Wisconsin v. Yoder
406 U.S. 205 · Decided May 15, 1972 · Supreme Court of the United States
At a glance
Wisconsin v. Yoder was decided on May 15, 1972 unanimously (7–0). The Court affirmed the lower court's decision. Chief Justice Warren E. Burger wrote the opinion of the Court. SCDB classifies its main issue as “Free exercise of religion” in the First Amendment area. SCDB records that the Court declared a state or territorial law, regulation or constitutional provision unconstitutional.
Read the opinion
Case details
- Citations
- 406 U.S. 205 · 92 S. Ct. 1526 · 32 L. Ed. 2d 15 · 1972 U.S. LEXIS 144
- Docket number
- 70-110
- Decided
- May 15, 1972
- Argued
- December 8, 1971
- 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
- 7–0 (unanimous)
- Majority opinion
- Warren E. Burger
- Opinion assigned by
- Warren E. Burger
- How the case arrived
- Certiorari
- Issue (SCDB)
- Free exercise of religion
- Issue area
- First Amendment
- Legal provision
- First Amendment (free exercise of religion)
- 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 William O. Douglas | Special concurrence | Wrote an opinion |
| Justice William J. Brennan Jr. | Concurrence | |
| Justice Potter Stewart | Concurrence | Wrote an opinion |
| Justice Byron R. White | Concurrence | Wrote an opinion |
| Justice Thurgood Marshall | Majority | |
| Chief Justice Warren E. Burger | Majority | Wrote an opinion |
| Justice Harry A. Blackmun | Majority |
Did not participate: Lewis F. Powell Jr., William H. Rehnquist.
Full case caption
Wisconsin v. Yoder et al.
SCDB identifiers: case 1971-102, docket 1971-102-01.
Related decisions
Other cases on “Free exercise of religion”
- Cruz v. Beto
- Dewey v. Reynolds Metals Co.
- Presbyterian Church in the United States v. Mary Elizabeth Blue Hull Memorial Presbyterian Church
- Serbian Eastern Orthodox Diocese for the United States of America and Canada v. Milivojevich
- Parker Seal Co. v. Cummins
- Wooley v. Maynard et Ux.Law held unconstitutional
Cases on the same legal provision: First Amendment (free exercise of religion)
- Zorach v. Clauson
- Gary Locke v. Joshua Davey
- Trinity Lutheran Church v. ComerLaw held unconstitutional
- Masterpiece Cakeshop, Ltd. v. Colorado Civil Rights Commission
- Espinoza v. Montana Department of RevenueLaw held unconstitutional
- Carson v. MakinLaw held unconstitutional
Same Term, same area (First Amendment)
- Parisi v. Davidson
- Rabe v. Washington
- Cruz v. Beto
- Fein v. Selective Service System Local Board No. 7 of Yonkers
- Gooding v. WilsonLaw held unconstitutional
- Cole v. Richardson
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