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Lisa Marie Montgomery v. Jeffrey A. Rosen, Acting Attorney General, et al.

Paid petition · United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit, No. 20-5379 · judgment January 1, 2021


Certiorari denied · January 12, 2021
Pre-decision estimate: 48% cert probability (95% interval 34%–62%)

Before the decision, about 11.5× the 4.1% base rate. The model weighted this up for a petition filed soon after the judgment below, a D.C. Circuit decision below, and a circuit split argued in the petition.

Questions presented

  1. Federal regulations provide that “[i]f the date designated for execution passes by reason of a stay of execution, then a new date shall be designated promptly by the Director of the Federal Bureau of Prisons when the stay is lifted.” 28 C.F.R. § 26.3(a)(1) (emphasis added). The first question presented is whether, consistent with § 26.3(a)(1), the Director may designate a new execution date for a person condemned to death while a stay of that person’s execution is in place.

  2. A panel of the D.C. Circuit summarily reversed the reasoned decision of the district court on a motion and without full briefing. The second question presented is whether a federal court of appeals may summarily reverse the decision of a district court on an important question of first impression.

Counsel of record

For petitioner
Meaghan Elizabeth McLaine VerGow
O'Melveny & Myers LLP

For respondent
Jeffrey B. Wall
Sullivan & Cromwell LLP

Case

Conference history

Linked docket
20A121

Proceedings

  1. Jan 12 2021
    Reply of petitioner Lisa Marie Montgomery filed.
  2. Jan 12 2021
    Application (20A121) referred to the Court.
  3. Jan 12 2021
    Petition DENIED.
  4. Jan 12 2021
    Application (20A121) denied by the Court.
  5. Jan 11 2021
    Brief of respondents Jeffrey A. Rosen, et al. in opposition filed.
  6. Jan 09 2021
    Petition for a writ of certiorari filed. (Response due February 8, 2021)
  7. Jan 09 2021
    Application (20A121) for a stay of execution of sentence of death, submitted to The Chief Justice.