Cupp v. Naughten
414 U.S. 141 · Decided December 4, 1973 · 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
Cupp v. Naughten was decided on December 4, 1973 by a vote of 6–3. The Court reversed the lower court's decision. Justice William H. Rehnquist wrote the opinion of the Court. SCDB classifies its main issue as “Extra-legal jury influences, jury instructions” in the Criminal Procedure area.
Read the opinion
Case details
- Citations
- 414 U.S. 141 · 94 S. Ct. 396 · 38 L. Ed. 2d 368 · 1973 U.S. LEXIS 180
- Docket number
- 72-1148
- Decided
- December 4, 1973
- Argued
- October 16, 1973
- 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
- 6–3
- Majority opinion
- William H. Rehnquist
- Opinion assigned by
- Warren E. Burger
- How the case arrived
- Certiorari
- Issue (SCDB)
- Extra-legal jury influences, jury instructions
- Issue area
- Criminal Procedure
- Legal provision
- Fourteenth Amendment (due process)
- Type of law
- Constitutional amendment
- Decision direction (SCDB)
- Conservative what this means
How the Justices voted
| Justice | Vote | Separate writing |
|---|---|---|
| Justice William O. Douglas | Dissent | |
| Justice William J. Brennan Jr. | Dissent | Wrote an opinion |
| Justice Potter Stewart | Majority | |
| Justice Byron R. White | Majority | |
| Justice Thurgood Marshall | Dissent | |
| Chief Justice Warren E. Burger | Majority | |
| Justice Harry A. Blackmun | Majority | |
| Justice Lewis F. Powell Jr. | Majority | |
| Justice William H. Rehnquist | Majority | Wrote an opinion |
Full case caption
Cupp, Penitentiary Superintendent v. Naughten
SCDB identifiers: case 1973-019, docket 1973-019-01.
Related decisions
Other cases on “Extra-legal jury influences, jury instructions”
- United States v. Bishop
- Cool v. United States
- United States v. Pomponio
- Henderson v. Kibbe
- Taylor v. Kentucky
- Frazier v. Cupp
Cases on the same legal provision: Fourteenth Amendment (due process)
- North Dakota State Board of Pharmacy v. Snyder's Drug Stores, Inc.Altered precedent
- Wainwright v. Stone
- Vachon v. New Hampshire
- Cleveland Board of Education v. Lafleur
- Smith v. GoguenLaw held unconstitutional
- Mitchell v. W. T. Grant Co.Altered precedent
Same Term, same area (Criminal Procedure)
- Taylor v. United States
- Moore v. Arizona
- Berry v. City of Cincinnati
- Lefkowitz v. TurleyLaw held unconstitutional
- United States v. Robinson
- Gustafson v. Florida
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