Morrissey et al. v. Brewer, Warden, et al.

Decided June 29, 1972. Warren Earl Burger delivered the opinion of the Court.

Docket 71-5103 · 408 U.S. 471 (1972) · Cited 10,835 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 9–0.

“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.

• Goldberg v. Kelly · 397 U.S. 254 (1970)
• Mempa v. Rhay · 389 U.S. 128 (1967)
• Arciniega v. Freeman · 404 U.S. 4 (1971)
• Armstrong v. Manzo · 380 U.S. 545 (1965)
• Cafeteria & Restaurant Workers Union, Local 473 v. McElroy · 367 U.S. 886 (1961)
• Joint Anti-Fascist Refugee Committee v. McGrath · 341 U.S. 123 (1951)
• Graham v. Richardson · 403 U.S. 365 (1971)
• Pickering v. Board of Ed. of Township High School Dist. 205, Will Cty. · 391 U.S. 563 (1968)
• Fuentes v. Shevin · 407 U.S. 67 (1972)
• Roviaro v. United States · 353 U.S. 53 (1957)
• Shapiro v. Thompson · 394 U.S. 618 (1969)
• Boddie v. Connecticut · 401 U.S. 371 (1971)
• Sherbert v. Verner · 374 U.S. 398 (1963)
• Kent v. United States · 383 U.S. 541 (1966)
• Bell v. Burson · 402 U.S. 535 (1971)
• Speiser v. Randall · 357 U.S. 513 (1958)
• Greene v. McElroy · 360 U.S. 474 (1959)
• Hannah v. Larche · 363 U.S. 420 (1960)
• Slochower v. Board of Higher Ed. of New York City · 350 U.S. 551 (1956)
• Escoe v. Zerbst · 295 U.S. 490 (1935)
• United States v. Wilson · 32 U.S. 150 (1833)

Cited by

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

• Greenholtz v. Inmates of the Nebraska Penal & Correctional Complex · 442 U.S. 1 (1979)
• United States v. Haymond · 588 U.S. 634 (2019)
• Wolff v. McDonnell · 418 U.S. 539 (1974)
• Gagnon v. Scarpelli · 411 U.S. 778 (1973)
• Black v. Romano · 471 U.S. 606 (1985)
• Moody v. Daggett · 429 U.S. 78 (1976)
• Pennsylvania Bd. of Probation and Parole v. Scott · 524 U.S. 357 (1998)
• Young v. Harper · 520 U.S. 143 (1997)
• Hortonville Joint School District No. 1 v. Hortonville Education Ass'n · 426 U.S. 482 (1976)
• Meachum v. Fano · 427 U.S. 215 (1976)
• Arnett v. Kennedy · 416 U.S. 134 (1974)
• Samson v. California · 547 U.S. 843 (2006)
• Zadvydas v. Davis · 533 U.S. 678 (2001)
• Goss v. Lopez · 419 U.S. 565 (1975)
• Parham v. J. R. · 442 U.S. 584 (1979)
• Jago v. Van Curen · 454 U.S. 14 (1981)
• Gerstein v. Pugh · 420 U.S. 103 (1975)
• Lassiter v. Department of Social Servs. of Durham Cty. · 452 U.S. 18 (1981)
• Ingraham v. Wright · 430 U.S. 651 (1977)
• Vitek v. Jones · 445 U.S. 480 (1980)
• Carchman v. Nash · 473 U.S. 716 (1985)
• Leis v. Flynt · 439 U.S. 438 (1979)
• Sandin v. Conner · 515 U.S. 472 (1995)
• Bearden v. Georgia · 461 U.S. 660 (1983)
• Codd v. Velger · 429 U.S. 624 (1977)
• O'Bannon v. Town Court Nursing Center · 447 U.S. 773 (1980)
• Middendorf v. Henry · 425 U.S. 25 (1976)
• Kerry v. Din · 576 U.S. 86 (2015)
• Mathews v. Eldridge · 424 U.S. 319 (1976)
• Bell v. Wolfish · 441 U.S. 520 (1979)

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).