Peters v. Kiff
407 U.S. 493 · Decided June 22, 1972 · 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
Peters v. Kiff was decided on June 22, 1972 by a vote of 6–3. The Court reversed the lower court's decision and remanded the case. Justice Thurgood Marshall wrote the opinion announcing the judgment of the Court. SCDB classifies its main issue as “Desegregation (general)” in the Civil Rights area.
Read the opinion
Case details
- Citations
- 407 U.S. 493 · 92 S. Ct. 2163 · 33 L. Ed. 2d 83 · 1972 U.S. LEXIS 33
- Docket number
- 71-5078
- Decided
- June 22, 1972
- Argued
- February 22, 1972
- Court era
- Burger Court
- Decision type
- Judgment of the Court (orally argued)
- Disposition
- Reversed and remanded
- Outcome for petitioner
- The petitioning party received a favorable disposition
- Vote
- 6–3
- Majority opinion
- Thurgood Marshall
- Opinion assigned by
- William O. Douglas
- How the case arrived
- Certiorari
- Issue (SCDB)
- Desegregation (general)
- Issue area
- Civil Rights
- Legal provision
- Fourteenth Amendment (equal protection)
- Type of law
- Constitutional amendment
- 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. | Special concurrence | |
| Justice Potter Stewart | Majority | |
| Justice Byron R. White | Special concurrence | Wrote an opinion |
| Justice Thurgood Marshall | Judgment of the Court | Wrote an opinion |
| Chief Justice Warren E. Burger | Dissent | Wrote an opinion |
| Justice Harry A. Blackmun | Dissent | |
| Justice Lewis F. Powell Jr. | Special concurrence | |
| Justice William H. Rehnquist | Dissent |
Full case caption
Peters v. Kiff, Warden
SCDB identifiers: case 1971-155, docket 1971-155-01.
Related decisions
Other cases on “Desegregation (general)”
- Moose Lodge No. 107 v. Irvis
- Alexander v. Louisiana
- Tillman v. Wheaton-Haven Recreation Assn., Inc.
- Palmer v. Thompson
- Mayor of Philadelphia v. Educational Equality League
- Adickes v. S. H. Kress & Co.
Cases on the same legal provision: Fourteenth Amendment (equal protection)
- Wright v. Council of the City of Emporia
- United States v. Scotland Neck City Board of EducationLaw held unconstitutional
- Police Department of the City of Chicago v. MosleyLaw held unconstitutional
- Grayned v. City of RockfordLaw held unconstitutional
- James v. StrangeLaw held unconstitutional
- Jackson v. IndianaLaw held unconstitutional
Same Term, same area (Civil Rights)
- Engelman v. Amos
- Doherty v. United States
- Schreiner v. United States
- Reed v. ReedLaw held unconstitutional
- Richardson v. Belcher
- Mayer v. City of Chicago
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