HOME > First Amendment Library > Case   Houchins v. KQED (docket #: 76-1310) (1978)  [Findlaw] Argument Date 11/29/1977 Decided 6/26/1978 Supreme Court Vote 3-1-3 Supreme Court Ruling First Amendment claim denied   Issue Whether the news media have a constitutional right of access to a county jail, over and above that of other persons, to interview inmates and make sound recordings, films, and photographs for publication and broadcasting. Majority Opinion Burger, C.J. (Marshall, J. & Blackmun, J. not participating) Concurring Opinion Stewart, J., (concurring in judgment) Dissenting Opinion Stevens, J. (joined by Brennan, J. & Powell, J.) Lower Court 9th Circuit Lower Court Ruling First Amendment claim upheld Oral Arguments Oral Arguments  [Oyez] Ruling - Lower Court 546 F.2d 284 News "The State," The Los Angeles Times, Nov. 23, 1975, Sect. A, p. 26 Mann, Jim, "Supreme Court Rules Prisons May Bar Press and Public," The Los Angeles Times, June 27, 1978, Sect. B, p. 6 Mintz, Morton, "Justices Wonder About Letting Press In Where Public is Barred, Such As Jail," The Washington Post, Nov. 20, 1977, Sect. A, p. 4 Other Anderson, David A., "Freedom of the Press," 80 Tex. L. Rev. 429 (2002) Chemerinsky, Erwin, CONSTITUTIONAL LAW (3rd Ed.)(2006), Sect. 11.6.3 Stewart, J. "Or of the Press," 26 Hast. L.J. 631 (1975)  SEARCH MORE About this site About the First Amendment About the First Amendment Center How to contribute Video/RSS/podcasts First Amendment programs State of the First Amendment reports Religious liberty in public schools First Reports Supreme Court Columnists Experts First Amendment publications First Amendment Center history Glossary Freedom Sings™ Events First Amendment Schools Congressional Research Service reports Guest editorials FOI material The First Amendment Library Lesson plans freedomforum.org Newseum Contact us Privacy statement Related links