Chapman v. Houston Welfare Rights Organization
441 U.S. 600 · Decided May 14, 1979 · Supreme Court of the United States
At a glance
Chapman v. Houston Welfare Rights Organization was decided on May 14, 1979 by a vote of 6–3. The Court reversed the lower court's decision and remanded the case. Justice John Paul Stevens wrote the opinion of the Court. SCDB classifies its main issue as “Jurisdiction of federal district or territorial courts” in the Judicial Power area.
Read the opinion
Case details
- Citations
- 441 U.S. 600 · 99 S. Ct. 1905 · 60 L. Ed. 2d 508 · 1979 U.S. LEXIS 101
- Docket number
- 77-719
- Decided
- May 14, 1979
- Argued
- October 2, 1978
- Court era
- Burger 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
- John Paul Stevens
- Opinion assigned by
- Warren E. Burger
- How the case arrived
- Certiorari
- Issue area
- Judicial Power
- Legal provision
- 28 U.S.C. § 1343
- Type of law
- Infrequently litigated statute
- Decision direction (SCDB)
- Conservative what this means
How the Justices voted
| Justice | Vote | Separate writing |
|---|---|---|
| Justice William J. Brennan Jr. | Dissent | |
| Justice Potter Stewart | Dissent | Wrote an opinion |
| Justice Byron R. White | Special concurrence | Wrote an opinion |
| Justice Thurgood Marshall | Dissent | |
| Chief Justice Warren E. Burger | Concurrence | |
| Justice Harry A. Blackmun | Majority | |
| Justice Lewis F. Powell Jr. | Concurrence | Wrote an opinion |
| Justice William H. Rehnquist | Concurrence | |
| Justice John Paul Stevens | Majority | Wrote an opinion |
Full case caption
Chapman, Commissioner, Department of Human Resources of Texas, et al. v. Houston Welfare Rights Organization et al.
SCDB identifiers: case 1978-093, docket 1978-093-01.
Related decisions
Other cases on “Jurisdiction of federal district or territorial courts”
- Chase Manhattan Bank v. South Acres Development Co.
- Territory of Guam v. Olsen
- United Ass'n of Journeymen & Apprentices of Plumbing & Pipefitting Indus. v. United Ass'n of Journeymen & Apprentices
- Morales v. Turman
- Costello v. Wainwright
- Pasadena City Board of Education v. Spangler
Cases on the same legal provision: 28 U.S.C. § 1343
Same Term, same area (Judicial Power)
- Long Island Rail Road Co. v. Aberdeen & Rockfish Railroad Co.
- Carey v. Wynn
- Union Pacific Railroad Co. v. Sheehan
- Hunter v. Dean
- Mobay Chemical Corp. v. Costle
- Parklane Hosiery Co., Inc. v. Shore
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