Chaffin v. Stynchcombe
412 U.S. 17 · Decided May 21, 1973 · 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
Chaffin v. Stynchcombe was decided on May 21, 1973 by a vote of 5–4. The Court affirmed the lower court's decision. Justice Lewis F. Powell Jr. wrote the opinion of the Court. SCDB classifies its main issue as “Jury trial right” in the Criminal Procedure area.
Read the opinion
Case details
- Citations
- 412 U.S. 17 · 93 S. Ct. 1977 · 36 L. Ed. 2d 714 · 1973 U.S. LEXIS 66
- Docket number
- 71-6732
- Decided
- May 21, 1973
- Argued
- February 22, 1973
- Court era
- Burger 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
- Lewis F. Powell Jr.
- Opinion assigned by
- Warren E. Burger
- How the case arrived
- Certiorari
- Issue (SCDB)
- Jury trial right
- Issue area
- Criminal Procedure
- Legal provision
- Sixth Amendment (right to trial by jury)
- Type of law
- Constitutional amendment
- Decision direction (SCDB)
- Conservative what this means
How the Justices voted
| Justice | Vote | Separate writing |
|---|---|---|
| Justice William O. Douglas | Dissent | Wrote an opinion |
| Justice William J. Brennan Jr. | Dissent | |
| Justice Potter Stewart | Dissent | Wrote an opinion |
| Justice Byron R. White | Majority | |
| Justice Thurgood Marshall | Dissent | Wrote an opinion |
| Chief Justice Warren E. Burger | Majority | |
| Justice Harry A. Blackmun | Majority | |
| Justice Lewis F. Powell Jr. | Majority | Wrote an opinion |
| Justice William H. Rehnquist | Majority |
Full case caption
Chaffin v. Stynchcombe, Sheriff
SCDB identifiers: case 1972-120, docket 1972-120-01.
Related decisions
Other cases on “Jury trial right”
- Curtis v. Loether
- Pernell v. Southall Realty
- Johnson v. Louisiana
- Apodaca v. Oregon
- Muniz v. Hoffman
- Rose v. Hodges
Cases on the same legal provision: Sixth Amendment (right to trial by jury)
- Codispoti v. Pennsylvania
- Taylor v. LouisianaAltered precedentLaw held unconstitutional
- McKeiver v. Pennsylvania
- Destefano v. Woods
- Bloom v. Illinois
- Corbitt v. New Jersey
Same Term, same area (Criminal Procedure)
- Murch v. Mottram
- Webb v. Texas
- Cool v. United States
- Neil v. Biggers
- Swenson v. Stidham
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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