Dalia v. United States
441 U.S. 238 · Decided April 18, 1979 · 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
Dalia v. United States was decided on April 18, 1979 by a vote of 5–4. The Court affirmed the lower court's decision. Justice Lewis F. Powell Jr. wrote the opinion of the Court. SCDB classifies its main issue as “Search and seizure, Crime Control Act” in the Criminal Procedure area.
Read the opinion
Case details
- Citations
- 441 U.S. 238 · 99 S. Ct. 1682 · 60 L. Ed. 2d 177 · 1979 U.S. LEXIS 89
- Docket number
- 77-1722
- Decided
- April 18, 1979
- Argued
- January 9, 1979
- Court era
- Burger Court
- Decision type
- Opinion of the Court (orally argued)
- Disposition
- Affirmed
- Outcome for petitioner
- The petitioning party did not receive a favorable disposition
- Vote
- 5–4
- Majority opinion
- Lewis F. Powell Jr.
- Opinion assigned by
- Warren E. Burger
- How the case arrived
- Certiorari
- Issue (SCDB)
- Search and seizure, Crime Control Act
- Issue area
- Criminal Procedure
- Legal provision
- Fourth Amendment
- Type of law
- Constitutional amendment
- Decision direction (SCDB)
- Conservative what this means
How the Justices voted
| Justice | Vote | Separate writing |
|---|---|---|
| Justice William J. Brennan Jr. | Dissent | Wrote an opinion |
| Justice Potter Stewart | Dissent | |
| Justice Byron R. White | Majority | |
| Justice Thurgood Marshall | Dissent | |
| Chief Justice Warren E. Burger | Majority | |
| Justice Harry A. Blackmun | Majority | |
| Justice Lewis F. Powell Jr. | Majority | Wrote an opinion |
| Justice William H. Rehnquist | Majority | |
| Justice John Paul Stevens | Dissent | Wrote an opinion |
Full case caption
Dalia v. United States
SCDB identifiers: case 1978-078, docket 1978-078-01.
Related decisions
Other cases on “Search and seizure, Crime Control Act”
- Scott v. United States
- United States v. Donovan
- United States v. Giordano
- United States v. Chavez
- United States v. Kahn et Ux.
- Gelbard v. United States
Cases on the same legal provision: Fourth Amendment
- Delaware v. Prouse
- Dunaway v. New York
- Lo-Ji Sales, Inc. v. New York
- Torres v. Puerto RicoLaw held unconstitutional
- Smith v. Maryland
- Arkansas v. Sanders
Same Term, same area (Criminal Procedure)
- Presnell v. Georgia
- Rakas v. Illinois
- Corbitt v. New Jersey
- Massachusetts v. White
- Michigan v. Doran
- Lee v. Missouri
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