United Transportation Union v. State Bar of Michigan
401 U.S. 576 · Decided April 5, 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
United Transportation Union v. State Bar of Michigan was decided on April 5, 1971 by a vote of 5–3. The Court reversed the lower court's decision. Justice Hugo L. Black wrote the opinion of the Court. SCDB classifies its main issue as “Commercial speech, attorneys” in the Attorneys area.
Read the opinion
Case details
- Citations
- 401 U.S. 576 · 91 S. Ct. 1076 · 28 L. Ed. 2d 339 · 1971 U.S. LEXIS 131
- Docket number
- 434
- Decided
- April 5, 1971
- Argued
- January 20, 1971
- Court era
- Burger Court
- Decision type
- Opinion of the Court (orally argued)
- Disposition
- Reversed
- Outcome for petitioner
- The petitioning party received a favorable disposition
- Vote
- 5–3
- Majority opinion
- Hugo L. Black
- Opinion assigned by
- Warren E. Burger
- How the case arrived
- Certiorari
- Issue (SCDB)
- Commercial speech, attorneys
- Issue area
- Attorneys
- Legal provision
- First Amendment (association)
- Type of law
- Constitutional amendment
- Decision direction (SCDB)
- Liberal what this means
How the Justices voted
| Justice | Vote | Separate writing |
|---|---|---|
| Justice Hugo L. Black | Majority | Wrote an opinion |
| Justice William O. Douglas | Majority | |
| Justice John M. Harlan II | Dissent | Wrote an opinion |
| Justice William J. Brennan Jr. | Majority | |
| Justice Byron R. White | Dissent | Wrote an opinion |
| Justice Thurgood Marshall | Majority | |
| Chief Justice Warren E. Burger | Majority | |
| Justice Harry A. Blackmun | Dissent |
Did not participate: Potter Stewart.
Full case caption
United Transportation Union v. State Bar of Michigan
SCDB identifiers: case 1970-070, docket 1970-070-01.
Related decisions
Other cases on “Commercial speech, attorneys”
- Bates v. State Bar of ArizonaLaw held unconstitutional
- In re Primus
- Ohralik v. Ohio State Bar Assn.
- In re R. M. J.Law held unconstitutional
- Zauderer v. Office of Disciplinary Counsel of the Supreme Court of OhioLaw held unconstitutional
- Shapero v. Kentucky Bar AssociationLaw held unconstitutional
Cases on the same legal provision: First Amendment (association)
- Baird v. State Bar of Arizona
- In re Stolar
- Healy v. James
- Rosario v. Rockefeller
- Kusper v. PontikesLaw held unconstitutional
- Schneider v. Smith
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