Choctaw Nation v. Oklahoma
397 U.S. 620 · Decided April 27, 1970 · 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
Choctaw Nation v. Oklahoma was decided on April 27, 1970 by a vote of 4–3. The Court reversed the lower court's decision. Justice Thurgood Marshall wrote the opinion of the Court. SCDB classifies its main issue as “Indians, state jurisdiction” in the Civil Rights area.
Read the opinion
Case details
- Citations
- 397 U.S. 620 · 90 S. Ct. 1328 · 25 L. Ed. 2d 615 · 1970 U.S. LEXIS 89
- Docket number
- 41
- Decided
- April 27, 1970
- Argued
- October 22, 1969
- Reargued
- March 5, 1970
- Court era
- Burger Court
- Decision type
- Opinion of the Court (orally argued)
- Disposition
- Reversed
- Outcome for petitioner
- The petitioning party received a favorable disposition
- Vote
- 4–3
- Majority opinion
- Thurgood Marshall
- Opinion assigned by
- William O. Douglas
- How the case arrived
- Certiorari
- Issue (SCDB)
- Indians, state jurisdiction
- Issue area
- Civil Rights
- Legal provision
- 7 Stat. 333
- Type of law
- Infrequently litigated statute
- Decision direction (SCDB)
- Liberal what this means
How the Justices voted
| Justice | Vote | Separate writing |
|---|---|---|
| Justice Hugo L. Black | Dissent | |
| Justice William O. Douglas | Concurrence | Wrote an opinion |
| Justice William J. Brennan Jr. | Majority | |
| Justice Potter Stewart | Majority | |
| Justice Byron R. White | Dissent | Wrote an opinion |
| Justice Thurgood Marshall | Majority | Wrote an opinion |
| Chief Justice Warren E. Burger | Dissent |
Did not participate: John M. Harlan II.
Full case caption
Choctaw Nation et al. v. Oklahoma et al.
SCDB identifiers: case 1969-083, docket 1969-083-01.
Related decisions
Other cases on “Indians, state jurisdiction”
- Kennerly v. District Court of the Ninth Judicial District of Montana
- Puyallup Tribe v. Department of Game of Washington
- Menominee Tribe of Indians v. United States
- Mescalero Apache Tribe v. JonesLaw held unconstitutional
- McClanahan v. Arizona State Tax CommissionLaw held unconstitutional
- Tonasket v. Washington
Same Term, same area (Civil Rights)
- Alexander v. Holmes County Board of Education
- Brockington v. Rhodes
- Hall et Ux. v. Beals
- Carter v. West Feliciana Parish School Board
- Sullivan v. Little Hunting Park, Inc.
- Dowell v. Board of Education of Oklahoma City Public Schools
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