Robinson v. California
370 U.S. 660 · Decided June 25, 1962 · Supreme Court of the United States
At a glance
Robinson v. California was decided on June 25, 1962 by a vote of 6–2. The Court reversed the lower court's decision. Justice Potter Stewart wrote the opinion of the Court. SCDB classifies its main issue as “Cruel and unusual punishment, non-death penalty” in the Criminal Procedure area. SCDB records that the Court declared a state or territorial law, regulation or constitutional provision unconstitutional.
Read the opinion
Case details
- Citations
- 370 U.S. 660 · 82 S. Ct. 1417 · 8 L. Ed. 2d 758 · 1962 U.S. LEXIS 850
- Docket number
- 554
- Decided
- June 25, 1962
- Argued
- April 17, 1962
- Court era
- Warren Court
- Decision type
- Opinion of the Court (orally argued)
- Disposition
- Reversed
- Outcome for petitioner
- The petitioning party received a favorable disposition
- Vote
- 6–2
- Majority opinion
- Potter Stewart
- Opinion assigned by
- Earl Warren
- How the case arrived
- Appeal
- Issue (SCDB)
- Cruel and unusual punishment, non-death penalty
- Issue area
- Criminal Procedure
- Legal provision
- Eighth Amendment (cruel and unusual punishment)
- 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
| Justice | Vote | Separate writing |
|---|---|---|
| Justice Hugo L. Black | Majority | |
| Justice William O. Douglas | Concurrence | Wrote an opinion |
| Justice Tom C. Clark | Dissent | Wrote an opinion |
| Chief Justice Earl Warren | Majority | |
| Justice John M. Harlan II | Special concurrence | Wrote an opinion |
| Justice William J. Brennan Jr. | Majority | |
| Justice Potter Stewart | Majority | Wrote an opinion |
| Justice Byron R. White | Dissent | Wrote an opinion |
Did not participate: Felix Frankfurter.
Full case caption
Robinson v. California
SCDB identifiers: case 1961-113, docket 1961-113-01.
Related decisions
Other cases on “Cruel and unusual punishment, non-death penalty”
- Bitter v. United States
- Powell v. Texas
- Estelle v. Gamble
- Ingraham v. Wright
- Alabama v. Pugh
- Rummel v. Estelle
Cases on the same legal provision: Eighth Amendment (cruel and unusual punishment)
- Pope v. United StatesLaw held unconstitutional
- Furman v. GeorgiaLaw held unconstitutional
- Stewart v. Massachusetts
- Gregg v. GeorgiaAltered precedent
- Proffitt v. Florida
- Jurek v. Texas
Same Term, same area (Criminal Procedure)
- Hamilton v. Alabama
- Hodges v. United States
- Hill v. United States
- Mitchell v. United States
- Chewning v. Cunningham
- Machibroda v. United States
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