Gray v. Sanders
372 U.S. 368 · Decided March 18, 1963 · Supreme Court of the United States
At a glance
Gray v. Sanders was decided on March 18, 1963 by a vote of 8–1. The Court vacated 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 “Reapportionment (other than Voting Rights Act plans)” in the Civil Rights area. SCDB codes this decision as formally altering one or more of the Court's own precedents. SCDB records that the Court declared a state or territorial law, regulation or constitutional provision unconstitutional.
Read the opinion
Case details
- Citations
- 372 U.S. 368 · 83 S. Ct. 801 · 9 L. Ed. 2d 821 · 1963 U.S. LEXIS 1944
- Docket number
- 112
- Decided
- March 18, 1963
- Argued
- January 17, 1963
- Court era
- Warren Court
- Decision type
- Opinion of the Court (orally argued)
- Disposition
- Vacated and remanded
- Outcome for petitioner
- The petitioning party did not receive a favorable disposition
- Vote
- 8–1
- Majority opinion
- William O. Douglas
- Opinion assigned by
- Earl Warren
- How the case arrived
- Appeal
- Issue area
- Civil Rights
- Legal provision
- Fourteenth Amendment (equal protection)
- Type of law
- Constitutional amendment
- Altered precedent
- Yes — formally altered the Court's precedent
- 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 Hugo L. Black | Majority | |
| Justice William O. Douglas | Majority | Wrote an opinion |
| Justice Tom C. Clark | Concurrence | |
| Chief Justice Earl Warren | Majority | |
| Justice John M. Harlan II | Dissent | Wrote an opinion |
| Justice William J. Brennan Jr. | Majority | |
| Justice Potter Stewart | Concurrence | Wrote an opinion |
| Justice Byron R. White | Majority | |
| Justice Arthur J. Goldberg | Majority |
Full case caption
Gray, Chairman of the Georgia State Democratic Executive Committee, et al. v. Sanders
SCDB identifiers: case 1962-060, docket 1962-060-01.
Related decisions
Other cases on “Reapportionment (other than Voting Rights Act plans)”
- W. M. C. A., Inc. v. Simon
- Scholle v. Hare
- Wesberry v. SandersAltered precedentLaw held unconstitutional
- Wright v. Rockefeller
- Martin v. BushLaw held unconstitutional
- Baker v. CarrAltered precedent
Cases on the same legal provision: Fourteenth Amendment (equal protection)
- Douglas v. California
- Lane v. BrownLaw held unconstitutional
- Draper v. Washington
- Johnson v. Virginia
- Peterson v. City of GreenvilleLaw held unconstitutional
- Shuttlesworth v. City of Birmingham
Same Term, same area (Civil Rights)
- Kennedy v. Mendoza-MartinezLaw held unconstitutional
- Schneider v. Rusk
- Douglas v. California
- Lane v. BrownLaw held unconstitutional
- Draper v. Washington
- Luckman v. Dunbar
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