Supreme Court of the United States · Official docket →
William Trevor Case v. Montana
Paid petition · Supreme Court of Montana, No. DA 23-0136 · judgment August 6, 2024
Decided · January 14, 2026
Pre-decision estimate: 3% cert probability
Before the decision, well below the 4.1% base rate, with no standout signals pointing toward a grant.
Question presented
Whether law enforcement may enter a home without a search warrant based on less than probable cause that an emergency is occurring, or whether the emergency-aid exception requires probable cause.
Counsel of record
For petitioner
Fred Anthony Rowley Jr.
Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati
For respondent
Christian Brian Corrigan
Montana Department of Justice
Case
Conference history
Distributed for 5 conferences
Amicus briefs
1 cert-stage · 13 merits
(9 supporting pet./neither, 4 respondent)
Argument & decision
Argued October 15, 2025 — Fred A. Rowley · Christian B. Corrigan. Audio and transcript
Decided January 14, 2026. Opinion by Kagan.
Proceedings
- Feb 17 2026Judgment and Mandate Issued.
- Jan 14 2026Adjudged to be AFFIRMED. Kagan, J., delivered the opinion for a unanimous Court. Sotomayor, J., and Gorsuch, J., filed concurring opinions.
- Oct 15 2025Argued. For petitioner: Fred A. Rowley, Jr., Los Angeles, Cal. For respondent: Christian B. Corrigan, Solicitor General, Helena, Mont.; and Zoe A. Jacoby, Assistant to the Solicitor General, Department of Justice, Washington, D. C. (for United States, as amicus curiae.)
- Oct 03 2025Reply of petitioner William Trevor Case filed. (Distributed)
- Sep 30 2025Motion of the Solicitor General for leave to participate in oral argument as amicus curiae and for divided argument GRANTED.
- Sep 10 2025Brief amici curiae of Michigan, et al. filed. (Distributed)
- Sep 10 2025Brief amici curiae of Local Government Legal Center, et al. filed. (Distributed)
- Sep 10 2025Brief amicus curiae of United States filed. (Distributed)
- Sep 10 2025Motion of the Solicitor General for leave to participate in oral argument as amicus curiae and for divided argument filed.
- Sep 09 2025Brief amicus curiae of Professor Michael J.Z. Mannheimer filed. (Distributed)
- Sep 05 2025Record received electronically from the Supreme Court of Montana and available with the Clerk.
- Sep 03 2025Brief of respondent Montana filed. (Distributed)
- Sep 02 2025CIRCULATED
- Aug 22 2025Record received electronically from the Anaconda-Deer Lodge District Court and available with the Clerk.
- Aug 18 2025Record requested from the Supreme Court of Montana.
- Aug 12 2025SET FOR ARGUMENT on Wednesday, October 15, 2025.
- Aug 06 2025Brief amici curiae of Cato Institute, et al. filed.
- Aug 06 2025Brief amicus curiae of Montana Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers filed.
- Aug 06 2025Brief amici curiae of America's Future, et al. filed.
- Aug 06 2025Brief amici curiae of Project for Privacy & Surveillance Accountability, et al. filed.
- Aug 06 2025Brief amicus curiae of Rutherford Institute filed.
- Aug 06 2025Brief amicus curiae of Constitutional Accountability Center filed.
- Aug 06 2025Brief amici curiae of American Psychiatric Association, et al. in support of neither party filed.
- Aug 05 2025Brief amici curiae of National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers, et al. filed.
- Aug 04 2025Brief amicus curiae of The LONANG Institute filed.
- Jul 30 2025Brief of petitioner William Trevor Case filed.
- Jul 30 2025Joint appendix filed. (Statement of costs filed)
- Jun 25 2025Motion to extend the time within which to file the briefs on the merits granted. The time for filing the joint appendix and petitioner's brief on the merits is extended to and including July 30, 2025. The time to file respondent's brief on the merits is extended to and including September 3, 2025.
- Jun 12 2025Motion for an extension of time within which to file the briefs on the merits filed.
- Jun 02 2025Petition GRANTED.
- May 28 2025Letter updating counsel of record information for respondents received.
- May 27 2025DISTRIBUTED for Conference of 5/29/2025.
- May 19 2025DISTRIBUTED for Conference of 5/22/2025.
- May 12 2025DISTRIBUTED for Conference of 5/15/2025.
- May 01 2025Rescheduled.
- Apr 16 2025DISTRIBUTED for Conference of 5/2/2025.
- Apr 15 2025Reply of petitioner William Trevor Case filed. (Distributed)
- Apr 02 2025Brief of respondent Montana in opposition filed.
- Feb 14 2025Motion to extend the time to file a response is granted and the time is further extended to and including April 4, 2025.
- Feb 12 2025Motion to extend the time to file a response from March 5, 2025 to April 4, 2025, submitted to The Clerk.
- Feb 03 2025Brief amicus curiae of Project for Privacy & Surveillance Accountability filed.
- Jan 06 2025Motion to extend the time to file a response is granted and the time is extended to and including March 5, 2025.
- Jan 03 2025Motion to extend the time to file a response from February 3, 2025 to March 5, 2025, submitted to The Clerk.
- Jan 02 2025Response Requested. (Due February 3, 2025)
- Dec 24 2024DISTRIBUTED for Conference of 1/10/2025.
- Dec 17 2024Waiver of right of respondent Montana to respond filed.
- Dec 04 2024Petition for a writ of certiorari filed. (Response due January 6, 2025)
- Oct 17 2024Application (24A361) granted by Justice Kagan extending the time to file until December 4, 2024.
- Oct 11 2024Application (24A361) to extend the time to file a petition for a writ of certiorari from November 4, 2024 to December 4, 2024, submitted to Justice Kagan.