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Davis v. Ayala

Docket No.13-1428
Op. Below9th Cir.
ArgumentMar 3, 2015

Holding

Any federal constitutional error that may have occurred by excluding the attorney for a defendant in a capital murder trial from part of the Batson hearing was harmless.

Judgment

Reversed and remanded, 5-4, in an opinion by Samuel Alito on Jun 18, 2015. Justice Kennedy and Justice Thomas filed concurring opinions. Justice Sotomayor filed a dissenting opinion, in which Justices Ginsburg, Breyer, and Kagan joined.

Proceedings & orders timeline

May 27, 2014
Petition for a writ of certiorari filed. (Response due June 30, 2014)
Jun 18, 2014
Order extending time to file response to petition to and including July 30, 2014.
Jul 21, 2014
Order further extending time to file response to petition to and including August 13, 2014.
Aug 13, 2014
Brief of respondent Hector Ayala in opposition filed.
Aug 26, 2014
Reply of petitioner Kevin Chappell, Warden filed.
Aug 27, 2014
DISTRIBUTED for Conference of September 29, 2014.
Oct 6, 2014
DISTRIBUTED for Conference of October 10, 2014.
Oct 14, 2014
DISTRIBUTED for Conference of October 17, 2014.
Oct 20, 2014
Petition GRANTED In addition to the question presented by the petition, the parties are directed to brief and argue the following question: "Whether the court of appeals properly applied the standard articulated in Brecht v. Abrahamson, 507 U. S. 619 (1993)."
Oct 30, 2014
The time to file the joint appendix and petitioner's brief on the merits is extended to and including December 11, 2014.
Oct 30, 2014
The time to file respondent's brief on the merits is extended to and including January 20, 2015.
Dec 9, 2014
Joint appendix filed. (Statement of costs filed)
Dec 9, 2014
Brief of petitioner Kevin Chappell, Warden filed.
Dec 22, 2014
SET FOR ARGUMENT ON Tuesday, March 3, 2015
Dec 22, 2014
Record requested from U.S.C.A. 9th Circuit.
Dec 22, 2014
Record from U.S.C.A. 9th Circuit is electronic and located on PACER.
Jan 7, 2015
CIRCULATED.
Jan 9, 2015
Record received from U.S.D.C. Southern District of California, (12 Boxes, one box of the record is SEALED)
Jan 20, 2015
Brief of respondent Hector Ayala filed. (Distributed)
Feb 12, 2015
Letter from counsel for the petitioner regarding change in party name.
Feb 18, 2015
Reply of petitioner Ron Davis, Acting Warden filed. (Distributed)
Mar 3, 2015
Argued. For petitioner: Robin Urbanski, California Deputy Attorney General, San Diego, Cal. For respondent: Anthony J. Dain, San Diego, Cal.
Jun 18, 2015
Judgment REVERSED and case REMANDED. Alito, J., delivered the opinion of the Court, in which Roberts, C. J., and Scalia, Kennedy, and Thomas, JJ., joined. Kennedy, J., and Thomas, J., filed concurring opinions. Sotomayor, J., filed a dissenting opinion, in which Ginsburg, Breyer, and Kagan, JJ., joined.
Jul 13, 2015
Petition for Rehearing filed.
Jul 16, 2015
DISTRIBUTED.
Aug 10, 2015
Rehearing DENIED.
Aug 10, 2015
JUDGMENT ISSUED.
Aug 11, 2015
Records from the 9th Circuit and from U.S.D.C. Southern District of California has been returned.

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