Hellenic Lines Ltd. v. Rhoditis
398 U.S. 306 · Decided June 8, 1970 · 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
Hellenic Lines Ltd. v. Rhoditis was decided on June 8, 1970 by a vote of 5–3. The Court affirmed the lower court's decision. Justice William O. Douglas wrote the opinion of the Court. SCDB classifies its main issue as “Election of remedies” in the Economic Activity area.
Read the opinion
Case details
- Citations
- 398 U.S. 306 · 90 S. Ct. 1731 · 26 L. Ed. 2d 252 · 1970 U.S. LEXIS 78
- Docket number
- 661
- Decided
- June 8, 1970
- Argued
- April 21, 1970
- 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
- 5–3
- Majority opinion
- William O. Douglas
- Opinion assigned by
- Hugo L. Black
- How the case arrived
- Certiorari
- Issue (SCDB)
- Election of remedies
- Issue area
- Economic Activity
- Legal provision
- Jones Act or Death on the High Seas Act
- Type of law
- Federal statute
- 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 John M. Harlan II | Dissent | Wrote an opinion |
| Justice William J. Brennan Jr. | Majority | |
| Justice Potter Stewart | Dissent | |
| Justice Byron R. White | Majority | |
| Justice Thurgood Marshall | Majority | |
| Chief Justice Warren E. Burger | Dissent |
Full case caption
Hellenic Lines Ltd. et al. v. Rhoditis
SCDB identifiers: case 1969-108, docket 1969-108-01.
Related decisions
Other cases on “Election of remedies”
- Moragne v. States Marine Lines, Inc.Altered precedent
- Nacirema Operating Co., Inc. v. Johnson
- U.S. Bulk Carriers, Inc. v. Arguelles
- Rodrigue v. Aetna Casualty & Surety Co.
- Crane v. Cedar Rapids & Iowa City Railway Co.
- McClanahan v. Morauer & Hartzell, Inc.
Cases on the same legal provision: Jones Act or Death on the High Seas Act
- Hopson v. Texaco, Inc.
- Tipton v. Socony Mobil Oil Co., Inc.
- Donovan v. Penn Shipping Co., Inc.
- Fitzgerald v. United States Lines Co.
- Salem v. United States Lines Co.
- Michalic v. Cleveland Tankers, Inc.
Same Term, same area (Economic Activity)
- Simpson v. Union Oil Co. of California
- Anderson's-Black Rock, Inc. v. Pavement Salvage Co., Inc.
- Zuber v. Allen
- Nacirema Operating Co., Inc. v. Johnson
- United States v. Interstate Commerce Commission
- Pike v. Bruce Church, Inc.Law 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