Datasets for the U.S. Supreme Court, compiled by Harold J. Spaeth, are available in several formats. Note, all files have been zipped to reduce download time. If you do not have a program (such as WinZip or PKZip) please click here to download free zip software. Additionally, some Mac users may require the program Stuff-It Expander to open the datasets. If you do not have this program, please click here. Finally, all documentation is provided in Adobe pdf format. To get a free version of Adobe Acrobat please click here.

The distinctive feature of each Supreme Court database is its vote data. This differentiates one dataset from the others. The common feature of all the databases is the inclusion of five sets of variables that bear on the vote and opinion data that the specific dataset contains: indentification, background, chronological, substantive, and outcome. Each database has its own documentation (available from this website) which you are encouraged to download and thoroughly review. Each database also comes complete with variable labels and value codes (except for those variables with more than a dozen codes). All information is contained in the documentation. Whenever possible variables are recreated as dummies. Only a small number are not such (e.g., origin and source of cases, party and administrative agency identification, legal provision at issue, natural court, etc.). Each database contains the date on which it was placed on the website. As errors and omissions come to my attention, I make the changes and adjust the date of the dataset accordingly. If I make a major change, I will identify it. You probably need not concern yourself with minor alterations. The Original database, as it is updated to include the Court's most recent term, will bear a change in their titles to reflect the addition. I update the Original database as new decisions come to my attention. Hence, you may safely assume that data changes in this database that occur during the course of the Court's term merely reflect the addition of recent cases.

Databases are available as SPSS, SAS, STATA and ASCII files.

To learn more about using the Spaeth Supreme Court datasets, please refer to the paper, "Becoming an Intelligent User of the Spaeth Databases," presented by Sara C. Benesh at the 2002 Southwestern Political Science Association Meeting.

The Original U.S. Supreme Court Judicial Database (nickname: ALLCOURT)

Contains final vote data from the beginning of the Warren Court (1953), through Burger and Rehnquist Courts, to the end of the Court's last complete term (includes all cases through the 2007 Term). The unit of analysis is the case (docket).

Last updated: February 24, 2009

SPSS file (formatted as a SPSS portable file)

STATA file (formatted as a .dta file)

SAS file (formatted as a SAS transport file)

ASCII file (formatted as a fixed ASCII .dat file)

Documentation (in .pdf format and updated September 9, 2008)

The Vinson-Warren Court Database, 1946-1968 Terms (nickname: VINWAR)

Contains conference vote data, plus final vote data. The unit of analysis is the case (docket). The conference vote data were collected and compiled by Professor Jan Palmer of Ohio University.

Last updated: September 25, 2002

SPSS file (formatted as a SPSS portable file)

STATA file (formatted as a .dta file)

SAS file (formatted as a SAS transport file)

ASCII file (formatted as a fixed ASCII .dat file)

Documentation (in .pdf format and updated September 25, 2002)

The Expanded Burger Court Database, 1969-1985 Terms (nickname: BURGER)

Contains conference vote data, plus final vote data and relisted case data. It also includes a random sample, stratified by term, of cases denied review. Lower court data for all accepted cases are included, as well as lower court data for the sample of denied petitions.

Last updated: December 21, 2006

SPSS file (formatted as a SPSS portable file)

STATA file (formatted as a .dta file)

SAS file (formatted as a SAS transport file)

ASCII file (formatted as a fixed ASCII .dat file)

Documentation (in .pdf format and updated February 12, 2008)

The Justice-Centered Rehnquist Court Database, 1986-1998 Terms (nickname: REHNFLPD)

This version of the Rehnquist Justice-Centered database differs from the version previously available in a few major respects. First, the variables have been re-ordered to comport with new documentation. Second, a couple of coding errors on the cert and jur variables have been corrected (along with their dummied counterparts). Finally, dis_dum has been recoded to reflect the new scheme as listed in the documentation (e.g., dissenting justices who dissent in part and concur in part have been coded the opposite of the majority's disposition rather than just as affirmed as previously done). The transformation of the data from case-centered to justice-based was accomplished by Professor Sara C. Benesh of the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee.

Last updated: June 24, 2003

SPSS file (formatted as a SPSS portable file)

STATA file (formatted as a .dta file)

SAS file (formatted as a SAS transport file)

ASCII file (formatted as a fixed ASCII .dat file)

Documentation (in .pdf format and updated September 25, 2003)

The Justice-Centered Burger Court Database, 1969-1985 Terms (nickname: BURGFLPD)

Contains conference vote and final vote data. The unit of analysis is the individual justice. The transformation of the data from case-centered to justice-based was accomplished by Professor Sara C. Benesh of the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee.

Last updated: April 7, 2003

SPSS file (formatted as a SPSS portable file)

STATA file (formatted as a .dta file)

SAS file (formatted as a SAS transport file)

ASCII file (formatted as a fixed ASCII .dat file)

Documentation (in .pdf format and updated September 25, 2003)

The Justice-Centered Warren Court Database, 1953-1969 Terms (nickname: WARFLPD)

Contains conference vote and final vote data. The unit of analysis is the individual justice. The transformation of the data from case-centered to justice-based was accomplished by Professor Sara C. Benesh of the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee.

Last updated: May 20, 2005

SPSS file (formatted as a SPSS portable file)

STATA file (formatted as a .dta file)

SAS file (formatted as a SAS transport file)

ASCII file (formatted as a fixed ASCII .dat file)

Documentation (in .pdf format and updated September 25, 2003)