| Litigants: | United States v. Sells Engineering, Inc. |
| Arguedate: | March 2 |
| Argueyear: | 1983 |
| Decidedate: | June 30 |
| Decideyear: | 1983 |
| Fullname: | United States v. Sells Engineering, Inc. |
| Usvol: | 463 |
| Uspage: | 418 |
| Parallelcitations: | 103 S. Ct. 3133; 77 L. Ed. 2d 743 |
| Docket: | 81-1032 |
| Oralargument: | https://www.oyez.org/cases/1980-1989/1982/1982_81_1032/argument/ |
| Opinionannouncement: | https://www.oyez.org/cases/1980-1989/1982/1982_81_1032/opinion/ |
| Holding: | Attorneys in the Civil Division of the Justice Department and their assistants and staff may not obtain automatic (A)(i) disclosure of grand jury materials for use in a civil suit, but must instead seek a (C)(i) court order for access to such materials. |
| Majority: | Brennan |
| Joinmajority: | White, Marshall, Blackmun, Stevens |
| Dissent: | Burger |
| Joindissent: | Powell, Rehnquist, O'Connor |
| Lawsapplied: | Federal Rules of Criminal Procedure (or relevant rules of a circuit court) |
United States v. Sells Engineering, Inc., 463 U.S. 418 (1983), was a United States Supreme Court case concerning whether United States Department of Justice Civil Division attorneys were required to show particularized need in order to obtain disclosure.
In an opinion delivered by Justice Brennan, the Court decided in favor of Sells Engineering.