Estelle v. Smith
451 U.S. 454 · Decided May 18, 1981 · 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
Estelle v. Smith was decided on May 18, 1981 unanimously (9–0). The Court affirmed the lower court's decision. Chief Justice Warren E. Burger wrote the opinion of the Court. SCDB classifies its main issue as “Self-incrimination (general)” in the Criminal Procedure area.
Read the opinion
Case details
- Citations
- 451 U.S. 454 · 101 S. Ct. 1866 · 68 L. Ed. 2d 359 · 1981 U.S. LEXIS 95
- Docket number
- 79-1127
- Decided
- May 18, 1981
- Argued
- October 8, 1980
- 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
- 9–0 (unanimous)
- Majority opinion
- Warren E. Burger
- Opinion assigned by
- Warren E. Burger
- How the case arrived
- Certiorari
- Issue (SCDB)
- Self-incrimination (general)
- Issue area
- Criminal Procedure
- Legal provision
- Fifth Amendment (self-incrimination)
- Type of law
- Constitutional amendment
- Decision direction (SCDB)
- Liberal what this means
How the Justices voted
| Justice | Vote | Separate writing |
|---|---|---|
| Justice William J. Brennan Jr. | Concurrence | Wrote an opinion |
| Justice Potter Stewart | Special concurrence | Wrote an opinion |
| Justice Byron R. White | Majority | |
| Justice Thurgood Marshall | Concurrence | Wrote an opinion |
| Chief Justice Warren E. Burger | Majority | Wrote an opinion |
| Justice Harry A. Blackmun | Majority | |
| Justice Lewis F. Powell Jr. | Special concurrence | |
| Justice William H. Rehnquist | Special concurrence | Wrote an opinion |
| Justice John Paul Stevens | Majority |
Full case caption
Estelle, Corrections Director v. Smith
SCDB identifiers: case 1980-085, docket 1980-085-01.
Related decisions
Other cases on “Self-incrimination (general)”
- Carter v. Kentucky
- Fletcher v. Weir
- United States v. Ward
- Jenkins v. Anderson
- United States v. Havens
- Roberts v. United States
Cases on the same legal provision: Fifth Amendment (self-incrimination)
- United States v. Apfelbaum
- Pillsbury Co. v. Conboy
- New Jersey v. Portash
- Lefkowitz v. CunninghamLaw held unconstitutional
- Moran v. Burbine
- Colorado v. Spring
Same Term, same area (Criminal Procedure)
- Colorado v. Bannister
- United States v. Difrancesco
- Watkins v. Sowders
- United States v. Morrison
- Mariscal v. United States
- United States v. Cortez
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