United States v. Mitchell
445 U.S. 535 · Decided April 15, 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. Mitchell was decided on April 15, 1980 by a vote of 5–3. The Court reversed the lower court's decision and remanded the case. Justice Thurgood Marshall wrote the opinion of the Court. SCDB classifies its main issue as “Governmental liability” in the Economic Activity area.
Read the opinion
Case details
- Citations
- 445 U.S. 535 · 100 S. Ct. 1349 · 63 L. Ed. 2d 607 · 1980 U.S. LEXIS 32
- Docket number
- 78-1756
- Decided
- April 15, 1980
- Argued
- December 3, 1979
- Court era
- Burger Court
- Decision type
- Opinion of the Court (orally argued)
- Disposition
- Reversed and remanded
- Outcome for petitioner
- The petitioning party received a favorable disposition
- Vote
- 5–3
- Majority opinion
- Thurgood Marshall
- Opinion assigned by
- Potter Stewart
- How the case arrived
- Certiorari
- Issue (SCDB)
- Governmental liability
- Issue area
- Economic Activity
- Legal provision
- 25 U.S.C. § 331
- Type of law
- Infrequently litigated statute
- Decision direction (SCDB)
- Liberal what this means
How the Justices voted
| Justice | Vote | Separate writing |
|---|---|---|
| Justice William J. Brennan Jr. | Dissent | |
| Justice Potter Stewart | Majority | |
| Justice Byron R. White | Dissent | Wrote an opinion |
| Justice Thurgood Marshall | Majority | Wrote an opinion |
| Justice Harry A. Blackmun | Majority | |
| Justice Lewis F. Powell Jr. | Majority | |
| Justice William H. Rehnquist | Majority | |
| Justice John Paul Stevens | Dissent |
Did not participate: Warren E. Burger.
Full case caption
United States v. Mitchell et al.
SCDB identifiers: case 1979-065, docket 1979-065-01.
Related decisions
Other cases on “Governmental liability”
- Carlson v. Green
- Hatzlachh Supply Co., Inc. v. United States
- United States v. Kubrick
- Lake Country Estates, Inc. v. Tahoe Regional Planning Agency
- Nevada v. Hall
- Butz v. Economou
Cases on the same legal provision: 25 U.S.C. § 331
- County of Yakima v. Confederated Tribes and Bands of the Yakima Indian Nation
- Squire v. Capoeman et Ux.
Same Term, same area (Economic Activity)
- Transamerica Mortgage Advisors, Inc. v. Lewis
- P. C. Pfeiffer Co., Inc. v. Ford
- United States v. Kubrick
- Ferri v. Ackerman
- McLain v. Real Estate Board of New Orleans, Inc.
- Hatzlachh Supply Co., Inc. v. United States
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