The Vinson Court (1946–1952 Terms)

Decisions from the period when Fred M. Vinson was Chief Justice, as grouped by the Supreme Court Database (CaseTrail’s data begins with the 1946 Term).

Justices who sat

Felix Frankfurter, Stanley F. Reed, Wiley B. Rutledge, Robert H. Jackson, Hugo L. Black, Harold H. Burton, William O. Douglas, Fred M. Vinson, Frank Murphy, Sherman Minton, Tom C. Clark

Terms

1946194719481949195019511952

Decisions that altered precedent or struck down a law (45)

• Fowler v. Rhode IslandLaw held unconstitutional
  345 U.S. 67Decided March 9, 19539–0William O. Douglas
• Wieman v. UpdegraffLaw held unconstitutional
  344 U.S. 183Decided December 15, 19528–0Tom C. Clark
• United States v. CardiffLaw held unconstitutional
  344 U.S. 174Decided December 8, 19528–1William O. Douglas
• Kedroff v. Saint Nicholas Cathedral of the Russian Orthodox Church in North AmericaLaw held unconstitutional
  344 U.S. 94Decided November 24, 19528–1Stanley F. Reed
• Joseph Burstyn, Inc. v. WilsonAltered precedentLaw held unconstitutional
  343 U.S. 495Decided May 26, 19529–0Tom C. Clark
• Mullaney v. AndersonLaw held unconstitutional
  342 U.S. 415Decided March 3, 19526–3Felix Frankfurter
• First National Bank of Chicago v. United Air Lines, Inc.Law held unconstitutional
  342 U.S. 396Decided March 3, 19527–2Hugo L. Black
• Memphis Steam Laundry Cleaner, Inc. v. StoneLaw held unconstitutional
  342 U.S. 389Decided March 3, 19528–1Fred M. Vinson
• Standard Oil Co. v. PeckAltered precedentLaw held unconstitutional
  342 U.S. 382Decided February 4, 19527–2William O. Douglas
• Hughes v. FetterLaw held unconstitutional
  341 U.S. 609Decided June 4, 19515–4Hugo L. Black
• Spector Motor Service, Inc. v. O'ConnorLaw held unconstitutional
  340 U.S. 602Decided March 26, 19516–3Harold H. Burton
• Norton Company v. Department of Revenue of IllinoisLaw held unconstitutional
  340 U.S. 534Decided February 26, 19515–4Robert H. Jackson
• Dean Milk Co. v. City of MadisonLaw held unconstitutional
  340 U.S. 349Decided January 15, 19516–3Tom C. Clark
• Kunz v. New YorkLaw held unconstitutional
  340 U.S. 290Decided January 15, 19518–1Fred M. Vinson
• McLaurin v. Oklahoma State Regents for Higher EducationLaw held unconstitutional
  339 U.S. 637Decided June 5, 19509–0Fred M. Vinson
• Sweatt v. PainterLaw held unconstitutional
  339 U.S. 629Decided June 5, 19509–0Fred M. Vinson
• Mullane v. Central Hanover Bank & Trust Co.Law held unconstitutional
  339 U.S. 306Decided April 24, 19507–1Robert H. Jackson
• Darr v. BurfordAltered precedent
  339 U.S. 200Decided April 3, 19505–3Stanley F. Reed
• United States v. RabinowitzAltered precedent
  339 U.S. 56Decided February 20, 19505–3Sherman Minton
• Treichler v. WisconsinLaw held unconstitutional
  338 U.S. 251Decided November 7, 19497–1Tom C. Clark
• Cosmopolitan Shipping Co. v. McAllisterAltered precedent
  337 U.S. 783Decided June 27, 19495–4Stanley F. Reed
• Wheeling Steel Corp. v. GlanderLaw held unconstitutional
  337 U.S. 562Decided June 20, 19497–2Robert H. Jackson
• Union National Bank v. LambLaw held unconstitutional
  337 U.S. 38Decided May 16, 19496–3William O. Douglas
• Terminiello v. ChicagoLaw held unconstitutional
  337 U.S. 1Decided May 16, 19495–4William O. Douglas
• H. P. Hood & Sons, Inc. v. Du MondLaw held unconstitutional
  336 U.S. 525Decided April 4, 19495–4Robert H. Jackson
• Oklahoma Tax Commission v. Texas CompanyAltered precedent
  336 U.S. 342Decided March 7, 19499–0Wiley B. Rutledge
• Ott v. Mississippi Valley Barge Line Co.Altered precedent
  336 U.S. 169Decided February 7, 19498–1William O. Douglas
• Commissioner of Internal Revenue v. Estate of ChurchAltered precedent
  335 U.S. 632Decided January 17, 19496–3Hugo L. Black
• Lincoln Federal Labor Union v. Northwestern Iron & Metal Co.Altered precedent
  335 U.S. 525Decided January 3, 19499–0Hugo L. Black
• Central Greyhound Lines, Inc. v. MealeyLaw held unconstitutional
  334 U.S. 653Decided June 14, 19486–3Felix Frankfurter
• Saia v. New YorkLaw held unconstitutional
  334 U.S. 558Decided June 7, 19485–4William O. Douglas
• Takahashi v. Fish and Game CommissionLaw held unconstitutional
  334 U.S. 410Decided June 7, 19487–2Hugo L. Black
• Toomer v. WitsellLaw held unconstitutional
  334 U.S. 385Decided June 7, 19489–0Fred M. Vinson
• Sherrer v. SherrerAltered precedent
  334 U.S. 343Decided June 7, 19487–2Fred M. Vinson
• Winters v. New YorkLaw held unconstitutional
  333 U.S. 507Decided March 29, 19486–3Stanley F. Reed
• Oyama v. CaliforniaLaw held unconstitutional
  332 U.S. 633Decided January 19, 19486–3Fred M. Vinson
• Sipuel v. Board of Regents of the University of OklahomaLaw held unconstitutional
  332 U.S. 631Decided January 12, 19489–0Per curiam
• United States v. CaliforniaLaw held unconstitutional
  332 U.S. 19Decided June 23, 19476–2Hugo L. Black
• Order of United Commercial Travelers of America v. WolfeLaw held unconstitutional
  331 U.S. 586Decided June 9, 19475–4Harold H. Burton
• Joseph v. Carter & Weekes Stevedoring Co.Law held unconstitutional
  330 U.S. 422Decided March 10, 19475–4Stanley F. Reed
• Angel v. BullingtonAltered precedent
  330 U.S. 183Decided February 17, 19476–3Felix Frankfurter
• Macgregor v. Westinghouse Electric & Manufacturing Co.Altered precedent
  329 U.S. 402Decided January 6, 19475–4Hugo L. Black
• Freeman v. HewitLaw held unconstitutional
  329 U.S. 249Decided December 16, 19466–3Felix Frankfurter
• Richfield Oil Corp. v. State Board of EqualizationLaw held unconstitutional
  329 U.S. 69Decided November 25, 19467–1William O. Douglas
• Halliburton Oil Well Cementing Co. v. WalkerAltered precedent
  329 U.S. 1Decided November 18, 19468–1Hugo L. Black

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