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Williams v. Pennsylvania

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Docket No. Op. Below Argument Opinion Vote Author Term
15-5040 Pa. Feb 29, 2016 Jun 9, 2016 5-3 Kennedy OT 2015

Holding: Under the Due Process Clause, there is an impermissible risk of actual bias when a judge earlier had significant, personal involvement as a prosecutor in a critical decision regarding the defendant’s case.

Judgment: Vacated and remanded, 5-3, in an opinion by Justice Kennedy on June 9, 2016. Chief Justice Roberts filed a dissenting opinion, in which Justice Alito joined. Justice Thomas filed a dissenting opinion.

SCOTUSblog Coverage

DateProceedings and Orders (key to color coding)
May 7 2015Application (14A1161) to extend the time to file a petition for a writ of certiorari from May 19, 2015 to July 18, 2015, submitted to Justice Alito.
May 12 2015Application (14A1161) granted by Justice Alito extending the time to file until June 18, 2015.
Jun 12 2015Petition for a writ of certiorari and motion for leave to proceed in forma pauperis filed. (Response due July 31, 2015)
Jul 24 2015Brief of respondent Pennsylvania in opposition filed.
Aug 7 2015Reply of petitioner Terrance Williams filed.
Aug 13 2015DISTRIBUTED for Conference of September 28, 2015.
Oct 1 2015Motion to proceed in forma pauperis and petition for a writ of certiorari GRANTED.
Nov 6 2015The time to file the joint appendix and petitioner's brief on the merits is extended to and including November 30, 2015.
Nov 6 2015The time to file respondent's brief on the merits is extended to and including January 13, 2016.
Nov 10 2015Consent to the filing of amicus curiae briefs in support of either party or of neither party received from counsel for the petitioner.
Nov 13 2015Consent to the filing of amicus curiae briefs in support of either party or of neither party received from counsel for the respondent.
Nov 30 2015Joint appendix filed. (Statement of costs filed.)
Nov 30 2015Brief of petitioner Terrance Williams filed.
Dec 7 2015Brief amicus curiae of Constitutional Accountability Center filed.
Dec 7 2015Brief amici curiae of Former Judges with Prosecutorial Experience filed.
Dec 7 2015Brief amici curiae of The Ethics Bureau at Yale, et al. filed.
Dec 7 2015Brief amicus curiae of The American Bar Association filed.
Dec 7 2015Brief amici curiae of Former Appellate Court Jurists filed.
Dec 7 2015Brief amici curiae of Brennan Center for Justice at NYU School of Law, and Justice at Stake filed.
Dec 7 2015Brief amici curiae of The American Civil Liberties Union, and The ACLU of Pennsylvania filed.
Dec 7 2015Brief amicus curiae of The American Academy of Appellate Lawyers filed.
Dec 23 2015SET FOR ARGUMENT ON Monday, February 29, 2016
Jan 8 2016Record received from the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania Eastern District. (2 Boxes)
Jan 13 2016Brief of respondent Pennsylvania filed. (Distributed)
Jan 15 2016CIRCULATED.
Feb 11 2016Record received from the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania. (2 Boxes)
Feb 12 2016Reply of petitioner Terrance Williams filed. (Distributed)
Feb 29 2016Argued. For petitioner: Stuart B. Lev, Assistant Federal Defender, Philadelphia, Pa. For respondent: Ronald Eisenberg, Deputy District Attorney, Philadelphia, Pa.
Jun 9 2016Judgment VACATED and case REMANDED. Kennedy, J., delivered the opinion of the Court, in which Ginsburg, Breyer, Sotomayor, and Kagan, JJ., joined. Roberts, C. J., filed a dissenting opinion, in which Alito, J., joined. Thomas, J., filed a dissenting opinion.
Jun 9 2016MANDATE ISSUED.
Jul 12 2016JUDGMENT ISSUED
Jul 12 2016MANDATE ISSUED
Aug 16 2016Records from the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania has been returned. (4 Boxes)