Eisenstadt v. Baird
405 U.S. 438 · Decided March 22, 1972 · Supreme Court of the United States
At a glance
Eisenstadt v. Baird was decided on March 22, 1972 by a vote of 6–1. The Court affirmed the lower court's decision. Justice William J. Brennan Jr. wrote the opinion of the Court. SCDB classifies its main issue as “Abortion and contraceptives” in the Privacy area. SCDB records that the Court declared a state or territorial law, regulation or constitutional provision unconstitutional.
Read the opinion
Case details
- Citations
- 405 U.S. 438 · 92 S. Ct. 1029 · 31 L. Ed. 2d 349 · 1972 U.S. LEXIS 145
- Docket number
- 70-17
- Decided
- March 22, 1972
- Argued
- November 17, 1971
- Court era
- Burger Court
- Decision type
- Opinion of the Court (orally argued)
- Disposition
- Affirmed
- Outcome for petitioner
- The petitioning party did not receive a favorable disposition
- Vote
- 6–1
- Majority opinion
- William J. Brennan Jr.
- Opinion assigned by
- William O. Douglas
- How the case arrived
- Appeal
- Issue (SCDB)
- Abortion and contraceptives
- Issue area
- Privacy
- Legal provision
- Fourteenth Amendment (equal protection)
- Type of law
- Constitutional amendment
- Held unconstitutional
- A state or territorial law, regulation or constitutional provision
- Decision direction (SCDB)
- Liberal what this means
How the Justices voted
| Justice | Vote | Separate writing |
|---|---|---|
| Justice William O. Douglas | Concurrence | Wrote an opinion |
| Justice William J. Brennan Jr. | Majority | Wrote an opinion |
| Justice Potter Stewart | Majority | |
| Justice Byron R. White | Special concurrence | Wrote an opinion |
| Justice Thurgood Marshall | Majority | |
| Chief Justice Warren E. Burger | Dissent | Wrote an opinion |
| Justice Harry A. Blackmun | Special concurrence |
Did not participate: Lewis F. Powell Jr., William H. Rehnquist.
Full case caption
Eisenstadt, Sheriff v. Baird
SCDB identifiers: case 1971-079, docket 1971-079-01.
Related decisions
Other cases on “Abortion and contraceptives”
- Roe v. WadeLaw held unconstitutional
- Doe v. BoltonLaw held unconstitutional
- United States v. Vuitch
- Poe v. Gerstein
- Connecticut v. Menillo
- Planned Parenthood of Central Missouri v. DanforthLaw held unconstitutional
Cases on the same legal provision: Fourteenth Amendment (equal protection)
- Dunn v. BlumsteinAltered precedentLaw held unconstitutional
- Alexander v. Louisiana
- Bullock v. CarterLaw held unconstitutional
- Weber v. Aetna Casualty & Surety Co.Law held unconstitutional
- Connor v. Williams
- Jefferson v. Hackney
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