Supreme Court of the United States · Official docket →

United States v. Joseph Decore Simms

Paid petition · United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit, No. 15-4640 · judgment January 24, 2019

Certiorari denied · October 7, 2019

Pre-decision estimate: 55% cert probability (95% interval 40%–69%)

Before the decision, about 13.2× the 4.1% base rate. The model weighted this up for a federal-government petitioner, counsel who has won certiorari before, and a petition citing more than ten dissents.

Question presented

Whether the subsection-specific definition of “crime of violence” in 18 U.S.C. 924(c)(3)(B), which applies only in the limited context of a federal criminal prosecution for possessing, using, or carrying a firearm in connection with acts comprising such a crime, is unconstitutionally vague. (I)

Counsel of record

For petitioner
Noel John Francisco
Jones Day

For respondent
Dhamian A. Blue
Blue LLP

Case

Subject area
Due Process (estimated from the questions presented, in the Supreme Court Database’s categories)

Conference history
Distributed for 1 conference

Order
Order list, October 7, 2019 · Certiorari denied

Proceedings

Oct 07 2019
Motion for leave to proceed in forma pauperis filed by respondent GRANTED.
Oct 07 2019
Petition DENIED.
Jun 12 2019
DISTRIBUTED for Conference of 10/1/2019.
May 24 2019
Response to petition from respondent Joseph Decore Simms filed.
May 24 2019
Motion for leave to proceed in forma pauperis filed by respondent Joseph Decore Simms.
Apr 24 2019
Petition for a writ of certiorari filed. (Response due May 24, 2019)