Schmerber v. California
384 U.S. 757 · Decided June 20, 1966 · 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
Schmerber v. California was decided on June 20, 1966 by a vote of 5–4. The Court affirmed the lower court's decision. Justice William J. Brennan Jr. wrote the opinion of the Court. SCDB classifies its main issue as “Self-incrimination (general)” in the Criminal Procedure area.
Read the opinion
Case details
- Citations
- 384 U.S. 757 · 86 S. Ct. 1826 · 16 L. Ed. 2d 908 · 1966 U.S. LEXIS 1129
- Docket number
- 658
- Decided
- June 20, 1966
- Argued
- April 25, 1966
- Court era
- Warren 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
- William J. Brennan Jr.
- Opinion assigned by
- Tom C. Clark
- How the case arrived
- Certiorari
- Issue (SCDB)
- Self-incrimination (general)
- Issue area
- Criminal Procedure
- Legal provision
- Fourteenth Amendment (due process)
- Type of law
- Constitutional amendment
- Decision direction (SCDB)
- Conservative what this means
How the Justices voted
| Justice | Vote | Separate writing |
|---|---|---|
| Justice Hugo L. Black | Dissent | Wrote an opinion |
| Justice William O. Douglas | Dissent | Wrote an opinion |
| Justice Tom C. Clark | Majority | |
| Chief Justice Earl Warren | Dissent | Wrote an opinion |
| Justice John M. Harlan II | Concurrence | Wrote an opinion |
| Justice William J. Brennan Jr. | Majority | Wrote an opinion |
| Justice Potter Stewart | Concurrence | |
| Justice Byron R. White | Majority | |
| Justice Abe Fortas | Dissent | Wrote an opinion |
Full case caption
Schmerber v. California
SCDB identifiers: case 1965-132, docket 1965-132-01.
Related decisions
Other cases on “Self-incrimination (general)”
- United States v. Blue
- O'Connor v. Ohio
- Garrity v. New Jersey
- Spevack v. KleinAltered precedent
- Zuckerman v. Greason
- Kaye v. Co-Ordinating Committee on Discipline of the Association of the Bar of the City of New York
Cases on the same legal provision: Fourteenth Amendment (due process)
- Davis v. North Carolina
- Elfbrandt v. RussellLaw held unconstitutional
- Pate v. Robinson
- Brown v. Louisiana
- Giaccio v. PennsylvaniaLaw held unconstitutional
- Shuttlesworth v. City of Birmingham
Same Term, same area (Criminal Procedure)
- First Security National Bank & Trust Co. of Lexington v. United States
- James v. Louisiana
- Harris v. United StatesAltered precedent
- Tehan v. United States ex Rel. Shott
- Baxstrom v. HeroldLaw held unconstitutional
- United States v. Ewell
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