List of United States Supreme Court cases by the Warren Court

Supreme Court of the United States
Warren Court
October 5, 1953 – June 23, 1969
(15 years, 261 days)
SeatSupreme Court Building
Washington, D.C.
No. of positions9
Warren Court decisions

This is a partial chronological list of cases decided by the United States Supreme Court during the Warren Court, the tenure of Chief Justice Earl Warren, from October 5, 1953, through June 23, 1969.

Case name Focus Citation Summary
Toolson v. New York Yankees, Inc. Antitrust 346 U.S. 356 (1953) baseball antitrust exemption upheld
Wilko v. Swan Arbitration 346 U.S. 427 (1953) Claims under Securities Act of 1933 not arbitrable
Miller Brothers Co. v. Maryland 347 U.S. 340 (1954) use tax imposed by one state against merchant in another state violated Due Process Clause of the 14th Amendment
Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka Racial Segregation 347 U.S. 483 (1954) reversed the ruling of Plessy v. Ferguson, "separate ... inherently unequal"
Hernandez v. Texas 347 U.S. 475 (1954) application of the Fourteenth Amendment to Mexican Americans
Bolling v. Sharpe Racial Segregation 347 U.S. 497 (1954) segregation in the District of Columbia
United States v. Harriss 347 U.S. 612 (1954) constitutionality of The Federal Regulation of Lobbying Act of 1946
Berman v. Parker 348 U.S. 26 (1954) eminent domain, takings
United States v. International Boxing Club of New York Antitrust 348 U.S. 236 (1955) boxing not exempt from antitrust regulation
Tee-Hit-Ton Indians v. United States 348 U.S. 272 (1955) Federal government did not owe Indian tribe compensation for timber taken from tribal-occupied lands in Alaska under the 5th Amendment
Commissioner v. Glenshaw Glass Co. 348 U.S. 426 (1955) definition of taxable income
Williamson v. Lee 348 U.S. 483 (1955) Due Process Clause, economic liberties
Quinn v. United States 349 U.S. 155 (1955) Fifth Amendment rights with regards to Congressional investigations.
Lucy v. Adams Racial Segregation 350 U.S. 1 (1955) established the right of all citizens to be accepted as students at the University of Alabama
Corn Products Refining Co. v. Commissioner 350 U.S. 46 (1955) Hedging futures gains are ordinary if on raw materials
United Gas Pipe Line Co. v. Mobile Gas Service Corp. 350 U.S. 332 (1956) contracts under the Natural Gas Act of 1938
Federal Power Commission v. Sierra Pacific Power Co. 350 U.S. 348 (1956) contracts under the Federal Power Act
Griffin v. Illinois 351 U.S. 12 (1956) access to court transcript for indigent appeals
Communist Party v. Subversive Activities Control Board 351 U.S. 115 (1956) First of Two Cases involving compulsory registration of Communist Party members. Court didn't answer questions raised concerning constitutionality of Act requiring compulsory registration.
Radovich v. National Football League 352 U.S. 445 (1957) professional football covered by antitrust laws
Reid v. Covert 354 U.S. 1 (1957) treaty power, right to jury trial
Watkins v. United States 354 U.S. 178 (1957) rights of a witness in refusing to answer questions before the House Un-American Activities Committee
Yates v. United States Free Speech 354 U.S. 298 (1957) free speech, distinction between expression of opinion and advocacy of action
Morey v. Doud 354 U.S. 457 (1957) States do not have power to make special exemptions in legislation for particular actors (overruled by City of New Orleans v. Dukes)
Roth v. United States Free Speech 354 U.S. 476 (1957) obscenity
Conley v. Gibson 355 U.S. 41 (1957) liberal pleading standards under Rule 8 of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure
McGee v. International Life Insurance Co. 355 U.S. 220 (1957) California did not violate the Due Process Clause when entering a binding judgment on a Texas corporation with "substantial connection[s]" to California
Lambert v. California 355 U.S. 225 (1957) mens rea and ignorance of the law
One, Inc. v. Olesen 355 U.S. 371 (1958) pro-homosexual writings and the Comstock laws
