Blau v. United States

340 U.S. 159 · Decided December 11, 1950 · Supreme Court of the United States

At a glance

Blau v. United States was decided on December 11, 1950 unanimously (8–0). The Court reversed the lower court's decision. Justice Hugo L. Black wrote the opinion of the Court. SCDB classifies its main issue as “Self-incrimination (general)” in the Criminal Procedure area.

Read the opinion

• CourtListener (Free Law Project) — opinion text
• Library of Congress — official U.S. Reports scan

Case details

How the Justices voted

Did not participate: Tom C. Clark.

Full case caption

Blau v. United States

SCDB identifiers: case 1950-015, docket 1950-015-01.

Related decisions

Other cases on “Self-incrimination (general)”

• Rogers v. United States
  340 U.S. 367Decided February 26, 19515–3Fred M. Vinson
• Hoffman v. United States
  341 U.S. 479Decided May 28, 19518–1Tom C. Clark
• United States v. Bryan
  339 U.S. 323Decided May 8, 19505–2Fred M. Vinson
• United States v. Fleischman
  339 U.S. 349Decided May 8, 19505–2Fred M. Vinson
• United States v. Kahriger
  345 U.S. 22Decided March 9, 19536–3Stanley F. Reed
• Adamson v. California
  332 U.S. 46Decided June 23, 19475–4Stanley F. Reed

See all

Cases on the same legal provision: Fifth Amendment (self-incrimination)

• United States v. Carignan
  342 U.S. 36Decided November 13, 19515–3Stanley F. Reed
• Gallegos v. Nebraska
  342 U.S. 55Decided November 26, 19516–2Stanley F. Reed
• Rochin v. California
  342 U.S. 165Decided January 2, 19528–0Felix Frankfurter
• Stroble v. California
  343 U.S. 181Decided April 7, 19526–3Tom C. Clark
• Brown v. Allen
  344 U.S. 443Decided February 9, 19536–3Stanley F. Reed
• Townsend v. Burke
  334 U.S. 736Decided June 14, 19486–3Robert H. Jackson

Same Term, same area (Criminal Procedure)

• United States v. Sanchez
  340 U.S. 42Decided November 13, 19509–0Tom C. Clark
• Gusik v. Schilder
  340 U.S. 128Decided December 4, 19509–0William O. Douglas
• Dowd v. United States ex Rel. Cook
  340 U.S. 206Decided January 2, 19519–0Hugo L. Black
• Blau v. United States
  340 U.S. 332Decided January 15, 19516–2Hugo L. Black
• Rogers v. United States
  340 U.S. 367Decided February 26, 19515–3Fred M. Vinson
• United States v. Moore et Ux.
  340 U.S. 616Decided March 26, 19515–4Tom C. Clark

See all

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