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Weinberger v. Wiesenfeld

420 U.S. 636 · Decided March 19, 1975 · 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

Weinberger v. Wiesenfeld was decided on March 19, 1975 unanimously (8–0). The Court affirmed the lower court's decision. Justice William J. Brennan Jr. wrote the opinion of the Court. SCDB classifies its main issue as “Sex discrimination (excluding employment)” in the Civil Rights area. SCDB records that the Court declared an act of Congress unconstitutional.

Read the opinion

Case details

Citations
420 U.S. 636 · 95 S. Ct. 1225 · 43 L. Ed. 2d 514 · 1975 U.S. LEXIS 48
Docket number
73-1892
Decided
March 19, 1975
Argued
January 20, 1975
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
8–0 (unanimous)
Majority opinion
William J. Brennan Jr.
Opinion assigned by
Warren E. Burger
How the case arrived
Appeal
Issue area
Civil Rights
Legal provision
Fifth Amendment (equal protection)
Type of law
Constitutional amendment
Held unconstitutional
An act of Congress
Decision direction (SCDB)
Liberal what this means

How the Justices voted

JusticeVoteSeparate writing
Justice William J. Brennan Jr.MajorityWrote an opinion
Justice Potter StewartMajority
Justice Byron R. WhiteMajority
Justice Thurgood MarshallMajority
Chief Justice Warren E. BurgerConcurrence
Justice Harry A. BlackmunMajority
Justice Lewis F. Powell Jr.ConcurrenceWrote an opinion
Justice William H. RehnquistSpecial concurrenceWrote an opinion

Did not participate: William O. Douglas.

Full case caption

Weinberger, Secretary of Health, Education, and Welfare v. Wiesenfeld

SCDB identifiers: case 1974-070, docket 1974-070-01.

Other cases on “Sex discrimination (excluding employment)”

  • Stanton v. StantonLaw held unconstitutional
    421 U.S. 7Decided April 15, 19758–1Harry A. Blackmun
  • Taylor v. LouisianaAltered precedentLaw held unconstitutional
    419 U.S. 522Decided January 21, 19758–1Byron R. White
  • Schlesinger v. Ballard
    419 U.S. 498Decided January 15, 19755–4Potter Stewart
  • Kahn v. Shevin
    416 U.S. 351Decided April 24, 19746–3William O. Douglas
  • Mathews v. de Castro
    429 U.S. 181Decided December 13, 19769–0Potter Stewart
  • Craig v. BorenAltered precedentLaw held unconstitutional
    429 U.S. 190Decided December 20, 19767–2William J. Brennan Jr.

See all

Cases on the same legal provision: Fifth Amendment (equal protection)

Same Term, same area (Civil Rights)

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