Griggs v. Duke Power Co.

401 U.S. 424 · Decided March 8, 1971 · Supreme Court of the United States

At a glance

Griggs v. Duke Power Co. was decided on March 8, 1971 unanimously (8–0). The Court reversed the lower court's decision. Chief Justice Warren E. Burger wrote the opinion of the Court. SCDB classifies its main issue as “Employment discrimination (race, age, religion, illegitimacy, national origin, working conditions)” in the Civil Rights 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: William J. Brennan Jr..

Full case caption

Griggs et al. v. Duke Power Co.

SCDB identifiers: case 1970-056, docket 1970-056-01.

Related decisions

Other cases on “Employment discrimination (race, age, religion, illegitimacy, national origin, working conditions)”

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Cases on the same legal provision: Civil Rights Act of 1964 (Title VII)

• Phillips v. Martin Marietta Corp.
  400 U.S. 542Decided January 25, 19719–0Per curiam
• Espinoza et Vir v. Farah Manufacturing Co., Inc.
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• Richmond Unified School District v. Berg
  434 U.S. 158Decided December 6, 19779–0Per curiam

Same Term, same area (Civil Rights)

• Oregon v. MitchellLaw held unconstitutional
  400 U.S. 112Decided December 21, 19705–4Hugo L. Black
• Perkins v. Matthews
  400 U.S. 379Decided January 14, 19718–1William J. Brennan Jr.
• Kennerly v. District Court of the Ninth Judicial District of Montana
  400 U.S. 423Decided January 18, 19717–2Per curiam
• Phillips v. Martin Marietta Corp.
  400 U.S. 542Decided January 25, 19719–0Per curiam
• Relford v. Commandant, U.S. Disciplinary Barracks, Ft. Leavenworth
  401 U.S. 355Decided February 24, 19719–0Harry A. Blackmun
• Boddie v. ConnecticutLaw held unconstitutional
  401 U.S. 371Decided March 2, 19718–1John M. Harlan II

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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