Eloise Anderson, Director, California Department of Social Services, et al. v. Verna Edwards, Etc., et al. (514 U.S. 143)
U.S. Supreme Court · decided March 22, 1995 · Supreme Court Database (Spaeth)
- Citation
- 514 U.S. 143 · 115 S. Ct. 1291
- Decided
- March 22, 1995
- Term
- October Term 1994
- Vote
- 9–0
- Majority author
- Justice Thomas
- Issue area
- Civil Rights
- Disposition
- Reversed and remanded
- Outcome
- Petitioning party won
- Ideological direction
- Conservative
Opinion excerpt
Justice Thomas delivered the opinion of the Court. This case presents the question whether federal law governing the Aid to Families with Dependent Children (AFDC) program prohibits States from grouping into a single AFDC “assistance unit” all needy children who live in the same household under the care of one relative. Such grouping allows States to grant equal assistance to equally sized needy households, regardless of whether the children in the household are all siblings. The Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit concluded that federal law forbids States to equalize assistance in this manner. We disagree and accordingly reverse. I AFDC is a joint federal-state public assistance program authorized by Title IV-A of the Social Security Act, 49 Stat. 627, 42 U. S. C. § 601 et seq. (1988 ed. and Supp. V). As its name indicates, the AFDC program “is designed to provide financial assistance to needy dependent children and the parents or relatives who live with and care for them.” Shea v. Vialpando, 416 U. S. 251, 253 (1974). The program “reimburses each State which chooses to participate with a percentage of the funds it expends,” so long as the State “administerfe] its assistance program pursuant to a state plan that conforms to applicable federal statutes and regulations.” Heckler v. Turner, 470 U. S. 184, 189 (1985) (citing 42 U. S. C. §§ 602, 603). One applicable federal…
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