Elonis v. United States
| Docket No. | Op. Below | Argument | Opinion | Vote | Author | Term |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 13-983 | 3d Cir. | Dec 1, 2014 | Jun 1, 2015 | 8-1 | Roberts | OT 2014 |
Holding: The Third Circuit"s instruction, requiring only negligence with respect to the communication of a threat, is not sufficient to support a conviction under 18 U.S.C. § 875(c), which makes it a federal crime to transmit in interstate commerce "any communication containing any threat . . . to injure the person of another."
Judgment: Reversed and remanded, 8-1, in an opinion by Chief Justice Roberts on June 1, 2015. Justice Alito filed an opinion concurring in part and dissenting in part. Justice Thomas filed a dissenting opinion.
SCOTUSblog Coverage
- Opinion analysis: Internet threats still in legal limbo? (Lyle Denniston, June 1, 2015)
- A "view" from the Courtroom: Elonis and other June 1 decisions (Mark Walsh, June 1, 2015)
- Argument analysis: Taking ownership of an Internet rant (Lyle Denniston, December 1, 2014)
- Court difficult to read on Facebook threats: In Plain English (Amy Howe, December 1, 2014)
- Argument preview: Social media as a crime scene (Lyle Denniston, November 29, 2014)
- Drawing a line between therapy and threats: In Plain English (Amy Howe, November 24, 2014)
- On religion issues, children are still different (Lyle Denniston, June 16, 2014)
- Petition of the day (Maureen Johnston, May 17, 2014)
| Date | Proceedings and Orders |
|---|---|
| 12/20/2013 | Application (13A695) to extend the time to file a petition for a writ of certiorari from January 15, 2014 to March 7, 2014, submitted to Justice Alito. |
| 01/06/2014 | Application (13A695) granted by Justice Alito extending the time to file until February 14, 2014. |
| 02/14/2014 | Petition for a writ of certiorari filed. (Response due March 21, 2014) |
| 03/12/2014 | Order extending time to file response to petition to and including April 21, 2014. |
| 03/21/2014 | Brief amici curiae of Thomas Jefferson Center for the Protection of Free Expression, et al. filed. |
| 04/21/2014 | Brief of respondent United States in opposition filed. |
| 05/05/2014 | Reply of petitioner Anthony Douglas Elonis filed. |
| 05/06/2014 | DISTRIBUTED for Conference of May 22, 2014. |
| 05/27/2014 | DISTRIBUTED for Conference of May 29, 2014. |
| 06/02/2014 | DISTRIBUTED for Conference of June 5, 2014. |
| 06/09/2014 | DISTRIBUTED for Conference of June 12, 2014. |
| 06/16/2014 | Petition GRANTED In addition to the question presented by the petition, the parties are directed to brief and argue the following question: "Whether, as a matter of statutory interpretation, conviction of threatening another person under 18 U. S. C. |
| 07/07/2014 | The time to file the joint appendix and petitioner's brief on the merits is extended to and including August 15, 2014. |
| 07/07/2014 | The time to file respondent's brief on the merits is extended to and including September 29, 2014. |
| 07/08/2014 | Consent to the filing of amicus curiae briefs, in support of either party or of neither party, received from counsel for the petitioner. |
| 07/30/2014 | Consent to the filing of amicus curiae briefs, in support of either party or of neither party, received from counsel for the respondent. |
| 08/15/2014 | Joint appendix (2 volumes) filed. (Statement of costs filed.) |
| 08/15/2014 | Brief of petitioner Anthony Douglas Elonis filed. |
| 08/18/2014 | Brief amici curiae of Marion B. Brechner First Amendment Project, et al. filed. |
| 08/22/2014 | Brief amici curiae of People for Ethical Treatment of Animals, Inc. (PETA), et al. filed. |
| 08/22/2014 | Brief amicus curiae of Center for Individual Rights filed. |
| 08/22/2014 | Brief amici curiae of Student Press Law Center, et al. filed. |
| 08/22/2014 | Brief amici curiae of Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press, et al. filed. |
| 08/22/2014 | Brief amici curiae of American Civil Liberties Union, et al. filed. |
| 08/22/2014 | Brief amici curiae of Rutherford Institute, et al. filed. |
| 08/22/2014 | Brief amici curiae of Thomas Jefferson Center for the Protection of Free Expression, et al. filed. |
| 09/04/2014 | SET FOR ARGUMENT on Monday, December 1, 2014. |
| 09/22/2014 | Brief amicus curiae of National Center for Victims of Crime filed. |
| 09/22/2014 | Record requested from U.S.C.A. 3rd Circuit. |
| 09/29/2014 | Brief of respondent United States filed. |
| 10/02/2014 | Brief amici curiae of Wisconsin, et al. filed. (Distributed) |
| 10/06/2014 | Brief amici curiae of National Network to End Domestic Violence, et al. filed. |
| 10/06/2014 | Brief amicus curiae of Anti-Defamation League filed. |
| 10/06/2014 | Brief amici curiae of Domestic Violence Legal Empowerment and Appeals Project, et al. filed. |
| 10/06/2014 | Brief amicus curiae of Criminal Justice Legal Foundation filed. (Distributed) |
| 10/27/2014 | CIRCULATED. |
| 10/29/2014 | Reply of petitioner Anthony Douglas Elonis filed. (Distributed) |
| 11/03/2014 | Record received from U.S.C.A. 3rd Circuit. The record is electronic. |
| 12/01/2014 | Argued. For petitioner: John P. Elwood, Washington, D. C. For respondent: Michael R. Dreeben, Deputy Solicitor General, Department of Justice, Washington, D. C. |
| 06/01/2015 | Judgment REVERSED and case REMANDED. Roberts, C. J., delivered the opinion of the Court, in which Scalia, Kennedy, Ginsburg, Breyer, Sotomayor, and Kagan, JJ., joined. Alito, J., filed an opinion concurring in part and dissenting in part. Thomas, J., filed a dissenting opinion. |
| 07/06/2015 | JUDGMENT ISSUED. |