CaseTrail

New Jersey Welfare Rights Organization v. Cahill

411 U.S. 619 · Decided May 7, 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

New Jersey Welfare Rights Organization v. Cahill was decided on May 7, 1973 by a vote of 8–1. The Court reversed the lower court's decision and remanded the case. The decision was issued per curiam (an unsigned opinion of the Court). SCDB classifies its main issue as “Rights of illegitimates” in the Civil Rights area. SCDB records that the Court declared a state or territorial law, regulation or constitutional provision unconstitutional.

Read the opinion

Case details

Citations
411 U.S. 619 · 93 S. Ct. 1700 · 36 L. Ed. 2d 543 · 1973 U.S. LEXIS 77
Docket number
72-6258
Decided
May 7, 1973
Court era
Burger Court
Decision type
Per curiam (no oral argument)
Disposition
Reversed and remanded
Outcome for petitioner
The petitioning party received a favorable disposition
Vote
8–1
Opinion assigned by
Warren E. Burger
How the case arrived
Certiorari
Issue area
Civil Rights
Legal provision
Fourteenth Amendment (equal protection)
Type of law
Constitutional amendment
Held unconstitutional
A state or territorial law, regulation or constitutional provision
Decision direction (SCDB)
Liberal what this means

How the Justices voted

Full case caption

New Jersey Welfare Rights Organization et al. v. Cahill, Governor of New Jersey, et al.

SCDB identifiers: case 1972-110, docket 1972-110-01.

Other cases on “Rights of illegitimates”

See all

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

Same Term, same area (Civil Rights)

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