Ballard v. United States
329 U.S. 187 · Decided December 9, 1946 · 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
Ballard v. United States was decided on December 9, 1946 by a vote of 6–3. The Court reversed the lower court's decision. Justice William O. Douglas wrote the opinion of the Court. SCDB classifies its main issue as “Sex discrimination (excluding employment)” in the Civil Rights area.
Read the opinion
Case details
- Citations
- 329 U.S. 187 · 67 S. Ct. 261 · 91 L. Ed. 181 · 1946 U.S. LEXIS 1658
- Docket number
- 37
- Decided
- December 9, 1946
- Argued
- October 15, 1946
- Court era
- Vinson Court
- Decision type
- Opinion of the Court (orally argued)
- Disposition
- Reversed
- Outcome for petitioner
- The petitioning party received a favorable disposition
- Vote
- 6–3
- Majority opinion
- William O. Douglas
- Opinion assigned by
- Hugo L. Black
- How the case arrived
- Certiorari
- Issue (SCDB)
- Sex discrimination (excluding employment)
- Issue area
- Civil Rights
- Decision direction (SCDB)
- Liberal what this means
How the Justices voted
| Justice | Vote | Separate writing |
|---|---|---|
| Justice Hugo L. Black | Majority | |
| Justice Stanley F. Reed | Majority | |
| Justice Felix Frankfurter | Dissent | Wrote an opinion |
| Justice William O. Douglas | Majority | Wrote an opinion |
| Justice Frank Murphy | Majority | |
| Justice Robert H. Jackson | Special concurrence | Wrote an opinion |
| Justice Wiley B. Rutledge | Majority | |
| Justice Harold H. Burton | Dissent | Wrote an opinion |
| Chief Justice Fred M. Vinson | Dissent |
Full case caption
Ballard et al. v. United States
SCDB identifiers: case 1946-012, docket 1946-012-01.
Related decisions
Other cases on “Sex discrimination (excluding employment)”
- Hoyt v. Florida
- Reed v. ReedLaw held unconstitutional
- Stanley v. IllinoisLaw held unconstitutional
- Frontiero et Vir v. RichardsonLaw held unconstitutional
- Kahn v. Shevin
- Schlesinger v. Ballard
Same Term, same area (Civil Rights)
- United States v. Alcea Band of Tillamooks
- Confederated Bands of Ute Indians v. United States
- Kotch v. Board of River Port Pilot Commissioners for the Port of New Orleans
- Trailmobile Company v. Whirls
- Clark v. Allen
- United States v. Bayer
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