Gooding v. Wilson
405 U.S. 518 · Decided March 23, 1972 · Supreme Court of the United States
At a glance
Gooding v. Wilson was decided on March 23, 1972 by a vote of 5–2. The Court affirmed the lower court's decision. Justice William J. Brennan Jr. wrote the opinion of the Court. SCDB classifies its main issue as “Protest demonstrations” in the First Amendment area. SCDB records that the Court declared a state or territorial law, regulation or constitutional provision unconstitutional.
Read the opinion
Case details
- Citations
- 405 U.S. 518 · 92 S. Ct. 1103 · 31 L. Ed. 2d 408 · 1972 U.S. LEXIS 72
- Docket number
- 70-26
- Decided
- March 23, 1972
- Argued
- December 8, 1971
- 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
- 5–2
- Majority opinion
- William J. Brennan Jr.
- Opinion assigned by
- William O. Douglas
- How the case arrived
- Appeal
- Issue (SCDB)
- Protest demonstrations
- Issue area
- First Amendment
- Legal provision
- First Amendment (speech, press, and assembly)
- Type of law
- Constitutional amendment
- Held unconstitutional
- A state or territorial law, regulation or constitutional provision
- Decision direction (SCDB)
- Liberal what this means
How the Justices voted
| Justice | Vote | Separate writing |
|---|---|---|
| Justice William O. Douglas | Majority | |
| Justice William J. Brennan Jr. | Majority | Wrote an opinion |
| Justice Potter Stewart | Majority | |
| Justice Byron R. White | Majority | |
| Justice Thurgood Marshall | Majority | |
| Chief Justice Warren E. Burger | Dissent | Wrote an opinion |
| Justice Harry A. Blackmun | Dissent | Wrote an opinion |
Did not participate: Lewis F. Powell Jr., William H. Rehnquist.
Full case caption
Gooding, Warden v. Wilson
SCDB identifiers: case 1971-082, docket 1971-082-01.
Related decisions
Other cases on “Protest demonstrations”
- Colten v. Kentucky
- Police Department of the City of Chicago v. MosleyLaw held unconstitutional
- Grayned v. City of RockfordLaw held unconstitutional
- Cohen v. California
- Coates v. City of CincinnatiLaw held unconstitutional
- Radich v. New York
Cases on the same legal provision: First Amendment (speech, press, and assembly)
- Cole v. Richardson
- Flower v. United States
- Lloyd Corp., Ltd. v. Tanner
- Kois v. Wisconsin
- Branzburg v. Hayes
- California v. Larue
Same Term, same area (First Amendment)
- Parisi v. Davidson
- Rabe v. Washington
- Cruz v. Beto
- Fein v. Selective Service System Local Board No. 7 of Yonkers
- Cole v. Richardson
- Wisconsin v. YoderLaw held unconstitutional
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