Conscientious objectors: Supreme Court decisions

Every U.S. Supreme Court decision from the 1946 through 2025 Terms that the Supreme Court Database classifies under the issue “Conscientious objectors,” part of the First Amendment area.

Legal provisions most often involved

All 27 decisions, newest first

• Wayte v. United States
  470 U.S. 598Decided March 19, 19857–2Lewis F. Powell Jr.
• Musser v. United States
  414 U.S. 31Decided November 12, 19736–3Per curiam
• Fein v. Selective Service System Local Board No. 7 of Yonkers
  405 U.S. 365Decided March 21, 19724–3Harry A. Blackmun
• Parisi v. Davidson
  405 U.S. 34Decided February 23, 19727–0Potter Stewart
• Clay v. United States
  403 U.S. 698Decided June 28, 19718–0Per curiam
• McGee v. United States
  402 U.S. 479Decided May 17, 19718–1Thurgood Marshall
• Ehlert v. United States
  402 U.S. 99Decided April 21, 19716–3Potter Stewart
• Gillette v. United States
  401 U.S. 437Decided March 8, 19718–1Thurgood Marshall
• United States v. Weller
  401 U.S. 254Decided February 24, 19718–1Potter Stewart
• United States v. Sisson
  399 U.S. 267Decided June 29, 19705–3John M. Harlan II
• Welsh v. United States
  398 U.S. 333Decided June 15, 19705–3Hugo L. Black
• Mulloy v. United States
  398 U.S. 410Decided June 15, 19708–0Potter Stewart
• Clark v. Gabriel
  393 U.S. 256Decided December 16, 19688–1Per curiam
• United States v. Seeger
  380 U.S. 163Decided March 8, 19659–0Tom C. Clark
• Gonzales v. United States
  364 U.S. 59Decided June 27, 19605–4Tom C. Clark
• Johnston v. United States
  351 U.S. 215Decided May 21, 19566–3Stanley F. Reed
• Witmer v. United States
  348 U.S. 375Decided March 14, 19556–2Tom C. Clark
• Sicurella v. United States
  348 U.S. 385Decided March 14, 19556–2Tom C. Clark
• Simmons v. United States
  348 U.S. 397Decided March 14, 19556–2Tom C. Clark
• Gonzales v. United States
  348 U.S. 407Decided March 14, 19555–3Tom C. Clark
• Dickinson v. United States
  346 U.S. 389Decided November 30, 19536–3Tom C. Clark
• United States v. Nugent
  346 U.S. 1Decided June 8, 19535–3Fred M. Vinson
• Cox v. United States
  332 U.S. 442Decided November 24, 19475–4Stanley F. Reed
• Sunal v. Large
  332 U.S. 174Decided June 23, 19476–3William O. Douglas
• Eagles v. United States ex Rel. Samuels
  329 U.S. 304Decided December 23, 19469–0William O. Douglas
• Eagles v. United States ex Rel. Horowitz
  329 U.S. 317Decided December 23, 19469–0William O. Douglas
• Gibson v. United States
  329 U.S. 338Decided December 23, 19469–0Wiley B. Rutledge

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