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Feliciano v. Department of Transportation

Docket No.23-861
Op. BelowFed. Cir.
ArgumentDec 9, 2024

Holding

A federal civilian employee called to active duty pursuant to “any other provision of law ... during a national emergency” as described in 10 U.S.C. § 101(a)(13)(B) is entitled to differential pay if the reservist’s service temporally coincides with a declared national emergency without any showing that the service bears a substantive connection to a particular emergency.

Judgment

Reversed, 5-4, in an opinion by Neil Gorsuch on Apr 30, 2025. Justice Thomas filed a dissenting opinion, in which Justices Alito, Kagan, and Jackson joined.

Proceedings & orders timeline

Jan 11, 2024
Application (23A653) to extend the time to file a petition for a writ of certiorari from January 25, 2024 to February 8, 2024, submitted to The Chief Justice.
Jan 17, 2024
Application (23A653) granted by The Chief Justice extending the time to file until February 8, 2024.
Feb 8, 2024
Petition for a writ of certiorari filed. (Response due March 13, 2024)
Feb 22, 2024
Motion to extend the time to file a response from March 13, 2024 to April 12, 2024, submitted to The Clerk.
Feb 23, 2024
Motion to extend the time to file a response is granted and the time is extended to and including April 12, 2024.
Feb 26, 2024
Brief amicus curiae of Military-Veterans Advocacy, Inc. filed.
Feb 26, 2024
Brief amicus curiae of Reserve Organization of America filed. VIDED.
Mar 13, 2024
Brief amici curiae of Members of Congress filed.
Mar 13, 2024
Brief amici curiae of Texas, et al. filed.
Apr 3, 2024
Motion to extend the time to file a response from April 12, 2024 to May 10, 2024, submitted to The Clerk.
Apr 4, 2024
Motion to extend the time to file a response is granted and the time is further extended to and including May 10, 2024.
May 7, 2024
Motion to extend the time to file a response from May 10, 2024 to May 13, 2024, submitted to The Clerk.
May 8, 2024
Motion to extend the time to file a response is granted and the time is further extended to and including May 13, 2024.
May 13, 2024
Brief of respondent Department of Transportation in opposition filed.
May 24, 2024
Reply of petitioner Nick Feliciano filed. (Distributed)
May 28, 2024
DISTRIBUTED for Conference of 6/13/2024.
Jun 17, 2024
DISTRIBUTED for Conference of 6/20/2024.
Jun 24, 2024
Petition GRANTED.
Jul 8, 2024
Motion for an extension of time to file the briefs on the merits filed.
Jul 9, 2024
Motion to extend the time to file the briefs on the merits granted. The time to file the joint appendix and petitioner's brief on the merits is extended to and including August 19, 2024. The time to file respondent's brief on the merits is extended to and including September 27, 2024.
Jul 25, 2024
Motion to dispense with printing the joint appendix filed by petitioner Nick Feliciano.
Aug 19, 2024
Brief of petitioner Nick Feliciano filed.
Aug 26, 2024
Brief amicus curiae of Military-Veterans Advocacy, Inc. filed.
Aug 26, 2024
Brief amicus curiae of National Law School Veterans Clinic Consortium filed.
Aug 26, 2024
Brief amicus curiae of American Federation of Government Employees filed.
Aug 26, 2024
Brief amici curiae of Texas, South Carolina, 19 Other States, and the District of Columbia filed.
Aug 26, 2024
Brief amici curiae of Members of Congress filed.
Aug 26, 2024
Brief amicus curiae of Reserve Organization of America filed.
Sep 6, 2024
Motion to dispense with printing the joint appendix filed by petitioner GRANTED.
Sep 27, 2024
Brief of respondent Department of Transportation filed.
Oct 18, 2024
SET FOR ARGUMENT on Monday, December 9, 2024.
Oct 22, 2024
Record requested from the United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit.
Oct 22, 2024
CIRCULATED
Oct 28, 2024
Reply of petitioner Nick Feliciano filed. (Distributed)
Oct 31, 2024
Record received from the United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit. The record is electronic and is available on PACER.
Dec 6, 2024
Record received electronically from the Merit Systems Protection Board and available with the Clerk.
Dec 9, 2024
Argued. For petitioner: Andrew T. Tutt, Washington, D. C. For respondent: Nicole F. Reaves, Assistant to the Solicitor General, Department of Justice, Washington, D. C.
Apr 30, 2025
Judgment REVERSED and case REMANDED. Gorsuch, J., delivered the opinion of the Court, in which Roberts, C. J., and Sotomayor, Kavanaugh, and Barrett, JJ., joined. Thomas, J., filed a dissenting opinion, in which Alito, Kagan, and Jackson, JJ., joined.
Jun 2, 2025
Judgment Issued.

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