Supreme Court of the United States · Official docket →
United States v. La'Vance LeMarr Cooper
Paid petition · United States Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit, No. 24-1998 · judgment February 5, 2025
Certiorari denied · October 20, 2025
Pre-decision estimate: 22% cert probability (95% interval 14%–33%)
Before the decision, about 5.3× the 4.1% base rate. The model weighted this up for a federal-government petitioner, counsel who has won certiorari before, and an Eighth Circuit decision below.
Question presented
Whether 18 U.S.C. 922(g)(3), the federal statute that prohibits the possession of firearms by a person who “is an unlawful user of or addicted to any controlled substance,” violates the Second Amendment as applied to respondent. (I)
Counsel of record
For petitioner
D. John Sauer
Solicitor General
For respondent
Mark C. Meyer
Mark Meyer, Attorney
Proceedings
- Oct 20 2025Motion for leave to proceed in forma pauperis filed by respondent GRANTED.
- Oct 20 2025Petition DENIED.
- Oct 14 2025DISTRIBUTED for Conference of 10/17/2025.
- Sep 24 2025DISTRIBUTED for Conference of 10/10/2025.
- Aug 18 2025Rescheduled.
- Jul 23 2025DISTRIBUTED for Conference of 9/29/2025.
- Jul 16 2025Reply of petitioner United States filed.
- Jul 05 2025Brief of respondent LaVance LeMarr Cooper in opposition filed.
- Jul 05 2025Motion for leave to proceed in forma pauperis filed by respondent LaVance LeMarr Cooper.
- Jun 05 2025Petition for a writ of certiorari filed. (Response due July 7, 2025)
- Apr 21 2025Application (24A1011) granted by Justice Kavanaugh extending the time to file until June 5, 2025.
- Apr 18 2025Application (24A1011) to extend the time to file a petition for a writ of certiorari from May 6, 2025 to June 5, 2025, submitted to Justice Kavanaugh.