Betterman v. Montana
| Docket No. | Argument | Opinion | Vote | Author | Term |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 14-1457 | Mar 28, 2016 | Apr 30, 2025 | 8-0 | Ginsburg | OT 2015 |
Holding: The Sixth Amendment's speedy trial guarantee does not apply once a defendant has been found guilty at trial or has pleaded guilty to criminal charges.
Judgment: Affirmed, 8-0, in an opinion by Justice Ginsburg on April 30, 2025. Justice Thomas filed a concurring opinion, in which Justice Alito joined. Justice Sotomayor filed a concurring opinion.
SCOTUSblog Coverage
- Opinion analysis: Speedy trial guarantee does not apply to sentencing (Rory Little, May 20, 2016)
- Betterman argument analysis: What prejudice counts, and what is the remedy, for an inordinate delay in sentencing? (Rory Little, March 29, 2016)
- Argument preview: A clean constitutional question does the speedy trial right apply to sentencing? (Rory Little, March 21, 2016)
- Court to rule on Puerto Rico debt-relief options (Lyle Denniston, December 4, 2015)
| Date | Proceedings and Orders |
|---|---|
| 04/21/2015 | Application (14A1084) to extend the time to file a petition for a writ of certiorari from May 11, 2015 to June 10, 2015, submitted to Justice Kennedy. |
| 04/23/2015 | Application (14A1084) granted by Justice Kennedy extending the time to file until June 10, 2015. |
| 06/10/2015 | Petition for a writ of certiorari filed. (Response due July 13, 2015) |
| 07/02/2015 | Waiver of right of respondent Montana to respond filed. |
| 07/15/2015 | DISTRIBUTED for Conference of September 28, 2015. |
| 08/17/2015 | Response Requested . (Due September 16, 2015) |
| 09/11/2015 | Order extending time to file response to petition to and including October 16, 2015. |
| 10/16/2015 | Brief of respondent Montana in opposition filed. |
| 11/02/2015 | Reply of petitioner Brandon Thomas Betterman filed. |
| 11/04/2015 | DISTRIBUTED for Conference of November 24, 2015. |
| 11/30/2015 | DISTRIBUTED for Conference of December 4, 2015. |
| 12/04/2015 | Petition GRANTED. |
| 01/19/2016 | Joint appendix filed. (Statement of costs filed) |
| 01/19/2016 | Brief of petitioner Brandon Thomas Betterman filed. |
| 01/26/2016 | Brief amicus curiae of National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers filed. |
| 01/29/2016 | SET FOR ARGUMENT ON Monday, March 28, 2016 |
| 02/02/2016 | Record received from the Supreme Court of Montana. (1 Envelope) |
| 02/05/2016 | Record received from U.S.D.C. Montana Second Judicial District. (1 Envelope) |
| 02/18/2016 | Brief of respondent Montana filed. |
| 02/23/2016 | CIRCULATED. |
| 02/25/2016 | Brief amicus curiae of United States filed. (Distributed) |
| 02/25/2016 | Brief amici curiae of Indiana, et al. filed. (Distributed) |
| 02/25/2016 | Motion of the Solicitor General for leave to participate in oral argument as amicus curiae and for divided argument filed. |
| 03/07/2016 | Motion of the Solicitor General for leave to participate in oral argument as amicus curiae and for divided argument GRANTED. |
| 03/15/2016 | Reply of petitioner Brandon Thomas Betterman filed. (Distributed) |
| 03/28/2016 | Argued. For petitioner: Fred A. Rowley, Jr., Los Angeles, Cal. For respondent: Dale Schowengerdt, Solicitor General, Helena, Mont.; and Ginger D. Anders, Assistant to the Solicitor General, Department of Justice, Washington, D. C. (for United States, as amicus curiae.) |
| 05/19/2016 | Adjudged to be AFFIRMED. Ginsburg, J., delivered the opinion for a unanimous Court. Thomas, J., filed a concurring opinion, in which Alito, J., joined. Sotomayor, J., filed a concurring opinion. |
| 06/20/2016 | JUDGMENT ISSUED |
| 06/20/2016 | MANDATE ISSUED |
| 07/26/2016 | Records from Supreme Court of Montana has been returned. |