Buck v. California
343 U.S. 99 · Decided March 10, 1952 · Supreme Court of the United States
Record summary. This page is generated from the Supreme Court Database’s coded data about the case. It describes who decided what, not the Court’s reasoning. Read the opinion itself before relying on it. Not legal advice.
At a glance
Buck v. California was decided on March 10, 1952 by a vote of 5–4. The Court affirmed the lower court's decision. Justice Sherman Minton wrote the opinion of the Court. SCDB classifies its main issue as “State or local business regulation” in the Economic Activity area.
Read the opinion
Case details
- Citations
- 343 U.S. 99 · 72 S. Ct. 502 · 96 L. Ed. 2d 775 · 1952 U.S. LEXIS 2659
- Docket number
- 165
- Decided
- March 10, 1952
- Argued
- November 28, 1951
- Court era
- Vinson Court
- Decision type
- Opinion of the Court (orally argued)
- Disposition
- Affirmed
- Outcome for petitioner
- The petitioning party did not receive a favorable disposition
- Vote
- 5–4
- Majority opinion
- Sherman Minton
- Opinion assigned by
- Fred M. Vinson
- How the case arrived
- Appeal
- Issue (SCDB)
- State or local business regulation
- Issue area
- Economic Activity
- Legal provision
- Motor Carrier Act
- Type of law
- Federal statute
- Decision direction (SCDB)
- Liberal what this means
How the Justices voted
| Justice | Vote | Separate writing |
|---|---|---|
| Justice Hugo L. Black | Majority | |
| Justice Stanley F. Reed | Dissent | Wrote an opinion |
| Justice Felix Frankfurter | Majority | |
| Justice William O. Douglas | Dissent | |
| Justice Robert H. Jackson | Dissent | |
| Justice Harold H. Burton | Dissent | |
| Chief Justice Fred M. Vinson | Majority | |
| Justice Tom C. Clark | Majority | |
| Justice Sherman Minton | Majority | Wrote an opinion |
Full case caption
Buck et al. v. California
SCDB identifiers: case 1951-059, docket 1951-059-01.
Related decisions
Other cases on “State or local business regulation”
- Lloyd A. Fry Roofing Co. v. Wood
- Breard v. Alexandria
- Standard Oil Co. v. New Jersey
- California State Automobile Association Inter-Insurance Bureau v. Maloney
- Dean Milk Co. v. City of MadisonLaw held unconstitutional
- Cities Service Gas Co. v. Peerless Oil & Gas Co.
Cases on the same legal provision: Motor Carrier Act
- American Trucking Associations, Inc. v. United States
- United States v. Rock Island Motor Transit Co.
- United States v. Capital Transit Company
- Castle v. Hayes Freight Lines, Inc.Law held unconstitutional
- Pyramid Motor Freight Corp. v. Ispass
- American Trucking Associations, Inc. v. United States
Same Term, same area (Economic Activity)
- McMahon v. United States
- Lorain Journal Co. v. United States
- United States v. Fortier
- Desper v. Starved Rock Ferry Co.
- United States v. Kelly
- Pillsbury v. United Engineering Co.
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