24 pp. Octavo. Stapled wrappers. Signature of Justice Stevens on cover page. Light finger smudges to a few leaves, otherwise fine. $400. * In this notable case the Supreme Court ruled that an Alabama statute authorizing a one-minute period of silence in all public schools "for meditation or voluntary prayer" violated the First Amendment's establishment clause. Stevens wrote the majority opinion, which was joined by Justices Brennan, Marshall, Blackmun and Powell. A U.S. Supreme Court opinion is disseminated through a four-step process. The first is a bench opinion, which is issued on the day the Court announces a decision. A slip opinion, which often incorporates revisions, is issued a few days afterwards. With the addition of an index and other features, such as a table, an opinion is issued later as a softcover Preliminary Print designated as a Part. Over time, it is joined with other parts to make up a preliminary softcover United States Reports volume. A few years later, the opinion, after a final round of editing and indexing, is printed in its final, official, form in the hardcover United States Reports.