Beer et al. v. United States et al.

Decided March 30, 1976. Potter Stewart delivered the opinion of the Court.

Docket 73-1869 · 425 U.S. 130 (1976) · Cited 324 times

We don’t yet publish a summary of this opinion — read the official text below for the Court’s holding and reasoning.

How the Justices voted

Decided 5–3.

“Concurring” means agreeing with the outcome; any split shown is the Court’s judgment, not each Justice’s reasoning. Source: the Supreme Court Database (Spaeth et al.), Washington University.

Precedents cited

Supreme Court decisions this opinion relies on, ordered by how often it cites each. Cases in our collection link through; others are named.

• South Carolina v. Katzenbach · 383 U.S. 301 (1966)
• Gomillion v. Lightfoot · 364 U.S. 339 (1960)
• City of Richmond v. United States · 422 U.S. 358 (1975)
• Whitcomb v. Chavis · 403 U.S. 124 (1971)
• WRIGHT Et Al. v. ROCKEFELLER, GOVERNOR OF NEW YORK, Et Al. · 376 U.S. 52 (1964)
• White v. Regester · 412 U.S. 755 (1973)
• Georgia v. United States · 411 U.S. 526 (1973)
• Reynolds v. Sims · 377 U.S. 533 (1964)
• Allen v. State Board of Elections · 393 U.S. 544 (1969)
• United States v. O'Brien · 391 U.S. 367 (1968)
• Perkins v. Matthews · 400 U.S. 379 (1971)
• McGowan v. Maryland · 366 U.S. 420 (1961)
• Katzenbach v. Morgan · 384 U.S. 641 (1966)
• Board of Ed. of Central School Dist. No. 1 v. Allen · 392 U.S. 236 (1968)
• Burns v. Richardson · 384 U.S. 73 (1966)
• Louisiana v. United States · 380 U.S. 145 (1965)
• Fortson v. Dorsey · 379 U.S. 433 (1965)
• Palmer v. Thompson · 403 U.S. 217 (1971)
• ANDERSON Et Al. v. MARTIN · 375 U.S. 399 (1964)

Cited by

Later Supreme Court opinions in our collection that cite this case.

• Reno v. Bossier Parish School Board · 528 U.S. 320 (2000)
• Reno v. Bossier Parish School Board · 520 U.S. 471 (1997)
• City of Lockhart v. United States · 460 U.S. 125 (1983)
• United Jewish Organizations of Williamsburgh, Inc. v. Carey · 430 U.S. 144 (1977)
• Georgia v. Ashcroft, Attorney General · 539 U.S. 461 (2003)
• City of Mobile v. Bolden · 446 U.S. 55 (1980)
• Shaw v. Reno · 509 U.S. 630 (1993)
• Miller v. Johnson · 515 U.S. 900 (1995)
• Cooper v. Harris · 581 U.S. 285 (2017)
• City of Rome v. United States · 446 U.S. 156 (1980)
• Holder v. Hall · 512 U.S. 874 (1994)
• Bush v. Vera · 517 U.S. 952 (1996)
• League of United Latin American Citizens v. Perry · 548 U.S. 399 (2006)
• Alabama Legislative Black Caucus v. Alabama · 575 U.S. 254 (2015)
• Morris v. Gressette · 432 U.S. 491 (1977)
• Morse v. Republican Party of Virginia · 517 U.S. 186 (1996)
• Personnel Administrator of Mass. v. Feeney · 442 U.S. 256 (1979)
• Voinovich v. Quilter · 507 U.S. 146 (1993)
• Metro Broadcasting, Inc. v. Federal Communications Commission · 497 U.S. 547 (1990)
• Northwest Austin Municipal Utility District Number One v. Holder · 557 U.S. 193 (2009)
• Abrams v. Johnson · 521 U.S. 74 (1997)
• United States v. Sheffield Bd. of Comm'rs · 435 U.S. 110 (1978)
• Upham v. Seamon · 456 U.S. 37 (1982)
• Riley v. Kennedy · 553 U.S. 406 (2008)

Official text

Read the official opinion (U.S. Reports, govinfo.gov)

Explore from here

Potter Stewart’s profile · All Supreme Court opinions · The Supreme Court

Source: the U.S. Reports via govinfo.gov; authoring Justice and vote lineup from the Supreme Court Database (Washington University). Citation count from the Free Law Project’s CourtListener bulk data. Data last verified 2026-07-03. Informational only; verify against the primary source before relying. Not a consumer report (FCRA).