Perez v. Brownell 356 U.S. 44 (1958) revocation of citizenship for voting in a foreign election
Trop v. Dulles Cruel and unusual punishment 356 U.S. 86 (1958) Eighth Amendment, loss of citizenship
Sherman v. United States 356 U.S. 369 (1958) Entrapment provisions apply to actions of government informers as well as agents
Byrd v. Blue Ridge Rural Electric Cooperative, Inc. 356 U.S. 525 (1958) application of the Erie doctrine
Ellis v. United States 356 U.S. 674 (1958) Due Process, in forma pauperis
United States v. Procter & Gamble Co. 356 U.S. 677 (1958) The secrecy of Grand jury testimonies
Kent v. Dulles 357 U.S. 116 (1958) right to travel, power of Secretary of State
Societe Internationale v. Rogers 357 U.S. 197 (1958) appropriateness of involuntary dismissal of a case in which petitioner failed to produce records of a Swiss bank account
NAACP v. Alabama 357 U.S. 449 (1958) freedom of association, privacy of membership lists
Speiser v. Randall 357 U.S. 513 (1958) loyalty oaths
Cooper v. Aaron Racial Segregation 358 U.S. 1 (1958) enforcement of desegregation, "massive resistance"
United Gas Pipe Line Co. v. Memphis Light, Gas, and Water Division 358 U.S. 103 (1958) contracts under the Natural Gas Act of 1938
Cammarano v. United States 358 U.S. 498 (1959) business expenses incurred for the "promotion or defeat of legislation" are not tax deductible
Bartkus v. Illinois 359 U.S. 121 (1959) "separate sovereigns" exception to double jeopardy; federal and state officials may cooperate in criminal investigations
Frank v. Maryland 359 U.S. 360 (1959) warrantless administrative searches are permissible under the Fourth Amendment
Beacon Theatres v. Westover 359 U.S. 500 (1959) right to civil jury trial under the Seventh Amendment, determination of legal & equitable issues
Louisiana Power & Light Co. v. City of Thibodaux 360 U.S. 25 (1959) Abstention doctrine
Barenblatt v. United States 360 U.S. 109 (1959) upholding conviction for refusing to answer questions before the House Un-American Activities Committee against First Amendment challenge
Smith v. California 361 U.S. 147 (1959) sale of obscene books
Bates v. City of Little Rock 361 U.S. 516 (1960) First Amendment, compelled disclosure of membership lists
United States v. Raines 362 U.S. 17 (1960) Fifteenth Amendment, Civil Rights Act
Federal Power Commission v. Tuscarora Indian Nation 362 U.S. 99 (1960) eminent domain over Indian lands
Flora v. United States 362 U.S. 145 (1960) Pay Income Tax Then Litigate, Internal Revenue Act
Dusky v. United States 362 U.S. 402 (1960) standard for adjudicative competence
Commissioner v. Duberstein 363 U.S. 278 (1960) definition of a 'gift' for taxation purposes
Flemming v. Nestor 363 U.S. 603 (1960) no property right in Social Security benefits
Boynton v. Virginia 364 U.S. 454 (1960) Racial Segregation
Times Film Corp. v. City of Chicago 365 U.S. 43 (1961) required submission of films to rating boards is not necessarily unconstitutional
Monroe v. Pape 365 U.S. 167 (1961) municipalities cannot be held liable under the Civil Rights Act of 1871
Aro Mfg. Co. v. Convertible Top Replacement Co. 365 U.S. 336 (1961) doctrine of repair and reconstruction in United States patent law
Burton v. Wilmington Parking Authority 365 U.S. 715 (1961) state action
Gomillion v. Lightfoot Racial Segregation 364 U.S. 339 (1960) race-based electoral districting
James v. United States 366 U.S. 213 (1961) assessment of income tax on embezzled funds
McGowan v. Maryland 366 U.S. 420 (1961) constitutionality of laws with religious origins but secular purposes
Braunfeld v. Brown 366 U.S. 599 (1961) constitutionality of Sabbath laws requiring Sunday closure of stores
Gallagher v. Crown Kosher Super Market of Massachusetts, Inc. 366 U.S. 617 (1961) Massachusetts blue laws upheld against challenge by Kosher grocery store
Communist Party v. Subversive Activities Control Board 367 U.S. 1 (1961) Second of Two Cases involving compulsory registration of Communist Party members. Court upheld constitutionality of Act requiring compulsory registration.
