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Gutierrez v. Saenz

Docket No. Op. Below Argument Opinion Vote Author Term
23-7809 5th Cir. Feb 24, 2025 Jun 26, 2025 6-3 Sotomayor OT 2024

Holding: Petitioner Ruben Gutierrez has standing to bring his claim challenging Texas’s postconviction DNA testing procedures under the due process clause.

Judgment: Reversed and remanded, 6-3, in an opinion by Justice Sotomayor on June 26, 2025. Justice Barrett filed an opinion concurring in part and concurring in the judgment. Justice Thomas filed a dissenting opinion. Justice Alito also filed a dissenting opinion, which was joined by Justices Gorsuch and Thomas.

SCOTUSblog Coverage

DateProceedings and Orders (key to color coding)
06/25/2024Petition for a writ of certiorari and motion for leave to proceed in forma pauperis filed.
06/25/2024Application (23A1160) for a stay of execution of sentence of death, submitted to Justice Alito.
07/09/2024Brief of respondent Luis Saenz in opposition filed.
07/11/2024Reply of petitioner Ruben Gutierrez filed.
07/16/2024Application (23A1160) referred to the Court.
07/16/2024Application (23A1160) for stay of execution of sentence of death presented to Justice Alito and by him referred to the Court is granted pending the disposition of the petition for a writ of certiorari. Should the petition for a writ of certiorari be denied, this stay shall terminate automatically. In the event the petition for a writ of certiorari is granted, the stay shall terminate upon the sending down of the judgment of this Court.
07/25/2024DISTRIBUTED for Conference of 9/30/2024.
10/04/2024Motion to proceed in forma pauperis and petition for a writ of certiorari GRANTED.
10/18/2024Motion for an extension of time to file the briefs on the merits filed.
10/22/2024Motion to extend the time to file the briefs on the merits granted. The time to file the joint appendix and petitioner's brief on the merits is extended to and including December 3, 2024. The time to file respondent's brief on the merits is extended to and including January 17, 2025.
11/22/2024SET FOR ARGUMENT on Monday, February 24, 2025.
11/26/2024Record requested from the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit.
12/03/2024Brief of petitioner Ruben Gutierrez filed.
12/03/2024Joint appendix (2 volumes) filed. (Statement of costs filed.)
12/10/2024Brief amicus curiae of Constitutional Accountability Center filed.
12/11/2024Documents under seal received electronically from the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit and available with the Clerk. The remainder of the record is electronic and is available on PACER.
01/13/2025CIRCULATED
01/17/2025Brief of respondents Luis Saenz, et al. filed. (Distributed)
01/24/2025Brief amici curiae of Arkansas, et al. filed. (Distributed)
02/04/2025Record received electronically from the United States District Court for the Southern District of Texas and available with the Clerk.
02/14/2025Reply of petitioner Ruben Gutierrez filed. (Distributed)
02/24/2025Argued. For petitioner: Anne E. Fisher, Assistant Federal Defender, Philadelphia, Pa. For respondents: William F. Cole, Deputy Solicitor General, Austin, Tex.
06/26/2025Judgment REVERSED and case REMANDED. Sotomayor, J., delivered the opinion of the Court, in which Roberts, C. J., and Kagan, Kavanaugh, and Jackson, JJ., joined, and in which Barrett, J., joined as to all but Part II.B.2. Barrett, J., filed an opinion concurring in part and concurring in the judgment. Thomas, J., filed a dissenting opinion. Alito, J., filed a dissenting opinion, in which Thomas and Gorsuch, JJ., joined.