Communist Party, U. S. A. v. Catherwood

367 U.S. 389 · Decided June 12, 1961 · Supreme Court of the United States

At a glance

Communist Party, U. S. A. v. Catherwood was decided on June 12, 1961 unanimously (9–0). The Court reversed the lower court's decision and remanded the case. Justice John M. Harlan II wrote the opinion of the Court. SCDB classifies its main issue as “Internal security legislation” 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

Full case caption

Communist Party, U. S. A., et al. v. Catherwood, Industrial Commissioner

SCDB identifiers: case 1960-124, docket 1960-124-01.

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Other cases on “Internal security legislation”

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  368 U.S. 231Decided December 11, 19615–4Charles E. Whittaker
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  376 U.S. 605Decided March 30, 19649–0Arthur J. Goldberg

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Cases on the same legal provision: Smith Act, Subversive Activities Control Act, or similar legislation

• Kimm v. Rosenberg
  363 U.S. 405Decided June 13, 19605–4Per curiam
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  362 U.S. 390Decided April 18, 19605–4Per curiam
• Uphaus v. Wyman
  360 U.S. 72Decided June 8, 19595–4Tom C. Clark
• Bonetti v. Rogers
  356 U.S. 691Decided June 2, 19586–3Charles E. Whittaker
• W. E. B. Dubois Clubs of America v. Clark
  389 U.S. 309Decided December 11, 19677–2Per curiam

Same Term, same area (First Amendment)

• McPhaul v. United States
  364 U.S. 372Decided November 14, 19605–4Charles E. Whittaker
• Uphaus v. Wyman
  364 U.S. 388Decided November 14, 19606–3Per curiam
• Shelton v. TuckerLaw held unconstitutional
  364 U.S. 479Decided December 12, 19605–4Potter Stewart
• Travis v. United States
  364 U.S. 631Decided January 16, 19616–3William O. Douglas
• Times Film Corp. v. City of Chicago
  365 U.S. 43Decided January 23, 19615–4Tom C. Clark
• Wilkinson v. United States
  365 U.S. 399Decided February 27, 19615–4Potter 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