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Martin v. United States

Docket No. Op. Below Argument Opinion Vote Author Term
24-362 11th Cir. Apr 29, 2025 Jun 12, 2025 9-0 Gorsuch OT 2024

Holding: The Supremacy Clause does not afford the United States a defense in a suit against it under the Federal Tort Claims Act and the law enforcement proviso in Section 2680(h) of the act overrides only the intentional-tort exception in that subsection, not the discretionary-function exception or other exceptions throughout Section 2680.

Judgment: Vacated and remanded, 9-0, in an opinion by Justice Gorsuch on June 12, 2025. Justice Sotomayor filed a concurring opinion, joined by Justice Jackson.

SCOTUSblog Coverage

DateProceedings and Orders (key to color coding)
07/18/2024Application (24A74) to extend the time to file a petition for a writ of certiorari from August 28, 2024 to October 27, 2024, submitted to Justice Thomas.
07/22/2024Application (24A74) granted by Justice Thomas extending the time to file until September 27, 2024.
09/27/2024Petition for a writ of certiorari filed. (Response due October 31, 2024)
10/09/2024Motion to extend the time to file a response from October 31, 2024 to December 2, 2024, submitted to The Clerk.
10/11/2024Motion to extend the time to file a response is granted and the time is extended to and including December 2, 2024.
10/31/2024Brief amici curiae of Members of Congress filed.
10/31/2024Brief amicus curiae of Professor Gregory C. Sisk filed.
11/25/2024Motion to extend the time to file a response from December 2, 2024 to December 6, 2024, submitted to The Clerk.
11/26/2024Motion to extend the time to file a response is granted and the time is further extended to and including December 6, 2024.
12/06/2024Brief of respondents United States, et al. in opposition filed.
12/20/2024Reply of petitioners Curtrina Martin, et al. filed. (Distributed)
12/24/2024DISTRIBUTED for Conference of 1/10/2025.
01/13/2025DISTRIBUTED for Conference of 1/17/2025.
01/21/2025DISTRIBUTED for Conference of 1/24/2025.
01/27/2025Petition GRANTED limited to the following questions: 1) Whether the Constitution’s Supremacy Clause bars claims under the Federal Tort Claims Act when the negligent or wrongful acts of federal employees have some nexus with furthering federal policy and can reasonably be characterized as complying with the full range of federal law. 2) Whether the discretionary-function exception is categorically inapplicable to claims arising under the law enforcement proviso to the intentional torts exception. Petitioners’ brief on the merits is to be filed on or before Friday, March 7, 2025. Respondents' brief on the merits is to be filed on or before Tuesday, April 1, 2025. The reply brief is to be received by the Clerk and served upon opposing counsel on or before 2 p.m., Tuesday, April 22, 2025.
01/28/2025Christopher Mills, Esquire, of Charleston, South Carolina, is invited to brief and argue this case, as amicus curiae, in support of the judgment below as to the first question identified in the order granting the petition for a writ of certiorari.
02/24/2025SET FOR ARGUMENT on Tuesday, April 29, 2025.
02/28/2025Record requested from the United States Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit.
03/07/2025Record received from the United States Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit. The record is electronic and is available on PACER.
03/07/2025Brief of petitioners Curtrina Martin, et al. filed.
03/07/2025Joint appendix filed. (Statement of costs filed)
03/13/2025Sealed material received from the United States District Court for the Northern District of Georgia and available with the Clerk (one envelope). The remainder of the record is electronic and is available on PACER.
03/14/2025Brief amicus curiae of Public Citizen filed.
03/14/2025Brief amicus curiae of North Central Pennsylvania Trial Lawyers Association filed.
03/14/2025Brief amicus curiae of Constitutional Accountability Center filed.
03/14/2025Brief amicus curiae of Professor Gregory C. Sisk filed. (Distributed)
03/14/2025Brief amici curiae of Public Accountability, et al. filed.
03/14/2025Amicus brief of New Civil Liberties Alliance not accepted for filing. (March 18, 2025)
03/14/2025Brief amicus curiae of New Civil Liberties Alliance filed. (Distributed)
03/14/2025Brief amici curiae of America's Future, et al. filed.
03/14/2025Brief amici curiae of National Police Accountability Project, et al. filed.
03/14/2025Brief amici curiae of Members of Congress filed.
03/19/2025CIRCULATED
03/31/2025Brief of Court-appointed amicus curiae in support of the judgment below filed. (Distributed)
04/01/2025Brief of respondents United States, et al. filed. (Distributed)
04/08/2025Motion for divided argument filed the Solicitor General.
04/17/2025Motion for divided argument filed by the Solicitor General GRANTED.
04/22/2025Reply of petitioners Curtrina Martin, et al. filed. (Distributed)
04/29/2025Argued. For petitioners: Patrick M. Jaicomo, Arlington, Va. For respondents: Frederick Liu, Assistant to the Solicitor General, Department of Justice, Washington, D. C. For Court-appointed amicus curiae in support of judgment below on Question 1: Christopher E. Mills, Charleston, S. C.
06/12/2025Judgment VACATED and case REMANDED. Gorsuch, J., delivered the opinion for a unanimous Court. Sotomayor, J., filed a concurring opinion, in which Jackson, J., joined.