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Mercer County Board of Education, et al. v. Elizabeth Deal, et al.

Paid petition · United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit, No. 17-2429 · judgment December 17, 2018


Certiorari denied · October 7, 2019
Pre-decision estimate: 6% cert probability (95% interval 3%–10%)

Before the decision, modestly above the 4.1% base rate. The model weighted this up for a state or local-government petitioner, a circuit split argued in the petition, and counsel who has filed here before.

Question presented

In Summers v. Earth Island Institute, 555 U.S. 488 (2009), this Court held that a “vague desire to return . . . without any description of concrete plans” is insufficient to establish the requirement of “imminent injury” necessary to provide standing to seek injunctive relief. Jessica Roe stopped attending Mercer County Schools before initiating litigation against it, and has not stated any intention ever to return to the school district in the future, even if an injunction is entered. Did the Fourth Circuit err by finding Roe has standing to seek to enjoin a school program to which she has no ongoing exposure, and no non-speculative prospect of exposure in the future?

Counsel of record

For petitioner
Gregory Frederick Jacob
O'Melveny & Myers LLP

For respondent
Andrew Lewis Seidel
Freedom From Religion Foundation

Case

Conference history
Distributed for 2 conferences

Amicus briefs
1 cert-stage

Linked docket
18A1064

Proceedings

  1. Oct 07 2019
    Petition DENIED.
  2. Aug 21 2019
    DISTRIBUTED for Conference of 10/1/2019.
  3. Aug 20 2019
    Reply of petitioners Mercer County Board of Education, et al. filed.
  4. Aug 09 2019
    Brief of respondents Elizabeth Deal, et al. in opposition filed.
  5. Jul 10 2019
    Brief amici curiae of States of Texas, et al. filed.
  6. Jul 03 2019
    Motion to extend the time to file a response is granted and the time is extended to and including August 9, 2019.
  7. Jun 27 2019
    Motion to extend the time to file a response from July 10, 2019 to August 9, 2019, submitted to The Clerk.
  8. Jun 10 2019
    Response Requested. (Due July 10, 2019)
  9. Jun 04 2019
    DISTRIBUTED for Conference of 6/20/2019.
  10. May 29 2019
    Petition for a writ of certiorari filed. (Response due July 1, 2019)
  11. May 29 2019
    Waiver of right of respondents Elizabeth Deal, et al. to respond filed.
  12. Apr 18 2019
    Application (18A1064) granted by The Chief Justice extending the time to file until May 29, 2019.
  13. Apr 16 2019
    Application (18A1064) to extend the time to file a petition for a writ of certiorari from April 28, 2019 to May 29, 2019, submitted to The Chief Justice.