Scales v. United States 367 U.S. 203 (1961) upheld the conviction of Junius Scales for violating of the Smith Act on the basis on his membership in the Communist Party
Jarecki v. G.D. Searle & Co. 367 U.S. 303 (1961) using noscitur a sociis to interpret the Excess Profits Tax Act of 1950
Torcaso v. Watkins 367 U.S. 488 (1961) oaths, religious test, First Amendment
Poe v. Ullman 367 U.S. 497 (1961) ripeness to challenge statute banning contraceptives
Mapp v. Ohio Criminal procedure 367 U.S. 643 (1961) search and seizure, exclusionary rule
Marcus v. Search Warrant 367 U.S. 717 (1961) Procedural burden on state in seizure of obscene material
Hamilton v. Alabama 368 U.S. 52 (1961) Absence of defendant's counsel at the time of his arraignment violated his rights under the Due Process Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment
Hoyt v. Florida 368 U.S. 57 (1961) all-male jury in a woman's murder trial did not violate Fourteenth Amendment
Cramp v. Board of Public Instruction 368 U.S. 278 (1961) Florida statute required every employee of the State and its subdivisions to swear in writing that, he has never lent his "aid, support, advice, counsel or influence to the Communist Party." violated his rights under the Due Process Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment
Oyler v. Boles 368 U.S. 448 (1962) habitual criminal sentencing and due process
United Gas Pipe Line Co. v. Ideal Cement Co. 369 U.S. 134 (1962) application of the Pullman abstention doctrine
Fong Foo v. United States 369 U.S. 141 (1962) double jeopardy against federal courts
Baker v. Carr Redistricting, malapportionment 369 U.S. 186 (1962) malapportionment of electoral districts; equal protection clause; one person, one vote
Goldblatt v. Hempstead 369 U.S. 590 (1962) due process, takings clause, safety regulations
NLRB v. Washington Aluminum Co. 370 U.S. 9 (1962) Unorganized workers have the right to engage in concerted activity over working conditions without making a prior specific demand.
Engel v. Vitale Establishment Clause 370 U.S. 421 (1962) school prayer
Manual Enterprises v. Day 370 U.S. 478 (1962) magazine containing nude photographs of men not considered obscene
Bantam Books, Inc. v. Sullivan 372 U.S. 58 (1963) government may not blacklist books and magazines it deems "objectionable"
Jones v. Cunningham 371 U.S. 236 (1963) state prison inmates have the right to petition for habeas corpus
Wong Sun v. United States 371 U.S. 471 (1963) fruit of the poisonous tree doctrine in a narcotics case
Schlude v. Commissioner 372 U.S. 128 (1963) what income must be included for income tax purposes when accrual method of accounting is used
Edwards v. South Carolina 372 U.S. 229 (1963) First Amendment, protest marches at state capital
Gideon v. Wainwright Criminal procedure 372 U.S. 335 (1963) right to counsel
Douglas v. California 372 U.S. 353 (1963) Fourteenth Amendment; right of poor defendants to criminal court appeals
Gray v. Sanders 372 U.S. 368 (1963) state county districts must conform to "one person, one vote"
Gibson v. Florida Legislative Investigation Committee 372 U.S. 539 (1963) requiring person divulge information contained in an organization's membership lists violates freedom of association under First Amendment
Ferguson v. Skrupa 372 U.S. 726 (1963) substantive due process, economic liberties
Brady v. Maryland Criminal procedure 373 U.S. 83 (1963) exculpatory evidence and due process
Florida Lime & Avocado Growers, Inc. v. Paul 373 U.S. 132 (1963) Preemption, Dormant Commerce Clause
Silver v. New York Stock Exchange 373 U.S. 341 (1963) duty of self-regulation imposed upon the New York Stock Exchange by the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 did not exempt it from the antitrust laws
Ker v. California 374 U.S. 23 (1963) incorporation of the Fourth Amendment protections against unreasonable search & seizure against the states
Abington School District v. Schempp Establishment Clause 374 U.S. 203 (1963) constitutionality of mandatory bible reading in public schools
Sherbert v. Verner Free Exercise Clause 374 U.S. 398 (1963) strict scrutiny for religiously-based discrimination in unemployment compensation
England v. Louisiana State Board of Medical Examiners 375 U.S. 411 (1964) refining procedures for Pullman abstention from deciding issues of state law
Wesberry v. Sanders Redistricting, malapportionment 376 U.S. 1 (1964) U.S. Congressional districts must conform to "one person, one vote"
Compco Corp. v. Day-Brite Lighting, Inc. 376 U.S. 234 (1964) preemption of state unfair competition laws which restrict sale of unpatented items
Sears, Roebuck & Co. v. Stiffel Co. 376 U.S. 225 (1964) preemption of state unfair competition laws which restrict sale of unpatented items, decided same day as Compco Corp. v. Day-Brite Lighting, Inc.
