CaseTrail

Haines v. Kerner

404 U.S. 519 · Decided January 13, 1972 · 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

Haines v. Kerner was decided on January 13, 1972 unanimously (7–0). The Court reversed the lower court's decision and remanded the case. The decision was issued per curiam (an unsigned opinion of the Court). SCDB classifies its main issue as “Subconstitutional fair procedure, evidence presentation or sufficiency” in the Criminal Procedure area.

Read the opinion

Case details

Citations
404 U.S. 519 · 92 S. Ct. 594 · 30 L. Ed. 2d 652 · 1972 U.S. LEXIS 99
Docket number
70-5025
Decided
January 13, 1972
Argued
December 6, 1971
Court era
Burger Court
Decision type
Per curiam (orally argued)
Disposition
Reversed and remanded
Outcome for petitioner
The petitioning party received a favorable disposition
Vote
7–0 (unanimous)
Opinion assigned by
Warren E. Burger
How the case arrived
Certiorari
Decision direction (SCDB)
Liberal what this means

How the Justices voted

JusticeVoteSeparate writing
Justice William O. DouglasMajority
Justice William J. Brennan Jr.Majority
Justice Potter StewartMajority
Justice Byron R. WhiteMajority
Justice Thurgood MarshallMajority
Chief Justice Warren E. BurgerMajority
Justice Harry A. BlackmunMajority

Did not participate: Lewis F. Powell Jr., William H. Rehnquist.

Full case caption

Haines v. Kerner et al.

SCDB identifiers: case 1971-042, docket 1971-042-01.

Other cases on “Subconstitutional fair procedure, evidence presentation or sufficiency”

See all

Same Term, same area (Criminal Procedure)

See all

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