McGautha v. California
402 U.S. 183 · Decided May 3, 1971 · 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
McGautha v. California was decided on May 3, 1971 by a vote of 6–3. The Court affirmed the lower court's decision. Justice John M. Harlan II wrote the opinion of the Court. SCDB classifies its main issue as “Extra-legal jury influences, jurors and death penalty” in the Criminal Procedure area.
Read the opinion
Case details
- Citations
- 402 U.S. 183 · 91 S. Ct. 1454 · 28 L. Ed. 2d 711 · 1971 U.S. LEXIS 107
- Docket number
- 203
- Decided
- May 3, 1971
- Argued
- November 9, 1970
- 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
- 6–3
- Majority opinion
- John M. Harlan II
- Opinion assigned by
- Warren E. Burger
- How the case arrived
- Certiorari
- 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 Hugo L. Black | Special concurrence | Wrote an opinion |
| Justice William O. Douglas | Dissent | Wrote an opinion |
| Justice John M. Harlan II | Majority | Wrote an opinion |
| Justice William J. Brennan Jr. | Dissent | Wrote an opinion |
| Justice Potter Stewart | Majority | |
| Justice Byron R. White | Majority | |
| Justice Thurgood Marshall | Dissent | |
| Chief Justice Warren E. Burger | Majority | |
| Justice Harry A. Blackmun | Majority |
Full case caption
McGautha v. California
SCDB identifiers: case 1970-094, docket 1970-094-01.
Related decisions
Other cases on “Extra-legal jury influences, jurors and death penalty”
- Maxwell v. Bishop
- Lopinson v. Pennsylvania
- Spence v. North Carolina
- Witherspoon v. IllinoisLaw held unconstitutional
- Bumper v. North Carolina
- Davis v. Georgia
Cases on the same legal provision: Fourteenth Amendment (due process)
- Bell v. BursonLaw held unconstitutional
- Palmer v. City of EuclidLaw held unconstitutional
- Coates v. City of CincinnatiLaw held unconstitutional
- Connell v. HigginbothamLaw held unconstitutional
- Johnson v. Mississippi
- Boddie v. ConnecticutLaw held unconstitutional
Same Term, same area (Criminal Procedure)
- Colombo v. New York
- Thompson v. United States
- North Carolina v. Alford
- Dutton v. Evans
- Wyman v. James
- Procunier v. Atchley
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