Usner v. Luckenbach Overseas Corp. et al.
Decided January 25, 1971. Potter Stewart delivered the opinion of the Court.
Docket 47 · 400 U.S. 494 (1971) · Cited 267 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 5–4.
Majority · 5
- Potter Stewart · delivered the opinion of the Court
- Byron Raymond White
- Harry Andrew Blackmun
- Thurgood Marshall
- Warren Earl Burger
Dissenting · 4
- Hugo Lafayette Black
- John Marshall Harlan · filed a dissenting opinion
- William Joseph Brennan Jr.
- William Orville Douglas · filed a dissenting opinion
“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.
- Mahnich v. Southern Steamship Co. · 321 U.S. 96 (1944)
- Mitchell v. Trawler Racer, Inc. · 362 U.S. 539 (1960)
- Crumady v. the Joachim Hendrik Fisser · 358 U.S. 423 (1959)
- Seas Shipping Co. v. Sieracki · 328 U.S. 85 (1946)
- Gutierrez v. Waterman Steamship Corp. · 373 U.S. 206 (1963)
- Boudoin v. Lykes Bros. Steamship Co. · 348 U.S. 336 (1955)
- Pope & Talbot, Inc. v. Hawn · 346 U.S. 406 (1953)
- Atlantic & Gulf Stevedores, Inc. v. Ellerman Lines, Ltd. · 369 U.S. 355 (1962)
- Alaska Steamship Co. v. Petterson · 347 U.S. 396 (1954)
- Carlisle Packing Co. v. Sandanger · 259 U.S. 255 (1922)
- Waldron v. Moore-McCormack Lines, Inc. · 386 U.S. 724 (1967)
- The Osceola · 189 U.S. 158 (1903)
- Calmar Steamship Corp. v. Taylor · 303 U.S. 525 (1938)
- Aguilar v. Standard Oil Co. of NJ · 318 U.S. 724 (1943)
- Farrell v. United States · 336 U.S. 511 (1949)
- Usner v. Luckenbach Overseas Corp. · 400 U.S. 494 (1971)
- Warren v. United States · 340 U.S. 523 (1951)
Cited by
Later Supreme Court opinions in our collection that cite this case.
- Dutra Group v. Batterton · 588 U.S. 358 (2019)
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).