Willner v. Committee on Character and Fitness
373 U.S. 96 · Decided May 13, 1963 · Supreme Court of the United States
At a glance
Willner v. Committee on Character and Fitness was decided on May 13, 1963 by a vote of 7–2. The Court reversed the lower court's decision. Justice William O. Douglas wrote the opinion of the Court. SCDB classifies its main issue as “Due process, hearing or notice” in the Due Process area. SCDB records that the Court declared a state or territorial law, regulation or constitutional provision unconstitutional.
Read the opinion
Case details
- Citations
- 373 U.S. 96 · 83 S. Ct. 1175 · 10 L. Ed. 2d 224 · 1963 U.S. LEXIS 1616
- Docket number
- 140
- Decided
- May 13, 1963
- Argued
- February 21, 1963
- Court era
- Warren Court
- Decision type
- Opinion of the Court (orally argued)
- Disposition
- Reversed
- Outcome for petitioner
- The petitioning party received a favorable disposition
- Vote
- 7–2
- Majority opinion
- William O. Douglas
- Opinion assigned by
- Earl Warren
- How the case arrived
- Certiorari
- Issue (SCDB)
- Due process, hearing or notice
- Issue area
- Due Process
- Legal provision
- Fourteenth Amendment (due process)
- 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 | |
| Justice William O. Douglas | Majority | Wrote an opinion |
| Justice Tom C. Clark | Dissent | |
| Chief Justice Earl Warren | Majority | |
| Justice John M. Harlan II | Dissent | Wrote an opinion |
| Justice William J. Brennan Jr. | Concurrence | |
| Justice Potter Stewart | Concurrence | |
| Justice Byron R. White | Majority | |
| Justice Arthur J. Goldberg | Concurrence | Wrote an opinion |
Full case caption
Willner v. Committee on Character and Fitness, Appellate Division of the Supreme Court of New York, First Judicial Department
SCDB identifiers: case 1962-097, docket 1962-097-01.
Related decisions
Other cases on “Due process, hearing or notice”
- Schroeder v. City of New YorkLaw held unconstitutional
- In re Green
- Oyler v. Boles
- Armstrong v. Manzo et Ux.
- Pate v. Robinson
- Westbrook v. Arizona
Cases on the same legal provision: Fourteenth Amendment (due process)
- Brady v. Maryland
- Norvell v. Illinois
- Haynes v. Washington
- Ferguson v. SkrupaAltered precedent
- Rideau v. Louisiana
- Lynumn v. Illinois
Same Term, same area (Due Process)
- Schroeder v. City of New YorkLaw held unconstitutional
- Williams v. Zuckert
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