# Buck v. Bell *1927 U.S. Supreme Court decision upholding compulsory sterilization; the record here concerns the sole dissent and its author's Minnesota career* *Buck v. Bell* is a 1927 decision of the [[Supreme Court of the United States]] that upheld compulsory sterilization.[^1] The only justice to dissent was [[Pierce Butler (judge)]], and he declined to explain his reasoning.[^1][^2] The record assembled here does not supply the case's docket, the author of the majority opinion, or the text of any opinion. Before joining the Court, Butler served as [[Ramsey County Attorney]] in [[Minnesota]] from 1892 to 1896.[^1] He was an Associate Justice from 1923 to 1939.[^1] The at-issue record describes him as the first Minnesotan on the Supreme Court of the United States.[^3] ## What *Buck v. Bell* (1927) upheld compulsory sterilization.[^1] Butler cast the sole dissent and gave no explanation for it.[^1][^3] A Ramsey County history table records the same entry for 1927: "Butler is the sole dissenter, and declines to explain his reasoning."[^2] The record establishes that the dissent was cast and that it went unexplained. It does not establish Butler's reasons. ## In the at-issue record At-issue item AI-Ramsey-009 is ranked 9th in Tier I of the Ramsey package. It pairs Butler's 1892–1896 tenure as Ramsey County Attorney with his sole dissent in *Buck v. Bell*. The item states that he "declined to explain his reasoning" and that he left no record of why.[^3] ## In the Minnesota record ### Who - Pierce Butler served as Ramsey County Attorney from 1892 to 1896. He later served as Associate Justice of the United States from 1923 to 1939.[^1] ### What - According to the dossier, Butler as county attorney obtained the convictions and executions of Charles Ermisch and Otto Wonnigkeit in 1894. The dossier describes these as the only double execution in Ramsey County history.[^1] ### When - 1892–1896: Butler's tenure as Ramsey County Attorney.[^1] - 1894: the Ermisch and Wonnigkeit convictions and executions.[^1] - 1923–1939: Butler's service on the Supreme Court.[^1] - 1927: *Buck v. Bell* and Butler's sole dissent.[^1][^2] ### Where - Ramsey County, Minnesota.[^1] ## Notes [^1]: Minnesota wiki records program, *Warren E. Burger Apex Dossier* §VII, Ramsey County Attorney succession table (2026-09-02; validated) — establishes Butler's tenure as Ramsey County Attorney (1892–1896), his service as Associate Justice (1923–1939), his sole dissent in *Buck v. Bell* (1927), that he declined to explain his reasoning, and the 1894 Ermisch and Wonnigkeit convictions and executions. No URL in the pack. [^2]: Minnesota wiki records program, *Ramsey County history table*, row HE-0091 (1927) — "Buck v. Bell — Butler is the sole dissenter, and declines to explain his reasoning." No URL in the pack. [^3]: Minnesota wiki records program, *At-issue item AI-Ramsey-009*, Tier I (Ramsey package) — describes Butler as the first Minnesotan on the Supreme Court of the United States and as the sole dissenter who declined to explain his reasoning. The item lists court and record sources at mnhs.org and supreme.justia.com but gives no URLs for them. No URL in the pack.