Sturgeon v. Frost

Docket No.	Op. Below	Argument	Opinion	Vote	Author	Term
14-1209	9th Cir.	Jan 20, 2016 Tr.Aud.	Mar 22, 2016	8-0	Roberts	OT 2015

Holding: The Ninth Circuit's interpretation of Section 103(c) of the Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation Act, which addresses the scope of the National Park Service’s authority over lands within the boundaries of conservation system units in Alaska, to ban hovercrafts on state-owned waters flowing through federally managed preservation areas, is inconsistent with both the act’s text and context.

Judgment: Vacated and remanded, 8-0, in an opinion by Chief Justice Roberts on March 22, 2016.

SCOTUSblog Coverage

Opinion analysis: A rebuke of the Ninth Circuit, and nothing more (Todd Henderson)
Argument analysis: Are rivers an important part of the national parks? (Todd Henderson)
Argument preview: A broken-down hovercraft tees up federal land-management policies in the West for the Supreme Court (Todd Henderson)

Date	Proceedings and Orders (key to color coding)
Feb 18 2015	Application (14A862) to extend the time to file a petition for a writ of certiorari from March 16, 2015 to April 30, 2015, submitted to Justice Kennedy.
Feb 20 2015	Application (14A862) granted by Justice Kennedy extending the time to file until March 31, 2015.
Mar 31 2015	Petition for a writ of certiorari filed. (Response due May 4, 2015)
Apr 6 2015	Consent to the filing of amicus curiae briefs, in support of either party or of neither party, received form counsel for petitioner.
Apr 29 2015	Brief amici curiae of Ahtna Incorporated, et al. filed.
Apr 30 2015	Order extending time to file response to petition to and including June 3, 2015.
May 4 2015	Brief amicus curiae of Artic Slope Regional Corporation
May 4 2015	Brief amicus curiae of Safari Club International filed.
May 4 2015	Brief amicus curiae of Alaska filed.
Jun 3 2015	Order further extending time to file response to petition to and including July 6, 2015.
Jul 1 2015	Order further extending time to file response to petition to and including August 5, 2015.
Aug 5 2015	Brief of respondents Sue Masica, in Her Official Capacity as Alaska Regional Director of the National Park Service, et al. in opposition filed.
Aug 19 2015	DISTRIBUTED for Conference of September 28, 2015.
Aug 21 2015	Reply of petitioner John Sturgeon filed. (Distributed)
Oct 1 2015	Petition GRANTED.
Oct 22 2015	Consent to the filing of amicus curiae briefs, in support of either party or of neither party, received from counsel for the petitioner.
Nov 13 2015	Motion to dispense with printing the joint appendix filed by petitioner John Sturgeon.
Nov 16 2015	Brief of petitioner John Sturgeon filed.
Nov 20 2015	Brief amicus curiae of Pacific Legal Foundation filed.
Nov 20 2015	Motion of Alaska for leave to participate in oral argument as amicus curiae and for divided argument filed.
Nov 23 2015	Brief amici curiae of United States Senators Sullivan and Murkowski, and Representative Young filed.
Nov 23 2015	Brief amici curiae of Doyon, et al. filed.
Nov 23 2015	Brief amicus curiae of Safari Club International filed.
Nov 23 2015	Brief amicus curiae of Southeastern Legal Foundation filed.
Nov 23 2015	Brief amicus curiae of Alaska filed.
Nov 23 2015	Brief amici curiae of Arctic Slope Regional Corporation, et al. filed.
Nov 23 2015	Brief amici curiae of Alaska Miners Association, Inc., et al. filed.
Nov 24 2015	SET FOR ARGUMENT on Wednesday, January 20, 2016
Dec 4 2015	Record requested from U.S.C.A. 9th Circuit.
Dec 14 2015	Motion to dispense with printing the joint appendix filed by petitioner GRANTED.
Dec 14 2015	Motion of Alaska for leave to participate in oral argument as amicus curiae and for divided argument GRANTED.
Dec 15 2015	CIRCULATED.
Dec 15 2015	Record received from the U.S.D.C. Dist. of Alaska. 1 Envelope.
Dec 16 2015	Brief of respondents Bert Frost, in His Official Capacity as Alaska Regional Director of the National Park Service, et al. filed. (Distributed)
Dec 23 2015	Brief amici curiae of National Parks Conservation Association, et al. filed. (Distributed)
Dec 23 2015	Brief amici curiae of Alaska Native Subsistence Users filed. (Distributed)
Jan 13 2016	Reply of petitioner John Sturgeon filed. (Distributed)
Jan 20 2016	Argued. For petitioner: Matthew T. Findley, Anchorage, Alaska; and Ruth Botstein, Assistant Attorney General, Anchorage, Alaska (for Alaska, as amicus curiae). For respondents: Rachel P. Kovner, Assistant to the Solicitor General, Department of Justice, Washington, D. C.
Mar 22 2016	Judgment VACATED and case REMANDED. Roberts, C. J., delivered the opinion for a unanimous Court.
Apr 25 2016	JUDGMENT ISSUED

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Sturgeon v. Frost

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