Merrill Lynch v. Ware
414 U.S. 117 · Decided December 4, 1973 · 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
Merrill Lynch v. Ware was decided on December 4, 1973 unanimously (8–0). The Court affirmed the lower court's decision. Justice Harry A. Blackmun wrote the opinion of the Court. SCDB classifies its main issue as “Securities regulation” in the Economic Activity area.
Read the opinion
Case details
- Citations
- 414 U.S. 117 · 94 S. Ct. 383 · 38 L. Ed. 2d 348 · 1973 U.S. LEXIS 179
- Docket number
- 72-312
- Decided
- December 4, 1973
- Argued
- October 9, 1973
- 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
- 8–0 (unanimous)
- Majority opinion
- Harry A. Blackmun
- Opinion assigned by
- Warren E. Burger
- How the case arrived
- Certiorari
- Issue (SCDB)
- Securities regulation
- Issue area
- Economic Activity
- Legal provision
- Securities Act of 1933, Securities Exchange Act of 1934, or Williams Act
- Type of law
- Federal statute
- Decision direction (SCDB)
- Liberal what this means
How the Justices voted
| Justice | Vote | Separate writing |
|---|---|---|
| Justice William O. Douglas | Majority | |
| Justice William J. Brennan Jr. | Majority | |
| Justice Byron R. White | Majority | |
| Justice Thurgood Marshall | Majority | |
| Chief Justice Warren E. Burger | Majority | |
| Justice Harry A. Blackmun | Majority | Wrote an opinion |
| Justice Lewis F. Powell Jr. | Majority | |
| Justice William H. Rehnquist | Majority |
Did not participate: Potter Stewart.
Full case caption
Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith, Inc. v. Ware
SCDB identifiers: case 1973-018, docket 1973-018-01.
Related decisions
Other cases on “Securities regulation”
- Kern County Land Co. v. Occidental Petroleum Corp.
- Securities Investor Protection Corp. v. Barbour
- Blue Chip Stamps v. Manor Drug Stores
- United Housing Foundation, Inc. v. Forman
- Rondeau v. Mosinee Paper Corp.
- Reliance Electric Co. v. Emerson Electric Co.
Cases on the same legal provision: Securities Act of 1933, Securities Exchange Act of 1934, or Williams Act
- Gordon v. New York Stock Exchange, Inc.
- Radzanower v. Touche Ross & Co.
- Mills v. Electric Auto-Lite Co.
- Leroy v. Great Western United Corp.
- Chiarella v. United States
- Rubin v. United States
Same Term, same area (Economic Activity)
- North Dakota State Board of Pharmacy v. Snyder's Drug Stores, Inc.Altered precedent
- National Railroad Passenger Corp. v. National Association of Railroad Passengers
- Sea-Land Services, Inc. v. Gaudet
- Federal Power Commission v. New England Power Co.
- Teleprompter Corp. v. Columbia Broadcasting System, Inc.
- United States v. General Dynamics Corp.
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