Draper v. United States

358 U.S. 307 · Decided January 26, 1959 · Supreme Court of the United States

At a glance

Draper v. United States was decided on January 26, 1959 by a vote of 6–1. The Court affirmed the lower court's decision. Justice Charles E. Whittaker wrote the opinion of the Court. SCDB classifies its main issue as “Search and seizure (general)” in the Criminal Procedure 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: Felix Frankfurter, Earl Warren.

Full case caption

Draper v. United States

SCDB identifiers: case 1958-033, docket 1958-033-01.

Related decisions

Other cases on “Search and seizure (general)”

• Frank v. Maryland
  359 U.S. 360Decided May 4, 19595–4Felix Frankfurter
• Ohio ex Rel. Eaton v. Price
  360 U.S. 246Decided June 8, 19594–4Per curiam
• Giordenello v. United States
  357 U.S. 480Decided June 30, 19586–3John M. Harlan II
• Jones v. United States
  357 U.S. 493Decided June 30, 19587–2John M. Harlan II
• Joines v. United States
  357 U.S. 573Decided June 30, 19587–2Per curiam
• Giordenello v. United States
  357 U.S. 576Decided June 30, 19586–3Per curiam

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Cases on the same legal provision: Fourth Amendment

• Rios v. United States
  364 U.S. 253Decided June 27, 19605–4Potter Stewart
• Lanza v. New York
  370 U.S. 139Decided June 4, 19627–0Potter Stewart
• Wheeldin v. Wheeler
  373 U.S. 647Decided June 3, 19636–3William O. Douglas
• Fahy v. Connecticut
  375 U.S. 85Decided December 2, 19635–4Earl Warren
• Preston v. United States
  376 U.S. 364Decided March 23, 19649–0Hugo L. Black
• Cooper v. California
  386 U.S. 58Decided February 20, 19675–4Hugo L. Black

Same Term, same area (Criminal Procedure)

• Hawkins v. United States
  358 U.S. 74Decided November 24, 19589–0Hugo L. Black
• Ladner v. United StatesAltered precedent
  358 U.S. 169Decided December 15, 19588–1William J. Brennan Jr.
• United States ex Rel. Jennings v. Ragen
  358 U.S. 276Decided January 12, 19598–0Per curiam
• Greene v. United States
  358 U.S. 326Decided January 26, 19599–0Per curiam
• Heflin v. United States
  358 U.S. 415Decided February 24, 19599–0William O. Douglas
• Williams v. Oklahoma
  358 U.S. 576Decided February 24, 19598–1Charles E. Whittaker

See all

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