United States v. Kozminski et al.

Decided June 29, 1988. Sandra Day O'Connor delivered the opinion of the Court.

Docket 86-2000 · 487 U.S. 931 (1988) · Cited 410 times

Holding

For purposes of criminal prosecution under 241 or 1584, the term "involuntary servitude" necessarily means a condition of servitude in which the victim is forced to work for the defendant by the use or threat of physical restraint or physical injury or by the use or threat of coercion through law or the legal process.

The Court’s statement of the holding, from the opinion’s syllabus. The syllabus is prepared by the Reporter of Decisions and is not part of the opinion of the Court — read the official opinion for authority.

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.

• United States v. Price · 383 U.S. 787 (1966)
• Robertson v. Baldwin · 165 U.S. 275 (1897)
• United States v. Guest · 383 U.S. 745 (1966)
• Bailey v. Alabama · 219 U.S. 219 (1911)
• Butler v. Perry · 240 U.S. 328 (1916)
• Clyatt v. United States · 197 U.S. 207 (1905)
• Pollock v. Williams · 322 U.S. 4 (1944)
• Screws v. United States · 325 U.S. 91 (1945)
• Dowling v. United States · 473 U.S. 207 (1985)
• Chatwin v. United States · 326 U.S. 455 (1946)
• Glasser v. United States · 315 U.S. 60 (1942)
• Mincey v. Arizona · 437 U.S. 385 (1978)
• Griffin v. Breckenridge · 403 U.S. 88 (1971)
• McNally v. United States · 483 U.S. 350 (1987)
• Blackburn v. Alabama · 361 U.S. 199 (1960)
• Jones v. Alfred H. Mayer Co. · 392 U.S. 409 (1968)
• Civil Rights Cases · 109 U.S. 3 (1883)
• United States v. Petrillo · 332 U.S. 1 (1947)
• United States v. Wiltberger · 18 U.S. 76 (1820)
• Liparota v. United States · 471 U.S. 419 (1985)
• Watts v. Indiana · 338 U.S. 49 (1949)
• Nash v. United States · 229 U.S. 373 (1913)
• Steward MacHine Co. v. Davis · 301 U.S. 548 (1937)
• Rewis v. United States · 401 U.S. 808 (1971)
• Hurtado v. United States · 410 U.S. 578 (1973)

Cited by

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

• United States v. Lanier · 520 U.S. 259 (1997)
• Bray v. Alexandria Women's Health Clinic · 506 U.S. 263 (1993)
• Reno v. Bossier Parish School Board · 528 U.S. 320 (2000)
• Wooden v. United States · 595 U.S. 360 (2022)
• Jesner v. Arab Bank, PLC · 584 U.S. 241 (2018)

Official text

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

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Source: Supreme Court of the United States, slip opinions (1988). 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).