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Ronald Hittle v. City of Stockton, California, et al.

Paid petition · United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit, No. 22-15485 · judgment May 17, 2024


Certiorari denied · March 10, 2025
Pre-decision estimate: 15% cert probability (95% interval 11%–20%)

Before the decision, about 3.6× the 4.1% base rate. The model weighted this up for counsel who has won certiorari before, a Ninth Circuit decision below, and a circuit split argued in the petition, and down for a state or local-government respondent.

Questions presented

  1. Whether this Court should overrule McDonnell Douglas Corp. v. Green, 411 U.S. 792 (1973).

  2. Whether step three of the McDonnell Douglas burden-shifting framework requires a plaintiff to disprove the employer’s proffered reason for the adverse employment action, when the text of Title VII and Bostock v. Clayton County, 590 U.S. 644 (2020), provide that an action may have more than one but-for cause or motivating factor.

Counsel of record

For petitioner
Aaron Michael Streett
Baker Botts, L.L.P.

For respondent
Robert Mark Loeb
Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe LLP

Case

Conference history
Distributed for 5 conferences

Amicus briefs
10 cert-stage

Linked docket
24A145

Argument & decision

Decided March 10, 2025.

Proceedings

  1. Mar 10 2025
    Petition DENIED. Justice Thomas, with whom Justice Gorsuch joins, dissenting from the denial of certiorari. (Detached Opinion)
  2. Mar 03 2025
    DISTRIBUTED for Conference of 3/7/2025.
  3. Feb 24 2025
    DISTRIBUTED for Conference of 2/28/2025.
  4. Feb 14 2025
    DISTRIBUTED for Conference of 2/21/2025.
  5. Jan 21 2025
    DISTRIBUTED for Conference of 1/24/2025.
  6. Jan 21 2025
    Rescheduled.
  7. Jan 14 2025
    Rescheduled.
  8. Dec 31 2024
    DISTRIBUTED for Conference of 1/17/2025.
  9. Dec 31 2024
    Reply of petitioner Ronald Hittle filed. (Distributed)
  10. Dec 16 2024
    Brief of respondent Stockton, California, in opposition filed.
  11. Nov 15 2024
    Brief amicus curiae of California Employment Lawyers Association filed.
  12. Nov 15 2024
    Brief amicus curiae of Independence Law Center filed.
  13. Nov 15 2024
    Brief amicus curiae of Global Leadership Network filed.
  14. Nov 15 2024
    Brief amicus curiae of Muslim Public Affairs Council filed.
  15. Nov 15 2024
    Brief amicus curiae of Islam and Religious Freedom Action Team of the Religious Freedom Institute filed.
  16. Nov 15 2024
    Brief amicus curiae of Samaritan's Purse filed.
  17. Nov 15 2024
    Brief amicus curiae of Foundation For Moral Law filed.
  18. Nov 14 2024
    Brief amici curiae of Jewish Coalition for Religious Liberty, et al. filed.
  19. Nov 14 2024
    Brief amicus curiae of Darren Shearer filed.
  20. Nov 13 2024
    Brief amicus curiae of Robertson Center for Constitutional Law filed.
  21. Oct 25 2024
    Motion to extend the time to file a response is granted and the time is extended to and including December 16, 2024.
  22. Oct 24 2024
    Motion to extend the time to file a response from November 15, 2024 to December 16, 2024, submitted to The Clerk.
  23. Oct 15 2024
    Petition for a writ of certiorari filed. (Response due November 15, 2024)
  24. Aug 07 2024
    Application (24A145) granted by Justice Kagan extending the time to file until October 14, 2024.
  25. Aug 05 2024
    Application (24A145) to extend the time to file a petition for a writ of certiorari from August 15, 2024 to October 14, 2024, submitted to Justice Kagan.