Debtors' rights: Supreme Court decisions

Every U.S. Supreme Court decision from the 1946 through 2025 Terms that the Supreme Court Database classifies under the issue “Debtors' rights,” part of the Civil Rights area.

18decisions

50%favorable to the petitioner

33%unanimous

6altered precedent or struck a law

Decisions by decade

1960s3

1970s9

1980s1

1990s1

2000s1

2010s3

Most majority opinions

Legal provisions most often involved

Fourteenth Amendment (due process)8

Fair Debt Collection Practices Act2

Bankruptcy Code or Bankruptcy Act1

15-16921

12 U.S.C. § 18231

12 U.S.C. § 911

28 U.S.C. § 13431

All 18 decisions, newest first

Midland Funding LLC v. Johnson
137 S. Ct. 1407Decided May 15, 20175–3Stephen G. Breyer
Sheriff v. Gillie
578 U.S. 317Decided May 16, 20168–0Ruth Bader Ginsburg
Radlax Gateway Hotel, LLC v. Amalgamated Bank
566 U.S. 639Decided May 29, 20128–0Antonin Scalia
Karen L. Jerman v. Carlisle
559 U.S. 573Decided April 21, 20107–2Sonia Sotomayor
Connecticut and John F. Digiovanni v. Brian K. DoehrLaw held unconstitutional
501 U.S. 1Decided June 6, 19919–0Byron R. White
Langley et Ux. v. Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation
484 U.S. 86Decided December 1, 19878–0Antonin Scalia
Third National Bank in Nashville v. Impac Limited, Inc.
432 U.S. 312Decided June 17, 19776–3John Paul Stevens
North Georgia Finishing, Inc. v. Di-Chem, Inc.Law held unconstitutional
419 U.S. 601Decided January 22, 19756–3Byron R. White
Calero-Toledo v. Pearson Yacht Leasing Co.
416 U.S. 663Decided May 15, 19747–2William J. Brennan Jr.
Mitchell v. W. T. Grant Co.Altered precedent
416 U.S. 600Decided May 13, 19745–4Byron R. White
Fuentes v. ShevinLaw held unconstitutional
407 U.S. 67Decided June 12, 19724–3Potter Stewart
Lynch v. Household Finance Corp.
405 U.S. 538Decided March 23, 19727–0Potter Stewart
D. H. Overmyer Co., Inc. v. Frick Co.
405 U.S. 174Decided February 24, 19727–0Harry A. Blackmun
Swarb v. Lennox
405 U.S. 191Decided February 24, 19726–1Harry A. Blackmun
Lindsey v. NormetLaw held unconstitutional
405 U.S. 56Decided February 23, 19725–2Byron R. White
Simmons et Ux. v. West Haven Housing Authority
399 U.S. 510Decided June 29, 19706–2Per curiam
Moya et Ux. v. Debaca
395 U.S. 825Decided June 23, 19696–2Per curiam
Sniadach v. Family Finance Corp. of Bay ViewLaw held unconstitutional
395 U.S. 337Decided June 9, 19697–1William O. Douglas

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