Cole v. Richardson

405 U.S. 676 · Decided April 18, 1972 · Supreme Court of the United States

At a glance

Cole v. Richardson was decided on April 18, 1972 by a vote of 4–3. The Court reversed the lower court's decision and remanded the case. Chief Justice Warren E. Burger wrote the opinion of the Court. SCDB classifies its main issue as “Loyalty oath, government employees” in the First Amendment area.

Read the opinion

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

Case details

How the Justices voted

Did not participate: Lewis F. Powell Jr., William H. Rehnquist.

Full case caption

Cole, State Hospital Superintendent, et al. v. Richardson

SCDB identifiers: case 1971-089, docket 1971-089-01.

Related decisions

Other cases on “Loyalty oath, government employees”

• Cole v. Richardson
  397 U.S. 238Decided March 16, 19707–1Per curiam
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• Baggett v. BullittLaw held unconstitutional
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Cases on the same legal provision: First Amendment (speech, press, and assembly)

• Gooding v. WilsonLaw held unconstitutional
  405 U.S. 518Decided March 23, 19725–2William J. Brennan Jr.
• Colten v. Kentucky
  407 U.S. 104Decided June 12, 19727–2Byron R. White
• Flower v. United States
  407 U.S. 197Decided June 12, 19726–3Per curiam
• Lloyd Corp., Ltd. v. Tanner
  407 U.S. 551Decided June 22, 19725–4Lewis F. Powell Jr.
• Kois v. Wisconsin
  408 U.S. 229Decided June 26, 19729–0Per curiam
• Branzburg v. Hayes
  408 U.S. 665Decided June 29, 19725–4Byron R. White

Same Term, same area (First Amendment)

• Parisi v. Davidson
  405 U.S. 34Decided February 23, 19727–0Potter Stewart
• Rabe v. Washington
  405 U.S. 313Decided March 20, 19729–0Per curiam
• Cruz v. Beto
  405 U.S. 319Decided March 20, 19728–1Per curiam
• Fein v. Selective Service System Local Board No. 7 of Yonkers
  405 U.S. 365Decided March 21, 19724–3Harry A. Blackmun
• Gooding v. WilsonLaw held unconstitutional
  405 U.S. 518Decided March 23, 19725–2William J. Brennan Jr.
• Wisconsin v. YoderLaw held unconstitutional
  406 U.S. 205Decided May 15, 19727–0Warren E. Burger

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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