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Lockhart v. United States

Docket No. Op. Below Argument Opinion Vote Author Term
14-8358 2d Cir. Nov 3, 2015 Jan 3, 2016 6-2 Sotomayor OT 2015

Holding: A state-court conviction for first-degree sexual abuse involving the defendant"s adult girlfriend triggers the ten-year mandatory minimum sentence of 18 U.S.C. § 2252(b)(2), which applies to prior state-court convictions for crimes "relating to aggravated sexual abuse, sexual abuse, or abusive sexual conduct involving a minor or ward"; the limiting phrase "involving a minor or ward" applies only to the phrase "abusive sexual conduct."

Judgment: Affirmed, 6-2, in an opinion by Justice Sotomayor on January 3, 2016. Justice Kagan filed a dissenting opinion, in which Justice Breyer joined.

DateProceedings and Orders (key to color coding)
01/14/2015Petition for a writ of certiorari and motion for leave to proceed in forma pauperis filed. (Response due March 11, 2015)
03/03/2015Order extending time to file response to petition to and including April 10, 2015.
04/10/2015Brief of respondent United States in opposition filed.
04/28/2015Reply of petitioner Avondale Lockhart filed. (Distributed)
04/29/2015DISTRIBUTED for Conference of May 14, 2015.
05/18/2015DISTRIBUTED for Conference of May 21, 2015.
05/26/2015Motion to proceed in forma pauperis and petition for a writ of certiorari GRANTED.
06/23/2015The time to file the joint appendix and petitioner's brief on the merits is extended to and including July 24, 2015.
06/23/2015The time to file respondent's brief on the merits is extended to and including September 8, 2015.
07/24/2015Joint appendix filed. (Statement of costs received.)
07/24/2015Brief of petitioner Avondale Lockhart filed.
09/08/2015Brief of respondent United States filed.
09/09/2015SET FOR ARGUMENT on Tuesday, November 3, 2015
09/10/2015Record requested from the U.S.C.A. 2nd Circuit.
09/11/2015Record request received from the U.S.C.A. 2nd Circuit is electronic.
09/21/2015CIRCULATED
10/08/2015Reply of petitioner Avondale Lockhart filed. (Distributed)
11/03/2015Argued. For petitioner: Edward S. Zas, Assistant Federal Defender, New York, N. Y. For respondent: Ann O'Connell, Assistant to the Solicitor General, Department of Justice, Washington, D. C.
03/01/2016Adjudged to be AFFIRMED. Sotomayor, J., delivered the opinion of the Court, in which Roberts, C. J., and Kennedy, Thomas, Ginsburg, and Alito, JJ., joined. Kagan, J., filed a dissenting opinion, in which Breyer, J., joined.
04/04/2016JUDGMENT ISSUED