Shapiro v. Thompson
394 U.S. 618 · Decided April 21, 1969 · Supreme Court of the United States
At a glance
Shapiro v. Thompson was decided on April 21, 1969 by a vote of 6–3. 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 “Poverty law, constitutional” 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
- 394 U.S. 618 · 89 S. Ct. 1322 · 22 L. Ed. 2d 600 · 1969 U.S. LEXIS 3190
- Docket number
- 9
- Decided
- April 21, 1969
- Argued
- May 1, 1968
- Reargued
- October 23, 1968
- 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
- 6–3
- Majority opinion
- William J. Brennan Jr.
- Opinion assigned by
- William O. Douglas
- How the case arrived
- Appeal
- Issue (SCDB)
- Poverty law, constitutional
- Issue area
- Civil Rights
- Legal provision
- Fourteenth Amendment (equal protection)
- 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 | Dissent | |
| Justice William O. Douglas | Majority | |
| Chief Justice Earl Warren | Dissent | Wrote an opinion |
| Justice John M. Harlan II | Dissent | Wrote an opinion |
| Justice William J. Brennan Jr. | Majority | Wrote an opinion |
| Justice Potter Stewart | Concurrence | Wrote an opinion |
| Justice Byron R. White | Majority | |
| Justice Abe Fortas | Majority | |
| Justice Thurgood Marshall | Majority |
Full case caption
Shapiro, Commissioner of Welfare of Connecticut v. Thompson
SCDB identifiers: case 1968-081, docket 1968-081-01.
Related decisions
Other cases on “Poverty law, constitutional”
- Robinson v. Johnson
- Montgomery v. Burns
- Goldberg v. Kelly
- Wheeler v. Montgomery
- Dandridge v. Williams
- Daniel v. Goliday
Cases on the same legal provision: Fourteenth Amendment (equal protection)
- McDonald v. Board of Election Commissioners of Chicago
- Moore v. OgilvieAltered precedentLaw held unconstitutional
- Hadnott v. Amos
- Williams v. Oklahoma City
- Johnson v. Avery
- Kramer v. Union Free School District No. 15Law held unconstitutional
Same Term, same area (Civil Rights)
- Williams v. RhodesLaw held unconstitutional
- Oestereich v. Selective Service System Local Board No. 11
- United States v. Augenblick
- Gardner v. California
- Hunter v. EricksonLaw held unconstitutional
- Alabama State Teachers Assn. v. Alabama Public School and College Authority
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