Case v. Montana
Holding
Under the standard set in Brigham City v. Stuart, the Fourth Amendment allows police officers to enter a home without a warrant if they have an “objectively reasonable basis for believing” that someone inside needs emergency assistance; that standard was met here.
Judgment
Affirmed, 9-0, in an opinion by Elena Kagan on Jan 14, 2026. Justices Sotomayor and Gorsuch filed concurring opinions.
Oct 11, 2024Application (24A361) to extend the time to file a petition for a writ of certiorari from November 4, 2024 to December 4, 2024, submitted to Justice Kagan.
Oct 17, 2024Application (24A361) granted by Justice Kagan extending the time to file until December 4, 2024.
Dec 4, 2024Petition for a writ of certiorari filed. (Response due January 6, 2025)Dec 17, 2024Waiver of right of respondent Montana to respond filed.Dec 24, 2024DISTRIBUTED for Conference of 1/10/2025.
Jan 2, 2025Response Requested. (Due February 3, 2025)
Jan 3, 2025Motion to extend the time to file a response from February 3, 2025 to March 5, 2025, submitted to The Clerk.Jan 6, 2025Motion to extend the time to file a response is granted and the time is extended to and including March 5, 2025.
Feb 3, 2025Brief amicus curiae of Project for Privacy & Surveillance Accountability filed.Feb 12, 2025Motion to extend the time to file a response from March 5, 2025 to April 4, 2025, submitted to The Clerk.Feb 14, 2025Motion to extend the time to file a response is granted and the time is further extended to and including April 4, 2025.
Apr 2, 2025Brief of respondent Montana in opposition filed.Apr 15, 2025Reply of petitioner William Trevor Case filed. (Distributed)Apr 16, 2025DISTRIBUTED for Conference of 5/2/2025.
May 1, 2025Rescheduled.
May 12, 2025DISTRIBUTED for Conference of 5/15/2025.
May 19, 2025DISTRIBUTED for Conference of 5/22/2025.
May 27, 2025DISTRIBUTED for Conference of 5/29/2025.
May 28, 2025Letter updating counsel of record information for respondents received.Jun 2, 2025Petition GRANTED.
Jun 12, 2025Motion for an extension of time within which to file the briefs on the merits filed.Jun 25, 2025Motion to extend the time within which to file the briefs on the merits granted. The time for filing the joint appendix and petitioner's brief on the merits is extended to and including July 30, 2025. The time to file respondent's brief on the merits is extended to and including September 3, 2025.
Jul 30, 2025Brief of petitioner William Trevor Case filed.Jul 30, 2025Joint appendix filed. (Statement of costs filed)Aug 4, 2025Brief amicus curiae of The LONANG Institute filed.Aug 5, 2025Brief amici curiae of National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers, et al. filed.Aug 6, 2025Brief amici curiae of Cato Institute, et al. filed.Aug 6, 2025Brief amicus curiae of Montana Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers filed.Aug 6, 2025Brief amici curiae of America's Future, et al. filed.Aug 6, 2025Brief amici curiae of Project for Privacy & Surveillance Accountability, et al. filed.Aug 6, 2025Brief amicus curiae of Rutherford Institute filed.Aug 6, 2025Brief amicus curiae of Constitutional Accountability Center filed.Aug 6, 2025Brief amici curiae of American Psychiatric Association, et al. in support of neither party filed.Aug 12, 2025SET FOR ARGUMENT on Wednesday, October 15, 2025.
Aug 18, 2025Record requested from the Supreme Court of Montana.
Aug 22, 2025Record received electronically from the Anaconda-Deer Lodge District Court and available with the Clerk.
Sep 2, 2025CIRCULATED
Sep 3, 2025Brief of respondent Montana filed. (Distributed)Sep 5, 2025Record received electronically from the Supreme Court of Montana and available with the Clerk.
Sep 9, 2025Brief amicus curiae of Professor Michael J.Z. Mannheimer filed. (Distributed)Sep 10, 2025Brief amici curiae of Michigan, et al. filed. (Distributed)Sep 10, 2025Brief amici curiae of Local Government Legal Center, et al. filed. (Distributed)Sep 10, 2025Brief amicus curiae of United States filed. (Distributed)Sep 10, 2025Motion of the Solicitor General for leave to participate in oral argument as amicus curiae and for divided argument filed.Sep 30, 2025Motion of the Solicitor General for leave to participate in oral argument as amicus curiae and for divided argument GRANTED.
Oct 3, 2025Reply of petitioner William Trevor Case filed. (Distributed)Oct 15, 2025Argued. For petitioner: Fred A. Rowley, Jr., Los Angeles, Cal. For respondent: Christian B. Corrigan, Solicitor General, Helena, Mont.; and Zoe A. Jacoby, Assistant to the Solicitor General, Department of Justice, Washington, D. C. (for United States, as amicus curiae.)
Jan 14, 2026Adjudged to be AFFIRMED. Kagan, J., delivered the opinion for a unanimous Court. Sotomayor, J., and Gorsuch, J., filed concurring opinions.
Feb 17, 2026Judgment and Mandate Issued.Recommended Citation: Case v. Montana, SCOTUSblog, https://www.scotusblog.com/cases/case-v-montana/