New Jersey v. Portash
440 U.S. 450 · Decided March 20, 1979 · 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
New Jersey v. Portash was decided on March 20, 1979 by a vote of 7–2. The Court affirmed the lower court's decision. Justice Potter Stewart wrote the opinion of the Court. SCDB classifies its main issue as “Self-incrimination, immunity from prosecution” in the Criminal Procedure area.
Read the opinion
Case details
- Citations
- 440 U.S. 450 · 99 S. Ct. 1292 · 59 L. Ed. 2d 501 · 1979 U.S. LEXIS 73
- Docket number
- 77-1489
- Decided
- March 20, 1979
- Argued
- December 5, 1978
- 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
- 7–2
- Majority opinion
- Potter Stewart
- Opinion assigned by
- William J. Brennan Jr.
- How the case arrived
- Certiorari
- Issue (SCDB)
- Self-incrimination, immunity from prosecution
- Issue area
- Criminal Procedure
- Legal provision
- Fifth Amendment (self-incrimination)
- Type of law
- Constitutional amendment
- Decision direction (SCDB)
- Liberal what this means
How the Justices voted
| Justice | Vote | Separate writing |
|---|---|---|
| Justice William J. Brennan Jr. | Concurrence | Wrote an opinion |
| Justice Potter Stewart | Majority | Wrote an opinion |
| Justice Byron R. White | Majority | |
| Justice Thurgood Marshall | Concurrence | |
| Chief Justice Warren E. Burger | Dissent | |
| Justice Harry A. Blackmun | Dissent | Wrote an opinion |
| Justice Lewis F. Powell Jr. | Concurrence | Wrote an opinion |
| Justice William H. Rehnquist | Concurrence | |
| Justice John Paul Stevens | Majority |
Full case caption
New Jersey v. Portash
SCDB identifiers: case 1978-058, docket 1978-058-01.
Related decisions
Other cases on “Self-incrimination, immunity from prosecution”
- United States v. Apfelbaum
- Lefkowitz v. CunninghamLaw held unconstitutional
- Pillsbury Co. v. Conboy
- Lefkowitz v. TurleyLaw held unconstitutional
- Kastigar v. United States
- Zicarelli v. New Jersey State Commission of Investigation
Cases on the same legal provision: Fifth Amendment (self-incrimination)
- Lakeside v. Oregon
- Roberts v. United States
- Jenkins v. Anderson
- United States v. Wong
- United States v. Washington
- Carter v. Kentucky
Same Term, same area (Criminal Procedure)
- Presnell v. Georgia
- Rakas v. Illinois
- Corbitt v. New Jersey
- Massachusetts v. White
- Michigan v. Doran
- Lee v. Missouri
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