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Karen Jimerson, et al. v. Mike Lewis

Paid petition · United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit, No. 22-10441 · judgment February 15, 2024


Certiorari denied · February 24, 2025
Pre-decision estimate: 12% cert probability (95% interval 8%–17%)

Before the decision, about 2.9× the 4.1% base rate. The model weighted this up for a Fifth Circuit decision below, counsel with five or more prior petitions here, and a circuit split argued in the petition.

Question presented

In Maryland v. Garrison, this Court addressed the constitutional implications of police officers executing a search warrant at the wrong location. The Court explained that the Fourth Amendment requires officers to make “a reasonable effort to ascertain and identify the place intended to be searched[.]” 480 U.S. 79, 88 (1987). Addressing claims of qualified immunity, three circuits— the Eighth, Ninth, and Eleventh—hold that Garrison clearly established the law: Officers violate the Fourth Amendment when they search a house without first checking that it shares the address or conspicuous features of the place they intend to search. But the Fifth Circuit holds below that Garrison merely articulates a “general principle” insufficient to clearly establish the law. As Judge Dennis notes in dissent, the Fifth Circuit’s cramped reading of Garrison created a circuit split. Pet. App. 21a. The question presented is: Whether Maryland v. Garrison clearly established that officers violate the Fourth Amendment when they search the wrong house without checking the address or conspicuous features of the house to be searched.

Counsel of record

For petitioner
Patrick Michael Jaicomo
Institute for Justice

For respondent
David Randall Montgomery
D. Randall Montgomery & Associates, PLLC

Case

Conference history
Distributed for 4 conferences

Amicus briefs
2 cert-stage

Linked docket
24A55

Proceedings

  1. Feb 24 2025
    Petition DENIED. Justice Sotomayor and Justice Jackson would grant the petition for a writ of certiorari.
  2. Feb 14 2025
    DISTRIBUTED for Conference of 2/21/2025.
  3. Jan 21 2025
    DISTRIBUTED for Conference of 1/24/2025.
  4. Jan 13 2025
    DISTRIBUTED for Conference of 1/17/2025.
  5. Dec 24 2024
    DISTRIBUTED for Conference of 1/10/2025.
  6. Dec 20 2024
    Reply of petitioners Karen Jimerson, et al. filed. (Distributed)
  7. Dec 19 2024
    Waiver of the 14-day waiting period for the distribution of the petition pursuant to Rule 15.5 filed by petitioners.
  8. Dec 11 2024
    Brief of respondent Mike Lewis in opposition filed.
  9. Nov 29 2024
    Brief amicus curiae of Cato Institute filed.
  10. Nov 22 2024
    Brief amicus curiae of The Rutherford Institute filed.
  11. Oct 31 2024
    Motion to extend the time to file a response is granted and the time is extended to and including December 30, 2024.
  12. Oct 30 2024
    Motion to extend the time to file a response from November 29, 2024 to December 30, 2024, submitted to The Clerk.
  13. Oct 24 2024
    Petition for a writ of certiorari filed. (Response due November 29, 2024)
  14. Jul 17 2024
    Application (24A55) granted by Justice Alito extending the time to file until October 24, 2024.
  15. Jul 15 2024
    Application (24A55) to extend the time to file a petition for a writ of certiorari from September 24, 2024 to November 23, 2024, submitted to Justice Alito.