Coates v. City of Cincinnati

402 U.S. 611 · Decided June 1, 1971 · Supreme Court of the United States

At a glance

Coates v. City of Cincinnati was decided on June 1, 1971 by a vote of 5–4. The Court reversed the lower court's decision. Justice Potter Stewart wrote the opinion of the Court. SCDB classifies its main issue as “Protest demonstrations” in the First Amendment area. SCDB records that the Court declared a municipal or other local ordinance 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

Coates et al. v. City of Cincinnati

SCDB identifiers: case 1970-113, docket 1970-113-01.

Related decisions

Other cases on “Protest demonstrations”

• Cohen v. California
  403 U.S. 15Decided June 7, 19715–4John M. Harlan II
• Radich v. New York
  401 U.S. 531Decided March 24, 19714–4
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  405 U.S. 518Decided March 23, 19725–2William J. Brennan Jr.
• Schacht v. United StatesLaw held unconstitutional
  398 U.S. 58Decided May 25, 19708–0Hugo L. Black
• Colten v. Kentucky
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Cases on the same legal provision: Fourteenth Amendment (due process)

• Connell v. HigginbothamLaw held unconstitutional
  403 U.S. 207Decided June 7, 19719–0Per curiam
• Johnson v. Mississippi
  403 U.S. 212Decided June 7, 19719–0Per curiam
• Bell v. BursonLaw held unconstitutional
  402 U.S. 535Decided May 24, 19719–0William J. Brennan Jr.
• Palmer v. City of EuclidLaw held unconstitutional
  402 U.S. 544Decided May 24, 19719–0Per curiam
• McGautha v. California
  402 U.S. 183Decided May 3, 19716–3John M. Harlan II
• Boddie v. ConnecticutLaw held unconstitutional
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Same Term, same area (First Amendment)

• Blount v. RizziLaw held unconstitutional
  400 U.S. 410Decided January 14, 19719–0William J. Brennan Jr.
• Baird v. State Bar of Arizona
  401 U.S. 1Decided February 23, 19715–4Hugo L. Black
• In re Stolar
  401 U.S. 23Decided February 23, 19715–4Hugo L. Black
• Law Students Civil Rights Research Council, Inc. v. Wadmond
  401 U.S. 154Decided February 23, 19715–4Potter Stewart
• United States v. Weller
  401 U.S. 254Decided February 24, 19718–1Potter Stewart
• Monitor Patriot Co. v. Roy
  401 U.S. 265Decided February 24, 19717–2Potter Stewart

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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