CaseTrail

Massachusetts v. White

439 U.S. 280 · Decided December 11, 1978 · 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

Massachusetts v. White was decided on December 11, 1978 by a vote of 4–4. The Court affirmed the lower court's decision. The Justices were equally divided, which leaves the lower court's judgment in place without setting precedent. SCDB classifies its main issue as “Search and seizure, vehicles” in the Criminal Procedure area.

Read the opinion

Case details

Citations
439 U.S. 280 · 99 S. Ct. 712 · 58 L. Ed. 2d 519 · 1978 U.S. LEXIS 2454
Docket number
77-1388
Decided
December 11, 1978
Argued
November 28, 1978
Court era
Burger Court
Decision type
Equally divided vote
Disposition
Affirmed
Outcome for petitioner
The petitioning party did not receive a favorable disposition
Vote
4–4
How the case arrived
Certiorari
Decision direction (SCDB)
Liberal what this means

How the Justices voted

JusticeVoteSeparate writing
Justice William J. Brennan Jr.Equally divided vote
Justice Potter StewartEqually divided vote
Justice Byron R. WhiteEqually divided vote
Justice Thurgood MarshallEqually divided vote
Chief Justice Warren E. BurgerEqually divided vote
Justice Harry A. BlackmunEqually divided vote
Justice William H. RehnquistEqually divided vote
Justice John Paul StevensEqually divided vote

Did not participate: Lewis F. Powell Jr..

Full case caption

Massachusetts v. White

SCDB identifiers: case 1978-017, docket 1978-017-01.

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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