United States v. Kansas City Life Insurance Co.
339 U.S. 799 · Decided June 5, 1950 · 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
United States v. Kansas City Life Insurance Co. was decided on June 5, 1950 by a vote of 5–4. The Court affirmed the lower court's decision. Justice Harold H. Burton wrote the opinion of the Court. SCDB classifies its main issue as “Due process, takings clause” in the Due Process area.
Read the opinion
Case details
- Citations
- 339 U.S. 799 · 70 S. Ct. 885 · 94 L. Ed. 2d 1277 · 1950 U.S. LEXIS 1816
- Docket number
- 1
- Decided
- June 5, 1950
- Argued
- October 20, 1948
- Reargued
- March 29, 1950
- Court era
- Vinson 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
- Harold H. Burton
- Opinion assigned by
- Fred M. Vinson
- How the case arrived
- Certiorari
- Issue (SCDB)
- Due process, takings clause
- Issue area
- Due Process
- Legal provision
- Fifth Amendment (takings clause)
- Type of law
- Constitutional amendment
- Decision direction (SCDB)
- Conservative what this means
How the Justices voted
| Justice | Vote | Separate writing |
|---|---|---|
| Justice Hugo L. Black | Dissent | |
| Justice Stanley F. Reed | Dissent | |
| Justice Felix Frankfurter | Majority | |
| Justice William O. Douglas | Dissent | Wrote an opinion |
| Justice Robert H. Jackson | Majority | |
| Justice Harold H. Burton | Majority | Wrote an opinion |
| Chief Justice Fred M. Vinson | Majority | |
| Justice Tom C. Clark | Majority | |
| Justice Sherman Minton | Dissent | Wrote an opinion |
Full case caption
United States v. Kansas City Life Insurance Co.
SCDB identifiers: case 1949-092, docket 1949-092-01.
Related decisions
Other cases on “Due process, takings clause”
- United States v. Gerlach Live Stock Co.
- United States v. Westinghouse Electric & Manufacturing Co.
- United States v. Commodities Trading Corp.
- United States v. Toronto
- McGrath v. Manufacturers Trust Co.
- United States v. Pewee Coal Co., Inc.
Cases on the same legal provision: Fifth Amendment (takings clause)
- United States v. Alcea Band of Tillamooks
- General Box Co. v. United States
- United States v. Grand River Dam Authority
- United States v. Fuller et Ux.
- City of Pittsburgh v. Alco Parking Corp.
- Gurley v. Rhoden
Same Term, same area (Due Process)
- McGrath v. Manufacturers Trust Co.
- United States v. Toronto
- Solesbee v. Balkcom
- United States v. Commodities Trading Corp.
- United States v. Westinghouse Electric & Manufacturing Co.
- Mullane v. Central Hanover Bank & Trust Co.Law 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