Brooks v. Tennessee

406 U.S. 605 · Decided June 7, 1972 · Supreme Court of the United States

At a glance

Brooks v. Tennessee was decided on June 7, 1972 by a vote of 6–3. 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 “Self-incrimination (general)” in the Criminal Procedure area. SCDB records that the Court declared a state or territorial law, regulation or constitutional provision unconstitutional.

Read the opinion

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

Case details

How the Justices voted

Full case caption

Brooks v. Tennessee

SCDB identifiers: case 1971-123, docket 1971-123-01.

Related decisions

Other cases on “Self-incrimination (general)”

• Couch v. United States
  409 U.S. 322Decided January 9, 19737–2Lewis F. Powell Jr.
• Wardius v. OregonLaw held unconstitutional
  412 U.S. 470Decided June 11, 19739–0Thurgood Marshall
• California v. Byers
  402 U.S. 424Decided May 17, 19715–4Warren E. Burger
• United States v. Freed
  401 U.S. 601Decided April 5, 19719–0William O. Douglas
• United States v. Kahan
  415 U.S. 239Decided February 25, 19746–3Per curiam
• Williams v. FloridaAltered precedent
  399 U.S. 78Decided June 22, 19706–2Byron R. White

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

• Kastigar v. United States
  406 U.S. 441Decided May 22, 19725–2Lewis F. Powell Jr.
• Zicarelli v. New Jersey State Commission of Investigation
  406 U.S. 472Decided May 22, 19725–2Lewis F. Powell Jr.
• Beecher v. Alabama
  408 U.S. 234Decided June 26, 19729–0Per curiam
• Harris v. New York
  401 U.S. 222Decided February 24, 19715–4Warren E. Burger
• Lefkowitz v. TurleyLaw held unconstitutional
  414 U.S. 70Decided November 19, 19739–0Byron R. White
• Brady v. United States
  397 U.S. 742Decided May 4, 19708–0Byron R. White

Same Term, same area (Criminal Procedure)

• Harris v. Washington
  404 U.S. 55Decided November 16, 19715–2Per curiam
• Cruz v. Hauck
  404 U.S. 59Decided November 16, 19717–0Per curiam
• Wilwording v. Swenson
  404 U.S. 249Decided December 14, 19716–1Per curiam
• Santobello v. New York
  404 U.S. 257Decided December 20, 19714–3Warren E. Burger
• Picard v. Connor
  404 U.S. 270Decided December 20, 19716–1William J. Brennan Jr.
• United States v. Campos-Serrano
  404 U.S. 293Decided December 20, 19714–3Potter Stewart

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