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National Association for the Advancement of Colored People v. Alabama ex Rel. Patterson

360 U.S. 240 · Decided June 8, 1959 · 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

National Association for the Advancement of Colored People v. Alabama ex Rel. Patterson was decided on June 8, 1959 unanimously (8–0). The Court reversed the lower court's decision. The decision was issued per curiam (an unsigned opinion of the Court). SCDB classifies its main issue as “Supreme Court jurisdiction on appeal from highest state court” in the Judicial Power area.

Read the opinion

Case details

Citations
360 U.S. 240 · 79 S. Ct. 1001 · 3 L. Ed. 2d 1205 · 1959 U.S. LEXIS 857
Docket number
753
Decided
June 8, 1959
Court era
Warren Court
Decision type
Per curiam (no oral argument)
Disposition
Reversed
Outcome for petitioner
The petitioning party received a favorable disposition
Vote
8–0 (unanimous)
Opinion assigned by
Earl Warren
How the case arrived
Certiorari
Issue area
Judicial Power
Decision direction (SCDB)
Liberal what this means

How the Justices voted

Did not participate: Potter Stewart.

Full case caption

National Association for the Advancement of Colored People v. Alabama ex Rel. Patterson

SCDB identifiers: case 1958-109, docket 1958-109-01.

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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