San Antonio Independent School District v. Rodriguez

411 U.S. 1 · Decided March 21, 1973 · Supreme Court of the United States

At a glance

San Antonio Independent School District v. Rodriguez was decided on March 21, 1973 by a vote of 5–4. The Court reversed the lower court's decision. Justice Lewis F. Powell Jr. wrote the opinion of the Court. SCDB classifies its main issue as “Poverty law, constitutional” in the Civil Rights area.

Read the opinion

• CourtListener (Free Law Project) — opinion text
• Library of Congress — official U.S. Reports scan

Case details

How the Justices voted

Full case caption

San Antonio Independent School District et al. v. Rodriguez et al.

SCDB identifiers: case 1972-083, docket 1972-083-01.

Related decisions

Other cases on “Poverty law, constitutional”

• United States Department of Agriculture v. MurryLaw held unconstitutional
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• United States Department of Agriculture v. MorenoLaw held unconstitutional
  413 U.S. 528Decided June 25, 19737–2William J. Brennan Jr.
• Jefferson v. Hackney
  406 U.S. 535Decided May 30, 19725–4William H. Rehnquist
• Edelman v. JordanAltered precedent
  415 U.S. 651Decided March 25, 19745–4William H. Rehnquist
• Townsend v. SwankLaw held unconstitutional
  404 U.S. 282Decided December 20, 19717–0William J. Brennan Jr.
• Richardson v. Belcher
  404 U.S. 78Decided November 22, 19714–3Potter Stewart

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

• Salyer Land Co. v. Tulare Lake Basin Water Storage District
  410 U.S. 719Decided March 20, 19736–3William H. Rehnquist
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  410 U.S. 743Decided March 20, 19736–3Per curiam
• Marston v. Lewis
  410 U.S. 679Decided March 19, 19736–3Per curiam
• Burns v. Fortson
  410 U.S. 686Decided March 19, 19736–3Per curiam
• Lehnhausen v. Lake Shore Auto Parts Co.Altered precedent
  410 U.S. 356Decided February 22, 19739–0William O. Douglas
• McGinnis v. Royster
  410 U.S. 263Decided February 21, 19737–2Lewis F. Powell Jr.

Same Term, same area (Civil Rights)

• Philpott v. Essex County Welfare BoardLaw held unconstitutional
  409 U.S. 413Decided January 10, 19739–0William O. Douglas
• District of Columbia v. Carter
  409 U.S. 418Decided January 10, 19739–0William J. Brennan Jr.
• United States v. Kras
  409 U.S. 434Decided January 10, 19735–4Harry A. Blackmun
• Goosby v. Osser
  409 U.S. 512Decided January 17, 19739–0William J. Brennan Jr.
• Gomez v. PerezLaw held unconstitutional
  409 U.S. 535Decided January 17, 19737–2Per curiam
• Mahan v. HowellLaw held unconstitutional
  410 U.S. 315Decided February 21, 19735–3William H. Rehnquist

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