Goss v. Lopez
419 U.S. 565 · Decided January 22, 1975 · 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
Goss v. Lopez was decided on January 22, 1975 by a vote of 5–4. The Court affirmed the lower court's decision. Justice Byron R. White wrote the opinion of the Court. SCDB classifies its main issue as “Due process, hearing or notice” in the Due Process area. SCDB records that the Court declared a state or territorial law, regulation or constitutional provision unconstitutional.
Read the opinion
Case details
- Citations
- 419 U.S. 565 · 95 S. Ct. 729 · 42 L. Ed. 2d 725 · 1975 U.S. LEXIS 23
- Docket number
- 73-898
- Decided
- January 22, 1975
- Argued
- October 16, 1974
- 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
- 5–4
- Majority opinion
- Byron R. White
- Opinion assigned by
- William O. Douglas
- How the case arrived
- Appeal
- Issue (SCDB)
- Due process, hearing or notice
- Issue area
- Due Process
- Legal provision
- Fourteenth Amendment (due process)
- 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 | Majority | |
| Justice William J. Brennan Jr. | Majority | |
| Justice Potter Stewart | Majority | |
| Justice Byron R. White | Majority | Wrote an opinion |
| Justice Thurgood Marshall | Majority | |
| Chief Justice Warren E. Burger | Dissent | |
| Justice Harry A. Blackmun | Dissent | |
| Justice Lewis F. Powell Jr. | Dissent | Wrote an opinion |
| Justice William H. Rehnquist | Dissent |
Full case caption
Goss et al. v. Lopez et al.
SCDB identifiers: case 1974-028, docket 1974-028-01.
Related decisions
Other cases on “Due process, hearing or notice”
- Jackson v. Metropolitan Edison Co.
- Dillard v. Industrial Commission of Virginia
- Laing v. United States
- Commissioner of Internal Revenue v. Shapiro et Ux.
- Dixon v. Love
- Smith v. Organization of Foster Families for Equality & Reform
Cases on the same legal provision: Fourteenth Amendment (due process)
- Drope v. Missouri
- Withrow v. Larkin
- Mullaney v. WilburLaw held unconstitutional
- Murphy v. Florida
- O'Connor v. Donaldson
- Taylor v. Hayes
Same Term, same area (Due Process)
- Blanchette v. Connecticut General Insurance Corp.
- Jackson v. Metropolitan Edison Co.
- Drope v. Missouri
- Withrow v. Larkin
- Mullaney v. WilburLaw held unconstitutional
- O'Connor v. Donaldson
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