The federal government's desire to keep the Pentagon Papers classified is not strong enough to justify violating the First Amendment by imposing prior restraints on the material. Decided June 30, 1971 (argued June 25, 1971). Dissenting: Burger, Harlan, Blackmun. Applied: the First Amendment → go there Topic: Freedom of speech and of the press. New York Times Co. v. United States, 403 U.S. 713 (1971), often referred to as The Pentagon Papers Case, is a landmark decision of the Supreme Court of the United States on the First Amendment right to freedom of the press. The ruling made it possible for The New York Times and The Washington Post newspapers to publish the then-classified Pentagon Papers without risk of government censorship or punishment. Wiki link