McGinnis v. Royster

410 U.S. 263 · Decided February 21, 1973 · Supreme Court of the United States

At a glance

McGinnis v. Royster was decided on February 21, 1973 by a vote of 7–2. The Court reversed the lower court's decision. Justice Lewis F. Powell Jr. wrote the opinion of the Court. SCDB classifies its main issue as “Due process, prisoners' and defendants' rights” in the Due Process area.

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

McGinnis, Commissioner of Correction, et al. v. Royster et al.

SCDB identifiers: case 1972-052, docket 1972-052-01.

Related decisions

Other cases on “Due process, prisoners' and defendants' rights”

• Hurtado v. United States
  410 U.S. 578Decided March 5, 19737–2Potter Stewart
• Morrissey v. Brewer
  408 U.S. 471Decided June 29, 19729–0Warren E. Burger
• Marshall v. United States
  414 U.S. 417Decided January 9, 19746–3Warren E. Burger
• Younger v. Gilmore
  404 U.S. 15Decided November 8, 19717–0Per curiam
• Arciniega v. Freeman, U.S. Marshal
  404 U.S. 4Decided October 26, 19717–0Per curiam
• Wolff v. McDonnell
  418 U.S. 539Decided June 26, 19746–3Byron R. White

See all

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

• Mahan v. HowellLaw held unconstitutional
  410 U.S. 315Decided February 21, 19735–3William H. Rehnquist
• Lehnhausen v. Lake Shore Auto Parts Co.Altered precedent
  410 U.S. 356Decided February 22, 19739–0William O. Douglas
• Marston v. Lewis
  410 U.S. 679Decided March 19, 19736–3Per curiam
• Burns v. Fortson
  410 U.S. 686Decided March 19, 19736–3Per curiam
• Salyer Land Co. v. Tulare Lake Basin Water Storage District
  410 U.S. 719Decided March 20, 19736–3William H. Rehnquist
• Associated Enterprises, Inc. v. Toltec Watershed Improvement District
  410 U.S. 743Decided March 20, 19736–3Per curiam

Same Term, same area (Due Process)

• Robinson v. HanrahanLaw held unconstitutional
  409 U.S. 38Decided October 24, 19729–0Per curiam
• Ward v. Village of MonroevilleLaw held unconstitutional
  409 U.S. 57Decided November 14, 19727–2William J. Brennan Jr.
• United States v. Jim
  409 U.S. 80Decided November 20, 19728–1Per curiam
• Almota Farmers Elevator & Warehouse Co. v. United States
  409 U.S. 470Decided January 16, 19735–4Potter Stewart
• United States v. Fuller et Ux.
  409 U.S. 488Decided January 16, 19735–4William H. Rehnquist
• Hurtado v. United States
  410 U.S. 578Decided March 5, 19737–2Potter Stewart

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