United States v. Southern Ute Tribe or Band of Indians
402 U.S. 159 · Decided April 26, 1971 · 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. Southern Ute Tribe or Band of Indians was decided on April 26, 1971 by a vote of 8–1. The Court reversed the lower court's decision. Justice William J. Brennan Jr. wrote the opinion of the Court. SCDB classifies its main issue as “Indians (general)” in the Civil Rights area.
Read the opinion
Case details
- Citations
- 402 U.S. 159 · 91 S. Ct. 1336 · 28 L. Ed. 2d 695 · 1971 U.S. LEXIS 47
- Docket number
- 515
- Decided
- April 26, 1971
- Argued
- March 1, 1971
- 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
- 8–1
- Majority opinion
- William J. Brennan Jr.
- Opinion assigned by
- Warren E. Burger
- How the case arrived
- Certiorari
- Issue (SCDB)
- Indians (general)
- Issue area
- Civil Rights
- Legal provision
- Res judicata
- Type of law
- Other
- Decision direction (SCDB)
- Conservative what this means
How the Justices voted
| Justice | Vote | Separate writing |
|---|---|---|
| Justice Hugo L. Black | Majority | |
| Justice William O. Douglas | Dissent | Wrote an opinion |
| Justice John M. Harlan II | Majority | |
| Justice William J. Brennan Jr. | Majority | Wrote an opinion |
| Justice Potter Stewart | Majority | |
| Justice Byron R. White | Majority | |
| Justice Thurgood Marshall | Majority | |
| Chief Justice Warren E. Burger | Majority | |
| Justice Harry A. Blackmun | Majority |
Full case caption
United States v. Southern Ute Tribe or Band of Indians
SCDB identifiers: case 1970-093, docket 1970-093-01.
Related decisions
Other cases on “Indians (general)”
- Keeble v. United States
- Morton v. Ruiz et Ux.
- Peoria Tribe of Indians of Oklahoma v. United States
- Poafpybitty v. Skelly Oil Co.
- United States v. Mazurie
- Northern Cheyenne Tribe v. Hollowbreast
Cases on the same legal provision: Res judicata
- Durfee et Ux. v. Duke
- Brown v. Felsen
- Federated Department Stores, Inc. v. Moitie
- Nevada v. United States
- Brownell v. Chase National Bank of New York
- University of Tennessee v. Elliott
Same Term, same area (Civil Rights)
- Oregon v. MitchellLaw held unconstitutional
- Perkins v. Matthews
- Kennerly v. District Court of the Ninth Judicial District of Montana
- Phillips v. Martin Marietta Corp.
- Relford v. Commandant, U.S. Disciplinary Barracks, Ft. Leavenworth
- Boddie v. ConnecticutLaw held unconstitutional
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