Labine v. Vincent
401 U.S. 532 · Decided March 29, 1971 · 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
Labine v. Vincent was decided on March 29, 1971 by a vote of 5–4. The Court affirmed the lower court's decision. Justice Hugo L. Black wrote the opinion of the Court. SCDB classifies its main issue as “Rights of illegitimates” in the Civil Rights area.
Read the opinion
Case details
- Citations
- 401 U.S. 532 · 91 S. Ct. 1017 · 28 L. Ed. 2d 288 · 1971 U.S. LEXIS 64
- Docket number
- 5257
- Decided
- March 29, 1971
- Argued
- January 19, 1971
- 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
- 5–4
- Majority opinion
- Hugo L. Black
- Opinion assigned by
- Warren E. Burger
- How the case arrived
- Appeal
- Issue (SCDB)
- Rights of illegitimates
- Issue area
- Civil Rights
- Legal provision
- Fourteenth Amendment (equal protection)
- Type of law
- Constitutional amendment
- Decision direction (SCDB)
- Conservative what this means
How the Justices voted
| Justice | Vote | Separate writing |
|---|---|---|
| Justice Hugo L. Black | Majority | Wrote an opinion |
| Justice William O. Douglas | Dissent | |
| Justice John M. Harlan II | Concurrence | Wrote an opinion |
| Justice William J. Brennan Jr. | Dissent | Wrote an opinion |
| Justice Potter Stewart | Majority | |
| Justice Byron R. White | Dissent | |
| Justice Thurgood Marshall | Dissent | |
| Chief Justice Warren E. Burger | Majority | |
| Justice Harry A. Blackmun | Majority |
Full case caption
Labine, Tutrix v. Vincent, Administrator
SCDB identifiers: case 1970-068, docket 1970-068-01.
Related decisions
Other cases on “Rights of illegitimates”
- Willis v. Prudential Insurance Company of America
- Weber v. Aetna Casualty & Surety Co.Law held unconstitutional
- Gomez v. PerezLaw held unconstitutional
- Linda R. S. v. Richard D.
- New Jersey Welfare Rights Organization v. CahillLaw held unconstitutional
- Levy v. Louisiana Through the Charity Hospital of Louisiana at New Orleans Board of AdministratorsLaw held unconstitutional
Cases on the same legal provision: Fourteenth Amendment (equal protection)
- North Carolina State Board of Education v. SwannLaw held unconstitutional
- Tate v. ShortLaw held unconstitutional
- James v. Valtierra
- Gordon v. Lance
- Whitcomb v. ChavisLaw held unconstitutional
- Abate v. Mundt
Same Term, same area (Civil Rights)
- Oregon v. MitchellLaw held unconstitutional
- Perkins v. Matthews
- Kennerly v. District Court of the Ninth Judicial District of Montana
- Phillips v. Martin Marietta Corp.
- Relford v. Commandant, U.S. Disciplinary Barracks, Ft. Leavenworth
- Boddie v. ConnecticutLaw 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