Palmer v. Thompson
403 U.S. 217 · Decided June 14, 1971 · 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
Palmer v. Thompson was decided on June 14, 1971 by a vote of 5–4. The Court affirmed the lower court's decision. Justice Hugo L. Black wrote the opinion of the Court. SCDB classifies its main issue as “Desegregation (general)” in the Civil Rights area.
Read the opinion
Case details
- Citations
- 403 U.S. 217 · 91 S. Ct. 1940 · 29 L. Ed. 2d 438 · 1971 U.S. LEXIS 27
- Docket number
- 107
- Decided
- June 14, 1971
- Argued
- December 14, 1970
- 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
- 5–4
- Majority opinion
- Hugo L. Black
- Opinion assigned by
- Warren E. Burger
- How the case arrived
- Certiorari
- Issue (SCDB)
- Desegregation (general)
- Issue area
- Civil Rights
- Legal provision
- Fourteenth Amendment (equal protection)
- Type of law
- Constitutional amendment
- Decision direction (SCDB)
- Conservative what this means
How the Justices voted
| Justice | Vote | Separate writing |
|---|---|---|
| Justice Hugo L. Black | Majority | Wrote an opinion |
| Justice William O. Douglas | Dissent | Wrote an opinion |
| Justice John M. Harlan II | Majority | |
| Justice William J. Brennan Jr. | Dissent | |
| Justice Potter Stewart | Majority | |
| Justice Byron R. White | Dissent | Wrote an opinion |
| Justice Thurgood Marshall | Dissent | Wrote an opinion |
| Chief Justice Warren E. Burger | Concurrence | Wrote an opinion |
| Justice Harry A. Blackmun | Concurrence | Wrote an opinion |
Full case caption
Palmer et al. v. Thompson, Mayor of the City of Jackson, et al.
SCDB identifiers: case 1970-130, docket 1970-130-01.
Related decisions
Other cases on “Desegregation (general)”
- Alexander v. Louisiana
- Moose Lodge No. 107 v. Irvis
- Peters v. Kiff
- Adickes v. S. H. Kress & Co.
- Evans v. Abney
- Carter v. Jury Commission of Greene County
Cases on the same legal provision: Fourteenth Amendment (equal protection)
- Graham v. RichardsonLaw held unconstitutional
- Gordon v. Lance
- Whitcomb v. ChavisLaw held unconstitutional
- Abate v. Mundt
- Jenness v. Fortson
- James v. Valtierra
Same Term, same area (Civil Rights)
- Oregon v. MitchellLaw held unconstitutional
- Perkins v. Matthews
- Kennerly v. District Court of the Ninth Judicial District of Montana
- Phillips v. Martin Marietta Corp.
- Relford v. Commandant, U.S. Disciplinary Barracks, Ft. Leavenworth
- Boddie v. ConnecticutLaw 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