Supreme Court Report

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Paul Erlinger v. United States

Paid petition · United States Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit, No. 22-1926 · judgment August 10, 2023


Decided · June 21, 2024
Pre-decision estimate: 13% cert probability (95% interval 8%–22%)

Before the decision, about 3.2× the 4.1% base rate. The model weighted this up for counsel who has won certiorari before, a petition filed soon after the judgment below, and a dissent in the court below (flagged in the petition).

Question presented

Whether the Constitution requires a jury trial and proof beyond a reasonable doubt to find that a defendant's prior convictions were "committed on occasions different from one another," as is necessary to impose an enhanced sentence under the Armed Career Criminal Act, 18 U.S.C. § 924(e)(1). ORDER OF NOVEMBER 21, 2023: D. NICK HARPER, ESQUIRE, OF WASHINGTON, D. C., IS INVITED TO BRIEF AND ARGUE THIS CASE, AS AMICUS CURIAE, IN SUPPORT OF THE JUDGMENT BELOW.

Counsel of record

For petitioner
Jeffrey L. Fisher
O'Melveny & Myers LLP

For respondent
Elizabeth B. Prelogar
Solicitor General

Case

Conference history
Distributed for 2 conferences

Amicus briefs
3 merits
(3 respondent)

Argument & decision

Argued March 27, 2024 — Jeffrey L. Fisher · Eric J. Feigin · D. Nick Harper. Audio and transcript

Decided June 21, 2024. Opinion by Gorsuch.

Proceedings

  1. Jul 23 2024
    Judgment Issued.
  2. Jun 21 2024
    Judgment VACATED and case REMANDED. Gorsuch, J., delivered the opinion of the Court, in which Roberts, C. J., and Thomas, Sotomayor, Kagan, and Barrett, JJ., joined. Roberts, C. J., and Thomas, J., filed concurring opinions. Kavanaugh, J., filed a dissenting opinion, in which Alito, J., joined, and in which Jackson, J., joined except as to Part III. Jackson, J., filed a dissenting opinion.
  3. Mar 27 2024
    Argued. For petitioner: Jeffrey L. Fisher, Menlo Park, Cal. For respondent supporting petitioner: Eric J. Feigin, Deputy Solicitor General, Department of Justice, Washington, D. C. For Court-appointed amicus curiae in support of the judgment below: D. Nick Harper, Washington, D. C.
  4. Mar 04 2024
    Reply of respondent United States filed. (Distributed)
  5. Mar 04 2024
    Reply of petitioner Paul Erlinger filed. (Distributed)
  6. Feb 20 2024
    Motion for divided argument filed by the Solicitor General GRANTED.
  7. Feb 14 2024
    CIRCULATED
  8. Feb 06 2024
    Motion for divided argument filed by the Solicitor General.
  9. Feb 05 2024
    Record received electronically from the United States District Court for the Southern District of Indiana and available with the Clerk.
  10. Feb 02 2024
    Brief of Court-appointed amicus curiae in support of the judgment below filed.
  11. Feb 01 2024
    Record received electronically from the United States Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit and available with the Clerk.
  12. Jan 31 2024
    Record requested from the United States Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit.
  13. Jan 29 2024
    SET FOR ARGUMENT on Wednesday, March 27, 2024.
  14. Jan 16 2024
    Motion to dispense with printing the joint appendix filed by petitioner GRANTED.
  15. Jan 10 2024
  16. Jan 10 2024
    Brief amicus curiae of National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers filed.
  17. Jan 10 2024
    Brief amicus curiae of National Association of Federal Defenders filed.
  18. Jan 03 2024
    Brief of petitioner Paul Erlinger filed.
  19. Jan 03 2024
    Brief of respondent United States in support of petitioner filed.
  20. Jan 03 2024
    Motion to dispense with printing the joint appendix filed by petitioner Paul Erlinger.
  21. Nov 21 2023
    D. Nick Harper, Esquire, of Washington, D. C., is invited to brief and argue this case, as amicus curiae, in support of the judgment below.
  22. Nov 20 2023
    Petition GRANTED.
  23. Nov 13 2023
    DISTRIBUTED for Conference of 11/17/2023.
  24. Oct 24 2023
    Waiver of the 14-day waiting period for the distribution of the petition pursuant to Rule 15.5 filed by petitioner.
  25. Oct 24 2023
    DISTRIBUTED for Conference of 11/9/2023.
  26. Oct 23 2023
    Reply of petitioner Paul Erlinger filed. (Distributed)
  27. Oct 17 2023
    Brief for the United States filed.
  28. Oct 04 2023
    Petition for a writ of certiorari filed. (Response due November 6, 2023)