Hess, Administrator, v. United States

Decided January 18, 1960. Potter Stewart delivered the opinion of the Court.

Docket 5 · 361 U.S. 314 (1960) · Cited 163 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 6–3.

“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.

• The Tungus v. Skovgaard · 358 U.S. 588 (1959)
• Southern Pacific Company v. Jensen · 244 U.S. 205 (1916)
• Levinson v. Deupree · 345 U.S. 648 (1953)
• Chelentis v. Luckenbach Steamship Co. · 247 U.S. 372 (1918)
• The Hamilton · 207 U.S. 398 (1907)
• United New York & New Jersey Sandy Hook Pilots Ass'n v. Halecki · 358 U.S. 613 (1959)
• Kermarec v. Compagnie Generale Transatlantique · 358 U.S. 625 (1959)
• Garrett v. Moore-McCormack Co. · 317 U.S. 239 (1942)
• La Bourgogne · 210 U.S. 95 (1908)
• Pope & Talbot, Inc. v. Hawn · 346 U.S. 406 (1953)
• Carlisle Packing Co. v. Sandanger · 259 U.S. 255 (1922)
• SHERLOCK v. Alling, AdmInistrator · 93 U.S. 99 (1876)
• Red Cross Line v. Atlantic Fruit Co. · 264 U.S. 109 (1924)
• Steamboat Co. v. Chase · 83 U.S. 522 (1873)
• Caldarola v. Eckert · 332 U.S. 155 (1947)
• The Osceola · 189 U.S. 158 (1903)
• Huntington v. Attrill · 146 U.S. 657 (1892)
• Socony-Vacuum Oil Co. v. Smith · 305 U.S. 424 (1939)
• Grant Smith-Porter Ship Co. v. Rohde · 257 U.S. 469 (1922)
• Atlantic Transport Co. of W. Va. v. Imbrovek · 234 U.S. 52 (1914)
• Just v. Chambers · 312 U.S. 383 (1941)
• The Max Morris · 137 U.S. 1 (1890)
• The Arizona v. Anelich · 298 U.S. 110 (1936)
• Spencer Kellogg & Sons, Inc. v. Hicks · 285 U.S. 502 (1932)

Cited by

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

• Moragne v. States Marine Lines, Inc. · 398 U.S. 375 (1970)
• Martin v. United States · 605 U.S. 395 (2025)
• Yamaha Motor Corp., USA v. Calhoun · 516 U.S. 199 (1996)
• Victory Carriers, Inc. v. Law · 404 U.S. 202 (1971)

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).