New York Times Co. v. Sullivan Free Speech 376 U.S. 254 (1964) freedom of speech, libel
Banco Nacional de Cuba v. Sabbatino 376 U.S. 398 (1964) jurisdiction of federal courts over acts of foreign countries; act of state doctrine
Schneider v. Rusk 377 U.S. 163 (1964) Naturalized U.S. citizens have the right to return to and reside in their native countries, and retain their U.S. citizenship, even if they never return to the United States
Massiah v. United States 377 U.S. 201 (1964) Sixth Amendment prohibition on police speaking to suspect represented by counsel
Griffin v. County School Board of Prince Edward County Racial Segregation 377 U.S. 218 (1964) closing the local school and giving white students vouchers to attend schools outside of the county was unconstitutional under the equal protection clause
Wilbur-Ellis Co. v. Kuther 377 U.S. 422 (1964) extension of doctrine of repair and reconstruction to enhancement of device's function
Reynolds v. Sims Redistricting, malapportionment 377 U.S. 533 (1964) state legislature districts must conform to "one person, one vote"
Malloy v. Hogan 378 U.S. 1 (1964) Fifth Amendment right against self-incrimination was applicable within state courts as well as federal courts
Griffin v. Maryland 378 U.S. 130 (1964) segregation protests
Barr v. City of Columbia 378 U.S. 146 (1964) due process and ex post facto law
Robinson v. Florida Cruel and unusual punishment 378 U.S. 153 (1964) segregation protests
Jacobellis v. Ohio Free Speech 378 U.S. 184 (1964) "I know [obscenity] when I see it[.]" – Justice Potter Stewart
Quantity of Books v. Kansas 378 U.S. 205 (1964) Seizure of allegedly obscene materials requires prior adversary hearing
Bell v. Maryland 378 U.S. 226 (1964) segregation protests
Bouie v. City of Columbia 378 U.S. 347 (1964) due process and ex post facto law
United States v. Continental Can Co. 378 U.S. 441 (1964) antitrust
Escobedo v. Illinois Criminal procedure 378 U.S. 478 (1964) right to remain silent
Cooper v. Pate 378 U.S. 546 (1964) The court ruled for the first time that state prison inmates have the standing to sue in federal court to address their grievances under the Civil Rights Act of 1871.
