Wells v. Rockefeller
394 U.S. 542 · Decided April 7, 1969 · Supreme Court of the United States
At a glance
Wells v. Rockefeller was decided on April 7, 1969 by a vote of 6–3. The Court reversed the lower court's decision and remanded the case. Justice William J. Brennan Jr. wrote the opinion of the Court. SCDB classifies its main issue as “Reapportionment (other than Voting Rights Act plans)” 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. 542 · 89 S. Ct. 1234 · 22 L. Ed. 2d 535 · 1969 U.S. LEXIS 1971
- Docket number
- 238
- Decided
- April 7, 1969
- Argued
- January 13, 1969
- Court era
- Warren Court
- Decision type
- Opinion of the Court (orally argued)
- Disposition
- Reversed and remanded
- Outcome for petitioner
- The petitioning party received a favorable disposition
- Vote
- 6–3
- Majority opinion
- William J. Brennan Jr.
- Opinion assigned by
- Earl Warren
- How the case arrived
- Appeal
- Issue area
- Civil Rights
- Legal provision
- Article I, Section 2, Paragraph 1 (composition of the House of Representatives)
- Type of law
- Constitution
- 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 | Majority | |
| Justice William O. Douglas | Majority | |
| Chief Justice Earl Warren | Majority | |
| Justice John M. Harlan II | Dissent | Wrote an opinion |
| Justice William J. Brennan Jr. | Majority | Wrote an opinion |
| Justice Potter Stewart | Dissent | |
| Justice Byron R. White | Dissent | Wrote an opinion |
| Justice Abe Fortas | Special concurrence | Wrote an opinion |
| Justice Thurgood Marshall | Majority |
Full case caption
Wells v. Rockefeller, Governor of New York, et al.
SCDB identifiers: case 1968-077, docket 1968-077-01.
Related decisions
Other cases on “Reapportionment (other than Voting Rights Act plans)”
- Kirkpatrick v. PreislerLaw held unconstitutional
- Branigin v. Duddleston
- Avery v. Midland CountyLaw held unconstitutional
- Rockefeller v. WellsLaw held unconstitutional
- Lucas v. RhodesLaw held unconstitutional
- Sailors v. Board of Education of the County of Kent
Cases on the same legal provision: Article I, Section 2, Paragraph 1 (composition of the House of Representatives)
- U.S. Term Limits, Inc. v. Ray ThorntonLaw held unconstitutional
- Richard Vieth v. Robert C. Jubelirer
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