McDonnell Douglas Corp. v. Green

411 U.S. 792 · Decided May 14, 1973 · Supreme Court of the United States

At a glance

McDonnell Douglas Corp. v. Green was decided on May 14, 1973 unanimously (9–0). The Court vacated the lower court's decision and remanded the case. Justice Lewis F. Powell Jr. wrote the opinion of the Court. SCDB classifies its main issue as “Employment discrimination (race, age, religion, illegitimacy, national origin, working conditions)” in the Civil Rights area.

Read the opinion

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Case details

How the Justices voted

Full case caption

McDonnell Douglas Corp. v. Green

SCDB identifiers: case 1972-118, docket 1972-118-01.

Related decisions

Other cases on “Employment discrimination (race, age, religion, illegitimacy, national origin, working conditions)”

• Alexander v. Gardner-Denver Co.
  415 U.S. 36Decided February 19, 19749–0Lewis F. Powell Jr.
• Love v. Pullman Co.
  404 U.S. 522Decided January 17, 19727–0Potter Stewart
• Johnson v. Railway Express Agency, Inc.
  421 U.S. 454Decided May 19, 19756–3Harry A. Blackmun
• Albemarle Paper Co. v. Moody
  422 U.S. 405Decided June 25, 19757–1Potter Stewart
• Griggs v. Duke Power Co.
  401 U.S. 424Decided March 8, 19718–0Warren E. Burger
• Franks v. Bowman Transportation Co., Inc.
  424 U.S. 747Decided March 24, 19765–3William J. Brennan Jr.

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Cases on the same legal provision: Civil Rights Act of 1964 (Title VII)

• Espinoza et Vir v. Farah Manufacturing Co., Inc.
  414 U.S. 86Decided November 19, 19738–1Thurgood Marshall
• Phillips v. Martin Marietta Corp.
  400 U.S. 542Decided January 25, 19719–0Per curiam
• General Electric Co. v. Gilbert
  429 U.S. 125Decided December 7, 19766–3William H. Rehnquist
• Dothard v. Rawlinson
  433 U.S. 321Decided June 27, 19777–2Potter Stewart
• Nashville Gas Co. v. Satty
  434 U.S. 136Decided December 6, 19779–0William H. Rehnquist
• Richmond Unified School District v. Berg
  434 U.S. 158Decided December 6, 19779–0Per curiam

Same Term, same area (Civil Rights)

• Philpott v. Essex County Welfare BoardLaw held unconstitutional
  409 U.S. 413Decided January 10, 19739–0William O. Douglas
• District of Columbia v. Carter
  409 U.S. 418Decided January 10, 19739–0William J. Brennan Jr.
• United States v. Kras
  409 U.S. 434Decided January 10, 19735–4Harry A. Blackmun
• Goosby v. Osser
  409 U.S. 512Decided January 17, 19739–0William J. Brennan Jr.
• Gomez v. PerezLaw held unconstitutional
  409 U.S. 535Decided January 17, 19737–2Per curiam
• Mahan v. HowellLaw held unconstitutional
  410 U.S. 315Decided February 21, 19735–3William H. Rehnquist

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