Beck v. Ohio 379 U.S. 89 (1964) probable cause and searches incident to a lawful arrest
McLaughlin v. Florida 379 U.S. 184 (1964) striking down an anti-miscegenation law aimed at prevent cohabitation of interracial couples
Heart of Atlanta Motel v. United States 379 U.S. 241 (1964) interstate commerce, civil rights, public accommodations
Katzenbach v. McClung 379 U.S. 294 (1964) civil rights and interstate commerce, decided same day as Heart of Atlanta Motel v. United States
Stanford v. Texas 379 U.S. 476 (1965) Fourth Amendment, Fourteenth Amendment, Unconstitutionality of State issued general warrants
Cox v. Louisiana 379 U.S. 536 (1965) First Amendment, "breach of the peace" statutes
Freedman v. Maryland 380 U.S. 51 (1965) First Amendment, motion picture censorship
United States v. Seeger 380 U.S. 163 (1965) definition of religion for a military draft exemption
Swain v. Alabama 380 U.S. 202 (1965) use of struck jury
Hanna v. Plumer 380 U.S. 460 (1965) interpretation of the Erie doctrine, Civil Procedure
Dombrowski v. Pfister 380 U.S. 479 (1965) federal injunction against state criminal trial for subversion
Harman v. Forssenius 380 U.S. 528 (1965) Virginia's partial repeal of the poll tax violated 24th Amendment
Griffin v. California 380 U.S. 609 (1965) prosecutor commenting on a defendant's refusal to testify violates the defendant's Fifth Amendment rights
One 1958 Plymouth Sedan v. Pennsylvania 380 U.S. 693 (1965) evidence that is obtained in violation of the Fourth Amendment may not be relied on to sustain a civil forfeiture
Griswold v. Connecticut Right to privacy 381 U.S. 479 (1965) privacy, birth control
Estes v. Texas 381 U.S. 532 (1965) overturning Billy Sol Estes conviction on 14th Amendment due process grounds due to pretrial publicity
Lamont v. Postmaster General 381 U.S. 301 (1965) Declared unconstitutional a Federal statute requiring that addressees of "Communist political propaganda" affirmatively indicate their request to receive such mailings
Albertson v. Subversive Activities Control Board 382 U.S. 70 (1965) Communist Party of the United States of America members could not be required to register with the government under the Fifth Amendment
Graham v. John Deere Co. 383 U.S. 1 (1966) nonobviousness as a condition of patentability
Baxstrom v. Herold 383 U.S. 107 (1966) Prisoners committed to civil mental institutions have a right to a hearing to determine whether or not they are in fact mentally disordered.
Brown v. Louisiana 383 U.S. 131 (1966) first amendment, right to protest
South Carolina v. Katzenbach 383 U.S. 301 (1966) Voting Rights Act, Fifteenth Amendment
Memoirs v. Massachusetts Free Speech 383 U.S. 413 (1966) obscenity
Harper v. Virginia Board of Elections 383 U.S. 663 (1966) poll taxes are unconstitutional under the Equal Protection Clause
United Mine Workers of America v. Gibbs 383 U.S. 715 (1966) federal court jurisdiction over pendent claims
United States v. Price 383 U.S. 787 (1966) the murders of Chaney, Goodman, and Schwerner
Sheppard v. Maxwell 384 U.S. 333 (1966) the Sam Sheppard case, defendant's right to a fair trial vs. freedom of the press
Miranda v. Arizona Criminal procedure 384 U.S. 436 (1966) self-incrimination ("right to remain silent")
Federal Trade Commission v. Dean Foods Co. 384 U.S. 597 (1966) federal agencies can use the All Writs Act to seek an injunction against a threatened action that will substantially interfere with the agency's performance of its statutory duty
Katzenbach v. Morgan 384 U.S. 641 (1966) voting rights, Section 5 power
Schmerber v. California 384 U.S. 757 (1966) Unless exigent circumstances exist, state may not take warrantless blood sample from a suspect; Evidence from a blood sample is not compelled testimony and therefore does not implicate the Fifth Amendment privilege against self incrimination
Garrity v. New Jersey 385 U.S. 493 (1967) rights of police officers against self-incrimination
Whitus v. Georgia 385 U.S. 545 (1967) racial discrimination in jury selection
Redrup v. New York 386 U.S. 767 (1967) striking down state power to censor written works of fiction
In Re Gault 387 U.S. 1 (1967) due process, juveniles
Abbott Laboratories v. Gardner 387 U.S. 136 (1967) reviewability of administrative decisions
Toilet Goods Association, Inc. v. Gardner 387 U.S. 158 (1967) ripeness in the context of judicial review of administrative decisions
Afroyim v. Rusk 387 U.S. 253 (1967) federal government cannot strip a person of his citizenship
