Curtis Publishing Co. v. Butts
388 U.S. 130 · Decided June 12, 1967 · 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
Curtis Publishing Co. v. Butts was decided on June 12, 1967 by a vote of 5–4. The Court affirmed the lower court's decision. Justice John M. Harlan II wrote the opinion announcing the judgment of the Court. SCDB classifies its main issue as “Libel and defamation” in the First Amendment area.
Read the opinion
Case details
- Citations
- 388 U.S. 130 · 87 S. Ct. 1975 · 18 L. Ed. 2d 1094 · 1967 U.S. LEXIS 1084
- Docket number
- 37
- Decided
- June 12, 1967
- Argued
- February 23, 1967
- Court era
- Warren Court
- Decision type
- Judgment of the Court (orally argued)
- Disposition
- Affirmed
- Outcome for petitioner
- The petitioning party did not receive a favorable disposition
- Vote
- 5–4
- Majority opinion
- John M. Harlan II
- Opinion assigned by
- Earl Warren
- How the case arrived
- Certiorari
- Issue (SCDB)
- Libel and defamation
- Issue area
- First Amendment
- Legal provision
- First Amendment (speech, press, and assembly)
- Type of law
- Constitutional amendment
- Decision direction (SCDB)
- Conservative what this means
How the Justices voted
| Justice | Vote | Separate writing |
|---|---|---|
| Justice Hugo L. Black | Dissent | Wrote an opinion |
| Justice William O. Douglas | Dissent | |
| Justice Tom C. Clark | Majority | |
| Chief Justice Earl Warren | Special concurrence | Wrote an opinion |
| Justice John M. Harlan II | Judgment of the Court | Wrote an opinion |
| Justice William J. Brennan Jr. | Dissent | Wrote an opinion |
| Justice Potter Stewart | Majority | |
| Justice Byron R. White | Dissent | |
| Justice Abe Fortas | Majority |
Full case caption
Curtis Publishing Co. v. Butts
SCDB identifiers: case 1966-123, docket 1966-123-01.
Related decisions
Other cases on “Libel and defamation”
- Associated Press v. Walker
- Beckley Newspapers Corp. v. Hanks
- St. Amant v. Thompson
- Pickering v. Board of Education of Township High School District 205
- Watts v. Seward School Board
- Ashton v. Kentucky
Cases on the same legal provision: First Amendment (speech, press, and assembly)
- Redrup v. New York
- Keyishian v. Board of Regents of the University of the State of New YorkAltered precedentLaw held unconstitutional
- Time, Inc. v. Hill
- Whitehill v. ElkinsLaw held unconstitutional
- United Mine Workers of America v. Illinois State Bar Association
- Bond v. Floyd
Same Term, same area (First Amendment)
- Adderley v. Florida
- Bond v. Floyd
- Time, Inc. v. Hill
- United States v. Laub
- Travis v. United States
- Keyishian v. Board of Regents of the University of the State of New YorkAltered precedentLaw held unconstitutional
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