Rockefeller v. Wells
389 U.S. 421 · Decided December 16, 1967 · Supreme Court of the United States
At a glance
Rockefeller v. Wells was decided on December 16, 1967 by a vote of 8–1. The Court affirmed the lower court's decision. The decision was issued per curiam (an unsigned opinion of the Court). SCDB classifies its main issue as “Reapportionment (other than Voting Rights Act plans)” 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
- 389 U.S. 421 · 88 S. Ct. 578 · 19 L. Ed. 2d 651 · 1967 U.S. LEXIS 6
- Docket number
- 691
- Decided
- December 16, 1967
- Court era
- Warren Court
- Decision type
- Per curiam (no oral argument)
- Disposition
- Affirmed
- Outcome for petitioner
- The petitioning party did not receive a favorable disposition
- Vote
- 8–1
- Opinion assigned by
- Earl Warren
- How the case arrived
- Appeal
- Issue area
- Civil Rights
- 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 | Majority | |
| Chief Justice Earl Warren | Majority | |
| Justice John M. Harlan II | Jurisdictional dissent | Wrote an opinion |
| Justice William J. Brennan Jr. | Majority | |
| Justice Potter Stewart | Majority | |
| Justice Byron R. White | Majority | |
| Justice Abe Fortas | Majority | |
| Justice Thurgood Marshall | Majority |
Full case caption
Rockefeller, Governor of New York, et al. v. Wells et al.
SCDB identifiers: case 1967-050, docket 1967-050-01.
Related decisions
Other cases on “Reapportionment (other than Voting Rights Act plans)”
- Lucas v. RhodesLaw held unconstitutional
- Avery v. Midland CountyLaw held unconstitutional
- Branigin v. Duddleston
- Sailors v. Board of Education of the County of Kent
- Dusch v. Davis
- Kilgarlin v. Hill
Same Term, same area (Civil Rights)
- Coleman v. Alabama
- Jones v. Georgia
- Roberts v. Lavallee
- Lucas v. RhodesLaw held unconstitutional
- Eagar v. Magma Copper Co.
- Damico v. California
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