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Geoffrey Hamilton Woodward v. Sarah Edge Woodward

Paid petition · Circuit Court of Tennessee, Davidson County, No. 21D-825 · judgment March 7, 2023

Certiorari denied · January 8, 2024
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

A Tennessee family court barred Petitioner from having any contact with his 17-year-old son until Petitioner completes invasive, unwanted mental health therapy, despite finding that Petitioner is a loving, fit parent and that severing the father-son relationship would not improve—and indeed may harm—the son’s relationship with his mother. The question presented is: Whether a court, consistent with the Due Process Clause, can condition a fit parent’s ability to have any contact with his child on unwanted medical treatment without finding that the treatment is medically necessary to serve a compelling state interest.

Counsel of record

For petitioner
Carter G. Phillips

For respondent
Helen Sfikas Rogers
Rogers, Shea & Spanos

Case

Conference history
Distributed for 2 conferences

Linked docket
23M32, 23A177

Proceedings

  1. Jan 08 2024
    Petition DENIED.
  2. Nov 29 2023
    DISTRIBUTED for Conference of 1/5/2024.
  3. Nov 22 2023
    Waiver of right of respondent Sarah Edge Woodward to respond filed.
    Main Document
  4. Oct 30 2023
    Motion (23M32) for leave to file a petition for a writ of certiorari under seal with redacted copies for the public record Granted.
  5. Oct 11 2023
    MOTION (23M32) DISTRIBUTED for Conference of 10/27/2023.
  6. Oct 03 2023
    Motion (23M32) for leave to file a petition for a writ of certiorari under seal with redacted copies for the public record filed.
  7. Oct 03 2023
    Petition for a writ of certiorari filed. (Response due November 29, 2023)
    PetitionAppendixCertificate of Word CountProof of Service
  8. Aug 25 2023
    Application (23A177) granted by Justice Kavanaugh extending the time to file until October 4, 2023. The application for leave to file Exhibit A under seal is granted.
  9. Aug 22 2023
    Application (23A177) to extend the time to file a petition for a writ of certiorari from September 3, 2023 to October 4, 2023, and for leave to file Exhibit A under seal, submitted to Justice Kavanaugh.
    Main DocumentLower Court Orders/Opinions