Mathis v. United States

Docket No.	Op. Below	Argument	Opinion	Vote	Author	Term
15-6092	8th Cir.	Apr 26, 2016 Tr.Aud.	Jun 23, 2016	5-3	Kagan	OT 2015

Holding: The Armed Career Criminal Act imposes a fifteen-year mandatory minimum sentence on a defendant convicted of being a felon in possession of a firearm who also has three prior state or federal convictions “for a violent felony,” including “burglary, arson, or extortion.” Because the elements of Iowa’s burglary law – which applies to “any building, structure, [or] land, water, or air vehicle” – is broader than those of generic “burglary” – which requires unlawful entry into a “building or other structure” – prior convictions under the Iowa burglary law cannot give rise to a sentence enhancement under the ACCA.

Judgment: Reversed, 5-3, in an opinion by Justice Kagan on June 23, 2016. Justice Kennedy and Justice Thomas filed concurring opinions. Justice Breyer filed a dissenting opinion, in which Justice Ginsburg joined. Justice Alito filed a dissenting opinion.

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Date	Proceedings and Orders (key to color coding)
Sep 15 2015	Petition for a writ of certiorari and motion for leave to proceed in forma pauperis filed. (Response due October 19, 2015)
Oct 14 2015	Order extending time to file response to petition to and including November 18, 2015.
Nov 16 2015	Order further extending time to file response to petition to and including December 18, 2015.
Dec 17 2015	Brief of respondent United States filed.
Dec 30 2015	Supplemental brief of respondent United States filed.
Dec 31 2015	DISTRIBUTED for Conference of January 15, 2016.
Jan 19 2016	Motion to proceed in forma pauperis and petition for a writ of certiorari GRANTED.
Feb 22 2016	Brief of petitioner Richard Mathis filed.
Feb 22 2016	Joint appendix filed.
Feb 29 2016	Brief amici curiae of National Association of Federal Defenders, et al. filed.
Feb 29 2016	Brief amici curiae of American Immigration Lawyers Association, et al. filed.
Mar 4 2016	SET FOR ARGUMENT ON Tuesday, April 26, 2016
Mar 14 2016	Record requested from the U.S.C.A. 8th Circuit.
Mar 15 2016	CIRCULATED.
Mar 23 2016	Record received from U.S.C.A. 8th Circuit. (1 Box)
Mar 23 2016	Brief of respondent United States filed. (Distributed)
Mar 29 2016	Brief amicus curiae of Immigration Reform Law Institute filed. (Distributed)
Apr 15 2016	Reply of petitioner Richard Mathis filed. (Distributed)
Apr 26 2016	Argued. For petitioner: Mark C. Fleming, Boston, Mass. For respondent: Nicole A. Saharsky, Assistant to the Solicitor General, Department of Justice, Washington, D. C.
Jun 23 2016	Judgment REVERSED. Kagan, J., delivered the opinion of the Court, in which Roberts, C. J., and Kennedy, Thomas, and Sotomayor, JJ., joined. Kennedy, J., and Thomas, J., filed concurring opinions. Breyer, J., filed a dissenting opinion, in which Ginsburg, J., joined. Alito, J., filed a dissenting opinion.
Jul 25 2016	JUDGMENT ISSUED
Aug 18 2016	Record from U.S.C.A. 8th Circuit has been returned.

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The Supreme Court released additional orders from the January 11 conference on Monday; the justices called for the views of the U.S. solicitor general in CSX Transportation Inc. v. Alabama Department of Revenue, Alabama Department of Revenue v. CSX Transportation Inc. and Toshiba Corp. v. Automotive Industries Pension Trust Fund.
On Tuesday, the justices released their opinions in New Prime Inc. v. Oliveira and Stokeling v. United States.
On Monday, the justices heard oral argument in Thacker v. Tennessee Valley Authority and Rimini Street Inc. v. Oracle USA Inc.
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  (1) Whether a 93-year-old memorial to the fallen of World War I is unconstitutional merely because it is shaped like a cross; (2) whether the constitutionality of a passive display incorporating religious symbolism should be assessed under the tests articulated in Lemon v. Kurtzman, Van Orden v. Perry, Town of Greece v. Galloway or some other test; and (3) whether, if the test from Lemon v. Kurtzman applies, the expenditure of funds for the routine upkeep and maintenance of a cross-shaped war memorial, without more, amounts to an excessive entanglement with religion in violation of the First Amendment.
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Cases argued	43
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Editor's Note :

Mathis v. United States

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Featured Posts

Challengers urge justices to dismiss census case after district court ruling (Updated) – Amy Howe

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Argument analysis: Justices have strong views about removal of class actions – Ronald Mann

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