Lefkowitz v. Cunningham
431 U.S. 801 · Decided June 13, 1977 · Supreme Court of the United States
At a glance
Lefkowitz v. Cunningham was decided on June 13, 1977 by a vote of 7–1. The Court affirmed the lower court's decision. Chief Justice Warren E. Burger wrote the opinion of the Court. SCDB classifies its main issue as “Self-incrimination, immunity from prosecution” in the Criminal Procedure area. SCDB records that the Court declared a state or territorial law, regulation or constitutional provision unconstitutional.
Read the opinion
Case details
- Citations
- 431 U.S. 801 · 97 S. Ct. 2132 · 53 L. Ed. 2d 1 · 1977 U.S. LEXIS 19
- Docket number
- 76-260
- Decided
- June 13, 1977
- Argued
- February 28, 1977
- 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
- 7–1
- Majority opinion
- Warren E. Burger
- Opinion assigned by
- Warren E. Burger
- How the case arrived
- Appeal
- Issue (SCDB)
- Self-incrimination, immunity from prosecution
- Issue area
- Criminal Procedure
- Legal provision
- Fifth Amendment (self-incrimination)
- 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 J. Brennan Jr. | Special concurrence | Wrote an opinion |
| Justice Potter Stewart | Majority | |
| Justice Byron R. White | Majority | |
| Justice Thurgood Marshall | Special concurrence | |
| Chief Justice Warren E. Burger | Majority | Wrote an opinion |
| Justice Harry A. Blackmun | Majority | |
| Justice Lewis F. Powell Jr. | Majority | |
| Justice John Paul Stevens | Dissent | Wrote an opinion |
Did not participate: William H. Rehnquist.
Full case caption
Lefkowitz, Attorney General of New York v. Cunningham et al.
SCDB identifiers: case 1976-130, docket 1976-130-01.
Related decisions
Other cases on “Self-incrimination, immunity from prosecution”
- New Jersey v. Portash
- United States v. Apfelbaum
- Lefkowitz v. TurleyLaw held unconstitutional
- Kastigar v. United States
- Zicarelli v. New Jersey State Commission of Investigation
- Sarno v. Illinois Crime Investigating Commission
Cases on the same legal provision: Fifth Amendment (self-incrimination)
- United States v. Wong
- United States v. Washington
- Lakeside v. Oregon
- Andresen v. Maryland
- Fisher v. United States
- Garner v. United States
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