Moragne v. States Marine Lines, Inc.
398 U.S. 375 · Decided June 15, 1970 · Supreme Court of the United States
At a glance
Moragne v. States Marine Lines, Inc. was decided on June 15, 1970 unanimously (8–0). The Court reversed the lower court's decision and remanded the case. Justice John M. Harlan II wrote the opinion of the Court. SCDB classifies its main issue as “Election of remedies” in the Economic Activity area. SCDB codes this decision as formally altering one or more of the Court's own precedents.
Read the opinion
Case details
- Citations
- 398 U.S. 375 · 90 S. Ct. 1772 · 26 L. Ed. 2d 339 · 1970 U.S. LEXIS 76
- Docket number
- 175
- Decided
- June 15, 1970
- Argued
- March 4, 1970
- Court era
- Burger Court
- Decision type
- Opinion of the Court (orally argued)
- Disposition
- Reversed and remanded
- Outcome for petitioner
- The petitioning party received a favorable disposition
- Vote
- 8–0 (unanimous)
- Majority opinion
- John M. Harlan II
- Opinion assigned by
- Warren E. Burger
- How the case arrived
- Certiorari
- Issue (SCDB)
- Election of remedies
- Issue area
- Economic Activity
- Altered precedent
- Yes — formally altered the Court's precedent
- Decision direction (SCDB)
- Liberal what this means
How the Justices voted
| Justice | Vote | Separate writing |
|---|---|---|
| Justice Hugo L. Black | Majority | |
| Justice William O. Douglas | Majority | |
| Justice John M. Harlan II | Majority | Wrote an opinion |
| Justice William J. Brennan Jr. | Majority | |
| Justice Potter Stewart | Majority | |
| Justice Byron R. White | Majority | |
| Justice Thurgood Marshall | Majority | |
| Chief Justice Warren E. Burger | Majority |
Did not participate: Harry A. Blackmun.
Full case caption
Moragne v. States Marine Lines, Inc., et al.
SCDB identifiers: case 1969-112, docket 1969-112-01.
Related decisions
Other cases on “Election of remedies”
- Hellenic Lines Ltd. v. Rhoditis
- Nacirema Operating Co., Inc. v. Johnson
- U.S. Bulk Carriers, Inc. v. Arguelles
- Rodrigue v. Aetna Casualty & Surety Co.
- Crane v. Cedar Rapids & Iowa City Railway Co.
- McClanahan v. Morauer & Hartzell, Inc.
Same Term, same area (Economic Activity)
- Simpson v. Union Oil Co. of California
- Anderson's-Black Rock, Inc. v. Pavement Salvage Co., Inc.
- Zuber v. Allen
- Nacirema Operating Co., Inc. v. Johnson
- United States v. Interstate Commerce Commission
- Pike v. Bruce Church, Inc.Law held unconstitutional
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