Bell v. Burson
402 U.S. 535 · Decided May 24, 1971 · Supreme Court of the United States
At a glance
Bell v. Burson was decided on May 24, 1971 unanimously (9–0). The Court reversed the lower court's decision and remanded the case. Justice William J. Brennan Jr. wrote the opinion of the Court. SCDB classifies its main issue as “Due process, hearing or notice” in the Due Process area. SCDB records that the Court declared a state or territorial law, regulation or constitutional provision unconstitutional.
Read the opinion
Case details
- Citations
- 402 U.S. 535 · 91 S. Ct. 1586 · 29 L. Ed. 2d 90 · 1971 U.S. LEXIS 41
- Docket number
- 5586
- Decided
- May 24, 1971
- Argued
- March 23, 1971
- Court era
- Burger Court
- Decision type
- Opinion of the Court (orally argued)
- Disposition
- Reversed and remanded
- Outcome for petitioner
- The petitioning party received a favorable disposition
- Vote
- 9–0 (unanimous)
- Majority opinion
- William J. Brennan Jr.
- Opinion assigned by
- Warren E. Burger
- How the case arrived
- Certiorari
- Issue (SCDB)
- Due process, hearing or notice
- Issue area
- Due Process
- Legal provision
- Fourteenth Amendment (due process)
- Type of law
- Constitutional amendment
- Held unconstitutional
- A state or territorial law, regulation or constitutional provision
- Decision direction (SCDB)
- Liberal what this means
How the Justices voted
| Justice | Vote | Separate writing |
|---|---|---|
| Justice Hugo L. Black | Special concurrence | |
| Justice William O. Douglas | Majority | |
| Justice John M. Harlan II | Majority | |
| Justice William J. Brennan Jr. | Majority | Wrote an opinion |
| Justice Potter Stewart | Majority | |
| Justice Byron R. White | Majority | |
| Justice Thurgood Marshall | Majority | |
| Chief Justice Warren E. Burger | Special concurrence | |
| Justice Harry A. Blackmun | Special concurrence |
Full case caption
Bell v. Burson, Director, Georgia Department of Public Safety
SCDB identifiers: case 1970-106, docket 1970-106-01.
Related decisions
Other cases on “Due process, hearing or notice”
- Wisconsin v. ConstantineauLaw held unconstitutional
- Jennings v. Mahoney
- Thorpe v. Housing Authority of the City of Durham
- Dillard v. Industrial Commission of Virginia
- Jackson v. Metropolitan Edison Co.
- Goss v. LopezLaw held unconstitutional
Cases on the same legal provision: Fourteenth Amendment (due process)
- Palmer v. City of EuclidLaw held unconstitutional
- Coates v. City of CincinnatiLaw held unconstitutional
- Connell v. HigginbothamLaw held unconstitutional
- Johnson v. Mississippi
- McGautha v. California
- Boddie v. ConnecticutLaw held unconstitutional
Same Term, same area (Due Process)
- Wisconsin v. ConstantineauLaw held unconstitutional
- Palmer v. City of EuclidLaw held unconstitutional
Source: Supreme Court Database, 2026 Release 01 (data file dated September 8, 2026). Imported into CaseTrail November 5, 2026. Coverage: decisions from the 1946 through 2025 Terms. Methodology · Report an error