Dothard, Director, Department of Public Safety of Alabama, et al. v. Rawlinson et al.

Decided June 27, 1977. Potter Stewart delivered the opinion of the Court.

Docket 76-422 · 433 U.S. 321 (1977) · Cited 1,095 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 7–2.

“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.

• Griggs v. Duke Power Co. · 401 U.S. 424 (1971)
• Albemarle Paper Co. v. Moody · 422 U.S. 405 (1975)
• Phillips v. Martin Marietta Corp. · 400 U.S. 542 (1971)
• McDonnell Douglas Corp. v. Green · 411 U.S. 792 (1973)
• International Brotherhood of Teamsters v. United States · 431 U.S. 324 (1977)
• Hamling v. United States · 418 U.S. 87 (1974)
• Adickes v. S. H. Kress & Co. · 398 U.S. 144 (1970)
• Washington v. Davis · 426 U.S. 229 (1976)
• Zenith Radio Corp. v. Hazeltine Research, Inc. · 395 U.S. 100 (1969)
• Frontiero v. Richardson · 411 U.S. 677 (1973)
• McDonald v. Santa Fe Trail Transportation Co. · 427 U.S. 273 (1976)
• McAllister v. United States · 348 U.S. 19 (1954)
• United States v. Arnold, Schwinn & Co. · 388 U.S. 365 (1967)
• United States v. Yellow Cab Co. · 338 U.S. 338 (1949)
• Philbrook v. Glodgett · 421 U.S. 707 (1975)
• Mayor of Philadelphia v. Educational Equality League · 415 U.S. 605 (1974)
• Irvine v. California · 347 U.S. 128 (1954)
• Bradwell v. State · 83 U.S. 130 (1873)

Cited by

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

• International Union, United Automobile, Aerospace & Agricultural Implement v. Johnson Controls, Inc. · 499 U.S. 187 (1991)
• Connecticut v. Teal · 457 U.S. 440 (1982)
• Watson v. Fort Worth Bank & Trust · 487 U.S. 977 (1988)
• Wards Cove Packing Co. v. Atonio · 490 U.S. 642 (1989)
• Furnco Construction Corp. v. Waters · 438 U.S. 567 (1978)
• Bostock v. Clayton County · 590 U.S. 644 (2020)
• New York City Transit Authority v. Beazer · 440 U.S. 568 (1979)
• Price Waterhouse v. Hopkins · 490 U.S. 228 (1989)
• DeShaney v. Winnebago County Department of Social Services · 489 U.S. 189 (1989)
• Cannon v. University of Chicago · 441 U.S. 677 (1979)
• Youngberg v. Romeo Ex Rel. Romeo · 457 U.S. 307 (1982)
• Ricci v. DeStefano · 557 U.S. 557 (2009)
• County of Los Angeles v. Davis · 440 U.S. 625 (1979)
• Pennsylvania Department of Corrections v. Yeskey · 524 U.S. 206 (1998)
• United Steelworkers of America v. Weber · 443 U.S. 193 (1979)
• Johnson v. Transportation Agency, Santa Clara Cty. · 480 U.S. 616 (1987)
• County of Washington v. Gunther · 452 U.S. 161 (1981)
• Chevron U. S. A. Inc. v. Echazabal · 536 U.S. 73 (2002)
• Lorance v. At&t Technologies, Inc. · 490 U.S. 900 (1989)
• Western Air Lines, Inc. v. Criswell · 472 U.S. 400 (1985)
• Nashville Gas Co. v. Satty · 434 U.S. 136 (1977)

Official text

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

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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).