Graham v. Richardson
403 U.S. 365 · Decided June 14, 1971 · Supreme Court of the United States
At a glance
Graham v. Richardson was decided on June 14, 1971 unanimously (9–0). The Court affirmed the lower court's decision. Justice Harry A. Blackmun wrote the opinion of the Court. SCDB classifies its main issue as “Immigration, welfare benefits” in the Civil Rights area. SCDB records that the Court declared a state or territorial law, regulation or constitutional provision unconstitutional.
Read the opinion
Case details
- Citations
- 403 U.S. 365 · 91 S. Ct. 1848 · 29 L. Ed. 2d 534 · 1971 U.S. LEXIS 28
- Docket number
- 609
- Decided
- June 14, 1971
- Argued
- March 22, 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
- 9–0 (unanimous)
- Majority opinion
- Harry A. Blackmun
- Opinion assigned by
- Warren E. Burger
- How the case arrived
- Appeal
- Issue (SCDB)
- Immigration, welfare benefits
- Issue area
- Civil Rights
- 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 Hugo L. Black | Majority | |
| Justice William O. Douglas | Majority | |
| Justice John M. Harlan II | Special concurrence | Wrote an opinion |
| Justice William J. Brennan Jr. | Majority | |
| Justice Potter Stewart | Majority | |
| Justice Byron R. White | Majority | |
| Justice Thurgood Marshall | Majority | |
| Chief Justice Warren E. Burger | Majority | |
| Justice Harry A. Blackmun | Majority | Wrote an opinion |
Full case caption
Graham, Commissioner, Department of Public Welfare of Arizona v. Richardson et al.
SCDB identifiers: case 1970-134, docket 1970-134-01.
Related decisions
Other cases on “Immigration, welfare benefits”
- Mathews v. Diaz
- United States Department of State v. Legal Assistance for Vietnamese Asylum Seekers, Inc.
Cases on the same legal provision: Fourteenth Amendment (equal protection)
- Palmer v. Thompson
- Gordon v. Lance
- Whitcomb v. ChavisLaw held unconstitutional
- Abate v. Mundt
- Jenness v. Fortson
- James v. Valtierra
Same Term, same area (Civil Rights)
- Oregon v. MitchellLaw held unconstitutional
- Perkins v. Matthews
- Kennerly v. District Court of the Ninth Judicial District of Montana
- Phillips v. Martin Marietta Corp.
- Relford v. Commandant, U.S. Disciplinary Barracks, Ft. Leavenworth
- Boddie v. ConnecticutLaw 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