Kusper v. Pontikes
414 U.S. 51 · Decided November 19, 1973 · 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
Kusper v. Pontikes was decided on November 19, 1973 by a vote of 7–2. The Court affirmed the lower court's decision. Justice Potter Stewart wrote the opinion of the Court. SCDB classifies its main issue as “Residency requirements” in the Civil Rights area. SCDB records that the Court declared a state or territorial law, regulation or constitutional provision unconstitutional.
Read the opinion
Case details
- Citations
- 414 U.S. 51 · 94 S. Ct. 303 · 38 L. Ed. 2d 260 · 1973 U.S. LEXIS 174
- Docket number
- 71-1631
- Decided
- November 19, 1973
- Argued
- October 9, 1973
- 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
- 7–2
- Majority opinion
- Potter Stewart
- Opinion assigned by
- Warren E. Burger
- How the case arrived
- Appeal
- Issue (SCDB)
- Residency requirements
- Issue area
- Civil Rights
- Legal provision
- First Amendment (association)
- 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 | |
| Justice Potter Stewart | Majority | Wrote an opinion |
| Justice Byron R. White | Majority | |
| Justice Thurgood Marshall | Majority | |
| Chief Justice Warren E. Burger | Special concurrence | |
| Justice Harry A. Blackmun | Dissent | Wrote an opinion |
| Justice Lewis F. Powell Jr. | Majority | |
| Justice William H. Rehnquist | Dissent | Wrote an opinion |
Full case caption
Kusper et al. v. Pontikes
SCDB identifiers: case 1973-012, docket 1973-012-01.
Related decisions
Other cases on “Residency requirements”
- Memorial Hospital v. Maricopa CountyLaw held unconstitutional
- Rosario v. Rockefeller
- Marston v. Lewis
- Burns v. Fortson
- Sosna v. Iowa
- Carter v. Stanton
Cases on the same legal provision: First Amendment (association)
- Healy v. James
- Elrod v. Burns
- United Transportation Union v. State Bar of Michigan
- Baird v. State Bar of Arizona
- In re Stolar
- Abood v. Detroit Board of Education
Same Term, same area (Civil Rights)
- United States Immigration and Naturalization Service v. Hibi
- Dennett v. Hogan
- Department of Game of Washington v. Puyallup Tribe
- Espinoza et Vir v. Farah Manufacturing Co., Inc.
- O'Brien v. SkinnerLaw held unconstitutional
- Lau v. Nichols
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