Coleman v. Alabama
399 U.S. 1 · Decided June 22, 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
Coleman v. Alabama was decided on June 22, 1970 by a vote of 5–3. The Court vacated the lower court's decision and remanded the case. Justice William J. Brennan Jr. wrote the opinion announcing the judgment of the Court. SCDB classifies its main issue as “Right to counsel” in the Criminal Procedure area.
Read the opinion
Case details
- Citations
- 399 U.S. 1 · 90 S. Ct. 1999 · 26 L. Ed. 2d 387 · 1970 U.S. LEXIS 17
- Docket number
- 72
- Decided
- June 22, 1970
- Argued
- November 18, 1969
- Court era
- Burger Court
- Decision type
- Judgment of the Court (orally argued)
- Disposition
- Vacated and remanded
- Outcome for petitioner
- The petitioning party received a favorable disposition
- Vote
- 5–3
- Majority opinion
- William J. Brennan Jr.
- Opinion assigned by
- Hugo L. Black
- How the case arrived
- Certiorari
- Issue (SCDB)
- Right to counsel
- Issue area
- Criminal Procedure
- Legal provision
- Sixth Amendment (right to counsel)
- Type of law
- Constitutional amendment
- Decision direction (SCDB)
- Liberal what this means
How the Justices voted
| Justice | Vote | Separate writing |
|---|---|---|
| Justice Hugo L. Black | Special concurrence | Wrote an opinion |
| Justice William O. Douglas | Concurrence | Wrote an opinion |
| Justice John M. Harlan II | Dissent | Wrote an opinion |
| Justice William J. Brennan Jr. | Judgment of the Court | Wrote an opinion |
| Justice Potter Stewart | Dissent | Wrote an opinion |
| Justice Byron R. White | Concurrence | Wrote an opinion |
| Justice Thurgood Marshall | Majority | |
| Chief Justice Warren E. Burger | Dissent | Wrote an opinion |
Did not participate: Harry A. Blackmun.
Full case caption
Coleman et al. v. Alabama
SCDB identifiers: case 1969-117, docket 1969-117-01.
Related decisions
Other cases on “Right to counsel”
- Skinner v. Louisiana
- United States v. Tucker
- Argersinger v. Hamlin
- Milton v. Wainwright
- Burgett v. Texas
- Mempa v. Rhay
Cases on the same legal provision: Sixth Amendment (right to counsel)
- McConnell v. Rhay
- Arsenault v. Massachusetts
- Kirby v. Illinois
- United States v. Ash
- Entsminger v. Iowa
- Moore v. Illinois
Same Term, same area (Criminal Procedure)
- Debacker v. Brainard
- United States v. Knox
- Minor v. United States
- Morales v. New York
- Molinaro v. New Jersey
- Sigler v. Parker
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