Houghton v. Shafer
392 U.S. 639 · Decided June 17, 1968 · 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
Houghton v. Shafer was decided on June 17, 1968 unanimously (9–0). 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 “Liability under civil rights acts” in the Civil Rights area.
Read the opinion
Case details
- Citations
- 392 U.S. 639 · 88 S. Ct. 2119 · 20 L. Ed. 2d 1319 · 1968 U.S. LEXIS 1146
- Docket number
- 668 M
- Decided
- June 17, 1968
- Court era
- Warren Court
- Decision type
- Per curiam (no oral argument)
- Disposition
- Reversed and remanded
- Outcome for petitioner
- The petitioning party received a favorable disposition
- Vote
- 9–0 (unanimous)
- Opinion assigned by
- Earl Warren
- How the case arrived
- Certiorari
- Issue (SCDB)
- Liability under civil rights acts
- Issue area
- Civil Rights
- Legal provision
- 42 U.S.C. § 1983 (Reconstruction Civil Rights Acts)
- 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 | |
| Chief Justice Earl Warren | Majority | |
| Justice John M. Harlan II | Majority | |
| Justice William J. Brennan Jr. | Majority | |
| Justice Potter Stewart | Majority | |
| Justice Byron R. White | Majority | |
| Justice Abe Fortas | Majority | |
| Justice Thurgood Marshall | Majority |
Full case caption
Houghton v. Shafer, Governor of Pennsylvania, et al.
SCDB identifiers: case 1967-188, docket 1967-188-01.
Related decisions
Other cases on “Liability under civil rights acts”
- Damico v. California
- Pierson v. Ray
- United States v. Guest
- United States v. Price
- Griffin v. BreckenridgeAltered precedent
- District of Columbia v. Carter
Cases on the same legal provision: 42 U.S.C. § 1983 (Reconstruction Civil Rights Acts)
- Adickes v. S. H. Kress & Co.
- Preiser v. Rodriguez
- City of Kenosha v. Bruno
- McNeese v. Board of Education for Community Unit School District 187
- Rizzo v. Goode
- Examining Board of Engineers v. Flores de OteroLaw held unconstitutional
Same Term, same area (Civil Rights)
- Coleman v. Alabama
- Jones v. Georgia
- Roberts v. Lavallee
- Lucas v. RhodesLaw held unconstitutional
- Eagar v. Magma Copper Co.
- Rockefeller v. WellsLaw 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