Henderson v. Kibbe
431 U.S. 145 · Decided May 16, 1977 · 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
Henderson v. Kibbe was decided on May 16, 1977 unanimously (8–0). The Court reversed the lower court's decision. Justice John Paul Stevens wrote the opinion of the Court. SCDB classifies its main issue as “Extra-legal jury influences, jury instructions” in the Criminal Procedure area.
Read the opinion
Case details
- Citations
- 431 U.S. 145 · 97 S. Ct. 1730 · 52 L. Ed. 2d 203 · 1977 U.S. LEXIS 84
- Docket number
- 75-1906
- Decided
- May 16, 1977
- Argued
- March 1, 1977
- Court era
- Burger Court
- Decision type
- Opinion of the Court (orally argued)
- Disposition
- Reversed
- Outcome for petitioner
- The petitioning party received a favorable disposition
- Vote
- 8–0 (unanimous)
- Majority opinion
- John Paul Stevens
- Opinion assigned by
- Warren E. Burger
- How the case arrived
- Certiorari
- Issue (SCDB)
- Extra-legal jury influences, jury instructions
- Issue area
- Criminal Procedure
- Legal provision
- Fourteenth Amendment (due process)
- Type of law
- Constitutional amendment
- Decision direction (SCDB)
- Conservative what this means
How the Justices voted
| Justice | Vote | Separate writing |
|---|---|---|
| Justice William J. Brennan Jr. | Majority | |
| Justice Potter Stewart | Majority | |
| Justice Byron R. White | Majority | |
| Justice Thurgood Marshall | Majority | |
| Chief Justice Warren E. Burger | Special concurrence | Wrote an opinion |
| Justice Harry A. Blackmun | Majority | |
| Justice Lewis F. Powell Jr. | Majority | |
| Justice John Paul Stevens | Majority | Wrote an opinion |
Did not participate: William H. Rehnquist.
Full case caption
Henderson, Correctional Superintendent v. Kibbe
SCDB identifiers: case 1976-100, docket 1976-100-01.
Related decisions
Other cases on “Extra-legal jury influences, jury instructions”
- United States v. Pomponio
- Taylor v. Kentucky
- Kentucky v. Whorton
- Sandstrom v. Montana
- Cupp v. Naughten
- United States v. Bishop
Cases on the same legal provision: Fourteenth Amendment (due process)
- Dixon v. Love
- Moore v. City of East ClevelandLaw held unconstitutional
- Bounds v. Smith
- Carey v. Population Services InternationalLaw held unconstitutional
- Smith v. Organization of Foster Families for Equality & Reform
- Manson v. Brathwaite
Same Term, same area (Criminal Procedure)
- United States v. Morrison
- United States v. Rose
- United States v. Dieter
- United States v. Pomponio
- United States v. Sanford
- Moore v. United States
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