Yates v. United States
| Docket No. | Op. Below | Argument | Opinion | Vote | Author | Term |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 13-7451 | 11th Cir. | Nov 5, 2014 | Feb 25, 2015 | 5-4 | Ginsburg | OT 2014 |
Holding: For purposes of 18 U.S.C. § 1519, which imposes criminal liability on anyone who "knowingly . . . destroys . . . any record, document, or tangible object with the intent to impede, obstruct, or influence the investigation or proper administration of any matter within the jurisdiction of any department or agency of the United States," a "tangible object" is one used to record or preserve information.
Judgment: Reversed and remanded, 5-4, in an opinion by Justice Ginsburg on February 25, 2015. Justice Alito filed an opinion concurring in the judgment. Justice Kagan filed a dissenting opinion, in which Justices Scalia, Kennedy, and Thomas joined.
SCOTUSblog Coverage
- Opinion analysis: A fisherman slips through federal prosecutors' net (Lyle Denniston, February 25, 2015)
- Justices take the measure of fish case: In Plain English (Amy Howe, November 6, 2014)
- Making a federal case out of fishy facts: In Plain English (Amy Howe, November 5, 2014)
- Argument analysis: Building to a Scalia crescendo (Lyle Denniston, November 5, 2014)
- Argument preview: Can plain language be vague? (Lyle Denniston, November 4, 2014)
- Detention challenge denied (Lyle Denniston, April 28, 2014)
| Date | Proceedings and Orders |
|---|---|
| 11/13/2013 | Petition for a writ of certiorari and motion for leave to proceed in forma pauperis filed. (Response due December 20, 2013) |
| 11/26/2013 | Waiver of right of respondent United States to respond filed. |
| 12/05/2013 | DISTRIBUTED for Conference of January 10, 2014. |
| 01/06/2014 | Response Requested . (Due February 5, 2014) |
| 01/28/2014 | Order extending time to file response to petition to and including March 7, 2014. |
| 02/05/2014 | Brief amicus curiae of Cause of Action filed. |
| 02/05/2014 | Brief amicus curiae of National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers filed. |
| 03/05/2014 | Order further extending time to file response to petition to and including March 14, 2014. |
| 03/14/2014 | Brief of respondent United States in opposition filed. |
| 03/28/2014 | Reply of petitioner John L. Yates filed. |
| 04/03/2014 | DISTRIBUTED for Conference of April 18, 2014. |
| 04/21/2014 | DISTRIBUTED for Conference of April 25, 2014. |
| 04/28/2014 | Motion to proceed in forma pauperis Granted. Petition for a writ of certiorari GRANTED limited to Question 1 presented by the petition. |
| 05/15/2014 | The time to file the joint appendix and petitioner's brief on the merits is extended to and including June 30, 2014. |
| 05/15/2014 | The time to file respondent's brief on the merits is extended to and including August 19, 2014. |
| 05/28/2014 | Consent to the filing of amicus curiae briefs, in support of either party or of neither party, received from counsel for the petitioner. |
| 06/30/2014 | Joint appendix filed. (Statement of costs filed.) |
| 06/30/2014 | Brief of petitioner John L. Yates filed. |
| 07/03/2014 | Brief amici curiae of Chamber of Commerce of the United States of America & National Association of Manufacturers filed. |
| 07/07/2014 | Brief amici curiae of National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers, et al. filed. |
| 07/07/2014 | Brief amici curiae of Eighteen Criminal Law Professors filed. |
| 07/07/2014 | Brief amicus curiae of Cato Institute filed. |
| 07/07/2014 | Brief amicus curiae of Washington Legal Foundation filed. |
| 07/07/2014 | Brief amici curiae of Cause of Action, et al. filed. |
| 07/07/2014 | Brief amicus curiae of National Federation of Independent Business Small Business Legal Center filed. |
| 07/07/2014 | Brief amicus curiae of The Honorable Michael Oxley filed. |
| 07/07/2014 | Brief amici curiae of Pacific Legal Foundation, et al. filed. |
| 08/19/2014 | Brief of respondent United States filed. |
| 09/04/2014 | SET FOR ARGUMENT on Wednesday, November 5, 2014. |
| 09/08/2014 | Record requested from U.S.C.A. 11th Circuit. |
| 09/08/2014 | Record received from U.S.C.A 11th Circuit is electronic and located on PACER. |
| 09/18/2014 | Reply of petitioner John L. Yates filed. (Distributed) |
| 09/19/2014 | CIRCULATED |
| 11/05/2014 | Argued. For petitioner: John L. Badalamenti, Assistant Federal Defender, Tampa, Fla. For respondent: Roman Martinez, Assistant to the Solicitor General, Department of Justice, Washington, D. C. |
| 11/05/2014 | Letter from the Solicitor General filed. (Distributed) |
| 02/25/2015 | Judgment REVERSED and case REMANDED. Ginsburg, J., announced the judgment of the Court and delivered an opinion, in which Roberts, C. J., and Breyer and Sotomayor, JJ., joined. Alito, J., filed an opinion concurring in the judgment. Kagan, J., filed a dissenting opinion, in which Scalia, Kennedy, and Thomas, JJ., joined. |
| 03/30/2015 | JUDGMENT ISSUED. |