Reitman v. Mulkey 387 U.S. 369 (1967) states may repeal laws providing protection against racial discrimination by Amending their state Constitution of referendum if their immediate objective is neutral and not to facilitate private racism
Loving v. Virginia Racial Segregation 388 U.S. 1 (1967) state laws banning interracial marriage (anti-miscegenation laws)
Berger v. New York 388 U.S. 41 (1967) Telephone tapping in a bribery case, Fourth Amendment
Curtis Publishing Co. v. Butts 388 U.S. 130 (1967) libel; effect of Sullivan on private figures
United States v. Wade 388 U.S. 218 (1967) no police lineup without counsel
Gilbert v. California 388 U.S. 263 (1967) handwriting
United States v. Robel 389 U.S. 258 (1967) First Amendment, right of association
Prima Paint Corp. v. Flood & Conklin Mfg. Co. 388 U.S. 395 (1967) Separability principle: challenges to enforceability of contracts with arbitration clauses must be decided by arbitrator unless clause itself is challenged
Katz v. United States Criminal procedure 389 U.S. 347 (1967) wiretapping as search and seizure
Zschernig v. Miller 389 U.S. 429 (1968) foreign relations and state property law preventing inheritance by nonresident aliens
Mora v. McNamara 389 U.S. 934 (1967) denial of certiorari in a case questioning the legality of the Vietnam War
Haynes v. United States 390 U.S. 85 (1968) Compulsory firearm registration as self-incrimination
Provident Tradesmens Bank & Trust Co. v. Patterson 390 U.S. 102 (1968) indispensable parties under the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure
Albrecht v. Herald Co. 390 U.S. 145 (1968) minimum price agreements between wholesalers and franchisees unlawful under the Sherman Act
Avery v. Midland County 390 U.S. 474 (1968) local government districts must conform to "one person, one vote"
Ginsberg v. New York 390 U.S. 629 (1968) States can prohibit sale of obscene material to minors
Levy v. Louisiana 391 U.S. 68 (1968) An illegitimate child may still sue on behalf of a deceased parent; to deny them this right violates the Fourteenth Amendment
Duncan v. Louisiana 391 U.S. 145 (1968) selective incorporation, trial by jury
United States v. O'Brien 391 U.S. 367 (1968) free speech, burning draft cards
Menominee Tribe v. United States 391 U.S. 404 (1968) Tribal hunting and fishing rights, treaty interpretation
Green v. County School Board of New Kent County Racial Segregation 391 U.S. 430 (1968) "freedom-of-choice" desegregation plan held unconstitutional
Witherspoon v. Illinois 391 U.S. 510 (1968) constitutional status of a death-qualified jury
Pickering v. Board of Education 391 U.S. 563 (1968) public employees' free speech rights
Terry v. Ohio Criminal procedure 392 U.S. 1 (1968) search and seizure, power of police to stop and frisk suspicious persons
Flast v. Cohen 392 U.S. 83 (1968) taxpayer standing
United States v. Southwestern Cable Co. 392 U.S. 157 (1968) Administrative law
King v. Smith 392 U.S. 309 (1968) Aid to Families with Dependent Children cannot be denied to families of qualifying children based on a substitute father
Mancusi v. DeForte 392 U.S. 364 (1968) Fourth Amendment allows reasonable expectation of privacy to exist at workplace
Jones v. Mayer 392 U.S. 409 (1968) housing discrimination
Epperson v. Arkansas 393 U.S. 97 (1968) religiously motivated state law prohibiting the teaching of evolution in publicly funded schools
Tinker v. Des Moines Independent Community School District Free Speech 393 U.S. 503 (1969) freedom of speech in public schools
Shuttlesworth v. Birmingham 394 U.S. 147 (1969) overbreadth of local ordinance used by city officials to ban civil rights march
Stanley v. Georgia 394 U.S. 557 (1969) private possession of obscene material protected under First Amendment
Street v. New York 394 U.S. 576 (1969) free speech, flag burning
Shapiro v. Thompson 394 U.S. 618 (1969) Right to travel
Leary v. United States 395 U.S. 6 (1969) Marihuana Tax Act of 1937 ruled unconstitutional under the Fifth Amendment
Red Lion Broadcasting Co. v. FCC 395 U.S. 367 (1969) Fairness Doctrine, broadcaster responsibilities, freedom of speech
Brandenburg v. Ohio Free Speech 395 U.S. 444 (1969) freedom of speech, incitement to riot
Powell v. McCormack 395 U.S. 486 (1969) political question doctrine, justiciability
Kramer v. Union School District 395 U.S. 621 (1969) right to vote in a special election district
Lear, Inc. v. Adkins 395 U.S. 653 (1969) overturning the doctrine of licensee estoppel in U.S. patent law
Chimel v. California 395 U.S. 752 (1969) search and seizure incident to arrest
Benton v. Maryland 395 U.S. 784 (1969) double jeopardy

References