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Hurst v. Florida

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Docket No. Op. Below Argument Opinion Vote Author Term
14-7505 Fla. Oct 13, 2015 Jan 12, 2016 8-1 Sotomayor OT 2015

Holding: Florida's capital-sentencing scheme, in which a jury renders an “advisory sentence” but a judge must independently weigh the aggravating and mitigating factors before entering a sentence of life or death, violates the Sixth Amendment in light of the Court's decision in Ring v. Arizona, which deemed unconstitutional an Arizona capital sentencing scheme that permitted a judge rather than the jury to find the facts necessary to sentence a defendant to death.

Judgment: Reversed and remanded, 8-1, in an opinion by Justice Sotomayor on January 12, 2016. Justice Breyer filed an opinion concurring in the judgment. Justice Alito filed a dissenting opinion.

SCOTUSblog Coverage

DateProceedings and Orders (key to color coding)
Dec 3 2014Petition for a writ of certiorari and motion for leave to proceed in forma pauperis filed. (Response due January 12, 2015)
Jan 12 2015Brief of respondent Florida in opposition filed.
Jan 29 2015DISTRIBUTED for Conference of February 20, 2015.
Feb 16 2015MANDATE ISSUED
Feb 23 2015DISTRIBUTED for Conference of February 27, 2015.
Mar 2 2015DISTRIBUTED for Conference of March 6, 2015.
Mar 9 2015Motion to proceed in forma pauperis and petition for a writ of certiorari GRANTED limited to the following question: Whether Florida's death sentencing scheme violates the Sixth Amendment or the Eighth Amendment in light of this Court's decision in Ring v. Arizona, 536 U.S. 584 (2002).
Apr 7 2015The time to file the joint appendix and petitioner's brief on the merits is extended to and including May 28, 2015.
Apr 7 2015The time to file respondent's brief on the merits is extended to and including July 29, 2015.
May 28 2015Joint appendix filed (3 volumes). (Statement of costs filed.)
May 28 2015Brief of petitioner Timothy Lee Hurst filed.
Jun 4 2015Brief amicus curiae of American Bar Association filed.
Jun 4 2015Brief amici curiae of Former Justices of the Supreme Court of Florida filed.
Jun 4 2015Brief amici curiae of Former Florida Circuit Court Judges filed.
Jun 4 2015Brief amici curiae of American Civil Liberties Union, et al. filed.
Jul 29 2015SET FOR ARGUMENT on Tuesday, October 13, 2015.
Jul 29 2015Brief of respondent Florida filed.
Aug 5 2015Brief amici curiae of Alabama and Montana filed. (Distributed)
Aug 7 2015CIRCULATED.
Aug 12 2015Record requested from the Supreme Court of Florida.
Aug 25 2015Record received from the Supreme Court of Florida. 1 Box.
Aug 28 2015Reply of petitioner Timothy Lee Hurst filed. (Distributed)
Oct 13 2015Argued. For petitioner: Seth P. Waxman, Washington, D. C. For respondent: Allen Winsor, Solicitor General, Tallahassee, Fla.
Jan 12 2016Judgment REVERSED and case REMANDED. Sotomayor, J., delivered the opinion of the Court, in which Roberts, C. J., and Scalia, Kennedy, Thomas, Ginsburg, and Kagan, JJ., joined. Breyer, J., filed an opinion concurring in the judgment. Alito, J., filed a dissenting opinion.
Feb 16 2016JUDGMENT ISSUED
Feb 16 2016MANDATE ISSUED
Feb 22 2016Record returned to the Supreme Court of Florida.