United States v. Apfelbaum
445 U.S. 115 · Decided March 3, 1980 · 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
United States v. Apfelbaum was decided on March 3, 1980 unanimously (9–0). The Court reversed the lower court's decision. Justice William H. Rehnquist wrote the opinion of the Court. SCDB classifies its main issue as “Self-incrimination, immunity from prosecution” in the Criminal Procedure area.
Read the opinion
Case details
- Citations
- 445 U.S. 115 · 100 S. Ct. 948 · 63 L. Ed. 2d 250 · 1980 U.S. LEXIS 87
- Docket number
- 78-972
- Decided
- March 3, 1980
- Argued
- December 3, 1979
- Court era
- Burger Court
- Decision type
- Opinion of the Court (orally argued)
- Disposition
- Reversed
- Outcome for petitioner
- The petitioning party received a favorable disposition
- Vote
- 9–0 (unanimous)
- Majority opinion
- William H. Rehnquist
- Opinion assigned by
- Warren E. Burger
- How the case arrived
- Certiorari
- Issue (SCDB)
- Self-incrimination, immunity from prosecution
- Issue area
- Criminal Procedure
- Legal provision
- Fifth Amendment (self-incrimination)
- Type of law
- Constitutional amendment
- Decision direction (SCDB)
- Conservative what this means
How the Justices voted
| Justice | Vote | Separate writing |
|---|---|---|
| Justice William J. Brennan Jr. | Special concurrence | Wrote an opinion |
| Justice Potter Stewart | Majority | |
| Justice Byron R. White | Majority | |
| Justice Thurgood Marshall | Special concurrence | |
| Chief Justice Warren E. Burger | Majority | |
| Justice Harry A. Blackmun | Special concurrence | Wrote an opinion |
| Justice Lewis F. Powell Jr. | Majority | |
| Justice William H. Rehnquist | Majority | Wrote an opinion |
| Justice John Paul Stevens | Majority |
Full case caption
United States v. Apfelbaum
SCDB identifiers: case 1979-048, docket 1979-048-01.
Related decisions
Other cases on “Self-incrimination, immunity from prosecution”
- New Jersey v. Portash
- Lefkowitz v. CunninghamLaw held unconstitutional
- Pillsbury Co. v. Conboy
- Lefkowitz v. TurleyLaw held unconstitutional
- Kastigar v. United States
- Zicarelli v. New Jersey State Commission of Investigation
Cases on the same legal provision: Fifth Amendment (self-incrimination)
- Roberts v. United States
- Jenkins v. Anderson
- Carter v. Kentucky
- Estelle v. Smith
- Lakeside v. Oregon
- Fletcher v. Weir
Same Term, same area (Criminal Procedure)
- Pilon v. Bordenkircher
- Perrin v. United States
- Ybarra v. Illinois
- Thompson v. United States
- United States v. Bailey
- Tague v. Louisiana
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