Williams v. Rhodes
393 U.S. 23 · Decided October 15, 1968 · Supreme Court of the United States
At a glance
Williams v. Rhodes was decided on October 15, 1968 by a vote of 6–3. The Court vacated the lower court's decision. Justice Hugo L. Black wrote the opinion of the Court. SCDB classifies its main issue as “Ballot access” in the Civil Rights area. SCDB records that the Court declared a state or territorial law, regulation or constitutional provision unconstitutional.
Read the opinion
Case details
- Citations
- 393 U.S. 23 · 89 S. Ct. 5 · 21 L. Ed. 2d 24 · 1968 U.S. LEXIS 2959
- Docket number
- 543
- Decided
- October 15, 1968
- Argued
- October 7, 1968
- Court era
- Warren Court
- Decision type
- Opinion of the Court (orally argued)
- Disposition
- Vacated
- Outcome for petitioner
- The petitioning party received a favorable disposition
- Vote
- 6–3
- Majority opinion
- Hugo L. Black
- Opinion assigned by
- Hugo L. Black
- How the case arrived
- Appeal
- Issue (SCDB)
- Ballot access
- Issue area
- Civil Rights
- Legal provision
- Fourteenth Amendment (equal protection)
- Type of law
- Constitutional amendment
- Held unconstitutional
- A state or territorial law, regulation or constitutional provision
- 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 | Concurrence | Wrote an opinion |
| Chief Justice Earl Warren | Dissent | Wrote an opinion |
| Justice John M. Harlan II | Special concurrence | Wrote an opinion |
| Justice William J. Brennan Jr. | Majority | |
| Justice Potter Stewart | Dissent | Wrote an opinion |
| Justice Byron R. White | Dissent | Wrote an opinion |
| Justice Abe Fortas | Majority | |
| Justice Thurgood Marshall | Majority |
Full case caption
Williams et al. v. Rhodes, Governor of Ohio, et al.
SCDB identifiers: case 1968-003, docket 1968-003-01.
Related decisions
Other cases on “Ballot access”
- Moore v. OgilvieAltered precedentLaw held unconstitutional
- Brockington v. Rhodes
- Jenness v. Fortson
- Bullock v. CarterLaw held unconstitutional
- Storer v. Brown
- American Party of Texas v. White
Cases on the same legal provision: Fourteenth Amendment (equal protection)
- Whyy, Inc. v. Borough of GlassboroLaw held unconstitutional
- Gardner v. California
- Hunter v. EricksonLaw held unconstitutional
- Johnson v. Avery
- Green v. County School Board of New Kent County
- Raney v. Board of Education of the Gould School District
Same Term, same area (Civil Rights)
- Oestereich v. Selective Service System Local Board No. 11
- United States v. Augenblick
- Gardner v. California
- Hunter v. EricksonLaw held unconstitutional
- Alabama State Teachers Assn. v. Alabama Public School and College Authority
- Johnson v. Avery
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