Supreme Court Report

Supreme Court of the United States · Official docket →

Willie Kipyego Butia v. Virginia

Paid petition · Supreme Court of Virginia, No. 190601 · judgment October 15, 2019

Certiorari denied · February 24, 2020
Pre-decision estimate: 2% cert probability

Before the decision, well below the 4.1% base rate, with no standout signals pointing toward a grant.

Question presented

Is due process violated where the trial judge instructs the jury using words not found in the statute and in such a way that clearly expands the statutory definition of the crime.

Counsel of record

For petitioner
Jonathan P. Sheldon
Sheldon & Flood, PLC

For respondent
Toby Jay Heytens
Office of the Attorney General

Case

Conference history
Distributed for 1 conference

Proceedings

  1. Feb 24 2020
    Petition DENIED.
  2. Jan 15 2020
    DISTRIBUTED for Conference of 2/21/2020.
  3. Dec 31 2019
    Waiver of right of respondent Virginia to respond filed.
  4. Dec 16 2019
    Petition for a writ of certiorari filed. (Response due January 21, 2020)