Fowler v. Rhode Island
345 U.S. 67 · Decided March 9, 1953 · 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
Fowler v. Rhode Island was decided on March 9, 1953 unanimously (9–0). The Court reversed the lower court's decision and remanded the case. Justice William O. Douglas wrote the opinion of the Court. SCDB classifies its main issue as “Free exercise of religion” in the First Amendment area. SCDB records that the Court declared a municipal or other local ordinance unconstitutional.
Read the opinion
Case details
- Citations
- 345 U.S. 67 · 73 S. Ct. 526 · 97 L. Ed. 2d 828 · 1953 U.S. LEXIS 2330
- Docket number
- 340
- Decided
- March 9, 1953
- Argued
- February 3, 1953
- Court era
- Vinson Court
- Decision type
- Opinion of the Court (orally argued)
- Disposition
- Reversed and remanded
- Outcome for petitioner
- The petitioning party received a favorable disposition
- Vote
- 9–0 (unanimous)
- Majority opinion
- William O. Douglas
- Opinion assigned by
- Fred M. Vinson
- How the case arrived
- Appeal
- Issue (SCDB)
- Free exercise of religion
- Issue area
- First Amendment
- Legal provision
- First Amendment (free exercise of religion)
- Type of law
- Constitutional amendment
- Held unconstitutional
- A municipal or other local ordinance
- 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 | Special concurrence | Wrote an opinion |
| Justice William O. Douglas | Majority | Wrote an opinion |
| Justice Robert H. Jackson | Special concurrence | |
| Justice Harold H. Burton | Majority | |
| Chief Justice Fred M. Vinson | Majority | |
| Justice Tom C. Clark | Majority | |
| Justice Sherman Minton | Majority |
Full case caption
Fowler v. Rhode Island
SCDB identifiers: case 1952-057, docket 1952-057-01.
Related decisions
Other cases on “Free exercise of religion”
- Poulos v. New Hampshire
- Kedroff v. Saint Nicholas Cathedral of the Russian Orthodox Church in North AmericaLaw held unconstitutional
- Niemotko v. Maryland
- Kunz v. New YorkLaw held unconstitutional
- Kreshik v. Saint Nicholas Cathedral of the Russian Orthodox Church of North America
- Gallagher v. Crown Kosher Super Market of Massachusetts, Inc.
Cases on the same legal provision: First Amendment (free exercise of religion)
- Zorach v. Clauson
- Gary Locke v. Joshua Davey
- Trinity Lutheran Church v. ComerLaw held unconstitutional
- Masterpiece Cakeshop, Ltd. v. Colorado Civil Rights Commission
- Espinoza v. Montana Department of RevenueLaw held unconstitutional
- Carson v. MakinLaw held unconstitutional
Same Term, same area (First Amendment)
- Kedroff v. Saint Nicholas Cathedral of the Russian Orthodox Church in North AmericaLaw held unconstitutional
- Wieman v. UpdegraffLaw held unconstitutional
- National Labor Relations Board v. Dant
- Poulos v. New Hampshire
- United States v. Nugent
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