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Reading Co. v. Brown

391 U.S. 471 · Decided June 3, 1968 · 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

Reading Co. v. Brown was decided on June 3, 1968 by a vote of 6–2. 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 “Bankruptcy” in the Economic Activity area.

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Case details

Citations
391 U.S. 471 · 88 S. Ct. 1759 · 20 L. Ed. 2d 751 · 1968 U.S. LEXIS 2986
Docket number
127
Decided
June 3, 1968
Argued
March 4, 1968
Court era
Warren Court
Decision type
Opinion of the Court (orally argued)
Disposition
Reversed and remanded
Outcome for petitioner
The petitioning party received a favorable disposition
Vote
6–2
Majority opinion
John M. Harlan II
Opinion assigned by
Hugo L. Black
How the case arrived
Certiorari
Issue (SCDB)
Bankruptcy
Legal provision
Bankruptcy Code or Bankruptcy Act
Type of law
Federal statute
Decision direction (SCDB)
Conservative what this means

How the Justices voted

Did not participate: Thurgood Marshall.

Full case caption

Reading Co. v. Brown, Trustee in Bankruptcy, et al.

SCDB identifiers: case 1967-145, docket 1967-145-01.

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Cases on the same legal provision: Bankruptcy Code or Bankruptcy Act

Same Term, same area (Economic Activity)

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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