James v. Strange

407 U.S. 128 · Decided June 12, 1972 · Supreme Court of the United States

At a glance

James v. Strange was decided on June 12, 1972 unanimously (9–0). The Court affirmed the lower court's decision. Justice Lewis F. Powell Jr. wrote the opinion of the Court. SCDB classifies its main issue as “Indigents, costs or filing fees” in the Civil Rights area. SCDB records that the Court declared a state or territorial law, regulation or constitutional provision unconstitutional.

Read the opinion

• CourtListener (Free Law Project) — opinion text
• Library of Congress — official U.S. Reports scan

Case details

How the Justices voted

Full case caption

James, Judicial Administrator, et al. v. Strange

SCDB identifiers: case 1971-137, docket 1971-137-01.

Related decisions

Other cases on “Indigents, costs or filing fees”

• Huffman v. Boersen
  406 U.S. 337Decided May 15, 19729–0Per curiam
• Schilb v. Kuebel
  404 U.S. 357Decided December 20, 19714–3Harry A. Blackmun
• United States v. Kras
  409 U.S. 434Decided January 10, 19735–4Harry A. Blackmun
• Ortwein v. Schwab
  410 U.S. 656Decided March 5, 19735–4Per curiam
• Gaca v. United States
  411 U.S. 618Decided May 7, 19737–2Per curiam
• Boddie v. ConnecticutLaw held unconstitutional
  401 U.S. 371Decided March 2, 19718–1John M. Harlan II

See all

Cases on the same legal provision: Fourteenth Amendment (equal protection)

• Moose Lodge No. 107 v. Irvis
  407 U.S. 163Decided June 12, 19726–3William H. Rehnquist
• Jackson v. IndianaLaw held unconstitutional
  406 U.S. 715Decided June 7, 19727–0Harry A. Blackmun
• Wright v. Council of the City of Emporia
  407 U.S. 451Decided June 22, 19725–4Potter Stewart
• United States v. Scotland Neck City Board of EducationLaw held unconstitutional
  407 U.S. 484Decided June 22, 19729–0Potter Stewart
• Peters v. Kiff
  407 U.S. 493Decided June 22, 19726–3Thurgood Marshall
• Jefferson v. Hackney
  406 U.S. 535Decided May 30, 19725–4William H. Rehnquist

Same Term, same area (Civil Rights)

• Engelman v. Amos
  404 U.S. 23Decided November 9, 19717–0Per curiam
• Doherty v. United States
  404 U.S. 28Decided November 9, 19717–0Per curiam
• Schreiner v. United States
  404 U.S. 67Decided November 16, 19717–0Per curiam
• Reed v. ReedLaw held unconstitutional
  404 U.S. 71Decided November 22, 19717–0Warren E. Burger
• Richardson v. Belcher
  404 U.S. 78Decided November 22, 19714–3Potter Stewart
• Mayer v. City of Chicago
  404 U.S. 189Decided December 13, 19717–0William J. Brennan Jr.

See all

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