Madison v. Alabama
| Docket No. | Op. Below | Argument | Opinion | Vote | Author | Term |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 17-7505 | Ala. Cir. Ct. | Oct 2, 2018 | Feb 27, 2019 | 5-3 | Kagan | OT 2018 |
Holding: The Eighth Amendment may permit executing a prisoner even if he cannot remember committing his crime, but it may prohibit executing a prisoner who suffers from dementia or another disorder rather than psychotic delusions.
Judgment: Vacated and remanded, 5-3, in an opinion by Justice Kagan on February 27, 2019. Justice Alito filed a dissenting opinion, in which Justices Thomas and Gorsuch joined. Justice Kavanaugh took no part in the consideration or decision of the case.
SCOTUSblog Coverage
- Symposium: The Supreme Court turns against novel or late-breaking execution challenges (Edmund LaCour, July 29, 2019)
- Opinion analysis: Court orders new look at death sentence for Alabama inmate with dementia (Amy Howe, February 27, 2019)
- Argument analysis: A narrow victory possible for death-row inmate with dementia? (Amy Howe, October 2, 2018)
- OT2018 #1: "Rearranging Deck Chairs" (First Mondays, October 1, 2018)
- Argument preview: Justices to consider competency in capital cases (Amy Howe, September 25, 2018)
- OT2018 #0: "Looks A Lot Like Grift" (First Mondays, September 24, 2018)
- Criminal cases in the October 2018 term: A law professor's dream (Rory Little, September 18, 2018)
- Justices add three cases to merits docket, but deny review in DACA-termination case (Amy Howe, February 26, 2018)
| Date | Proceedings and Orders |
|---|---|
| 01/18/2018 | Petition for a writ of certiorari and motion for leave to proceed in forma pauperis filed. (Response due February 20, 2018) |
| 01/19/2018 | Brief of respondent State of Alabama in opposition filed. |
| 01/22/2018 | Application (17A770) for a stay of execution of sentence of death, submitted to Justice Thomas. |
| 01/22/2018 | Reply of petitioner Vernon Madison filed. |
| 01/22/2018 | Response to application from respondent State of Alabama filed. |
| 01/25/2018 | UPON CONSIDERATION of the application of counsel for the applicant, IT IS ORDERED that execution of the sentence of death is hereby stayed pending further order of Justice Thomas or of the Court. |
| 01/25/2018 | Application (17A770) referred to the Court. |
| 01/25/2018 | Application (17A770) granted by the Court. The application for stay of execution of sentence of death presented to Justice Thomas 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 issuance of the mandate of this Court. Justice Thomas, Justice Alito, and Justice Gorsuch would deny the application. |
| 02/01/2018 | DISTRIBUTED for Conference of 2/16/2018. |
| 02/20/2018 | DISTRIBUTED for Conference of 2/23/2018. |
| 02/26/2018 | Motion to proceed in forma pauperis and petition for a writ of certiorari GRANTED. |
| 03/15/2018 | Joint motion for an extension of time file the briefs on the merits. |
| 03/27/2018 | Joint motion 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 May 22, 2018. The time to file respondent's brief on the merits is extended to and including July 31, 2018. |
| 05/10/2018 | Motion to dispense with printing the joint appendix filed by petitioner Vernon Madison. |
| 05/18/2018 | Blanket Consent filed by Respondent, Alabama |
| 05/21/2018 | Blanket Consent filed by Petitioner, Vernon Madison |
| 05/22/2018 | Brief of petitioner Vernon Madison filed. |
| 05/29/2018 | Motion to dispense with printing the joint appendix filed by petitioner GRANTED. |
| 05/29/2018 | Brief amici curiae of American Psychological Association and American Psychiatric Association filed. |
| 07/09/2018 | SET FOR ARGUMENT On Tuesday, October 2, 2018 |
| 07/31/2018 | Brief of respondent State of Alabama filed. |
| 08/03/2018 | CIRCULATED |
| 08/07/2018 | Record requested from the Circuit Court of Alabama, Mobile County. |
| 08/07/2018 | Brief amici curiae of States of Texas, et al. filed. (Distributed) |
| 08/07/2018 | Brief amicus curiae of National Association of Police Organizations filed. (Distributed) |
| 08/14/2018 | Record received from the Court of Criminal Appeals State of Alabama. The record is electronic. |
| 08/16/2018 | Record received from the Circuit Court of Alabama, Mobile County. The record is electronic. |
| 08/17/2018 | Record received from the Circuit Court of Alabama, Mobile County. 1 envelope. |
| 08/24/2018 | Record received from the Circuit Court of Mobile Alabama (additional material). |
| 08/30/2018 | Reply of petitioner Vernon Madison filed. (Distributed) |
| 10/02/2018 | Argued. For petitioner: Bryan A. Stevenson, Montgomery, Ala. For respondent: Thomas R. Govan, Jr., Alabama Deputy Attorney General, Montgomery, Ala. |
| 12/18/2018 | Record received from the Mobile County Circuit Criminal, one box of exhibits. |
| 02/27/2019 | Judgment VACATED and case REMANDED. Kagan, J., delivered the opinion of the Court, in which Roberts, C. J., and Ginsburg, Breyer, and Sotomayor, JJ., joined. Alito, J., filed a dissenting opinion, in which Thomas and Gorsuch, JJ., joined. Kavanaugh, J., took no part in the consideration or decision of the case. |
| 04/01/2019 | MANDATE ISSUED. |
| 04/01/2019 | JUDGMENT ISSUED. |