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Blake Andrew Warner v. Hillsborough County School Board

Paid petition · United States Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit, No. 23-12408, 23-12411 · judgment May 8, 2024


Certiorari denied · May 19, 2025
Pre-decision estimate: 16% cert probability (95% interval 11%–23%)

Before the decision, about 3.9× the 4.1% base rate. The model weighted this up for counsel who has won certiorari before, a circuit split argued in the petition, and a dissent in the court below (flagged in the petition).

Question presented

In federal court, “parties may plead and conduct their own cases personally or by counsel as, by the rules of such courts, respectively, are permitted to manage and conduct causes therein.” 28 U.S.C. § 1654. The question presented is: Whether children must hire an attorney to pursue their claims in federal court, or whether their parents may instead litigate pro se on their behalf.

Counsel of record

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

For respondent
Kristen M. Fiore
Akerman LLP

Case

Conference history
Distributed for 2 conferences

Amicus briefs
8 cert-stage

Linked docket
24A474

Proceedings

  1. May 19 2025
    Petition DENIED.
  2. Apr 29 2025
    DISTRIBUTED for Conference of 5/15/2025.
  3. Apr 29 2025
    Reply of petitioner Blake Warner filed. (Distributed)
  4. Apr 28 2025
    Waiver of the 14-day waiting period for the distribution of the petition pursuant to Rule 15.5 filed by petitioner.
  5. Apr 16 2025
    Brief of respondent Hillsborough County School Board in opposition filed.
  6. Mar 05 2025
    Motion to extend the time to file a response is granted and the time is extended to and including April 16, 2025.
  7. Mar 04 2025
    Motion to extend the time to file a response from March 17, 2025 to April 16, 2025, submitted to The Clerk.
  8. Feb 14 2025
    Response Requested. (Due March 17, 2025)
  9. Feb 07 2025
    Brief amicus curiae of Religious Freedom Institute filed. (Distributed)
  10. Feb 07 2025
    Brief amici curiae of Tammy Fournier, et al. filed. (Distributed)
  11. Feb 07 2025
    Brief amicus curiae of Florida Legal Foundation filed. (Distributed)
  12. Feb 07 2025
    Brief amicus curiae of American Hindu Coalition filed. (Distributed)
  13. Feb 07 2025
    Brief amicus curiae of Capability Consulting, LLC filed. (Distributed)
  14. Feb 07 2025
    Brief amicus curiae of Manhattan Institute filed. (Distributed)
  15. Feb 07 2025
    Brief amici curiae of Advancing American Freedom, et al. filed. (Distributed)
  16. Feb 05 2025
    DISTRIBUTED for Conference of 2/21/2025.
  17. Jan 31 2025
    Waiver of right of respondent School Board of Hillsborough County, Florida to respond filed.
  18. Jan 14 2025
    Brief amicus curiae of Liberty, Life and Law Foundation filed.
  19. Jan 02 2025
    Petition for a writ of certiorari filed. (Response due February 7, 2025)
  20. Dec 18 2024
    Application (24A474) denied by Justice Thomas.
  21. Dec 16 2024
    Application (24A474) to extend further the time from January 2, 2025 to January 31, 2025, submitted to Justice Thomas.
  22. Nov 12 2024
    Application (24A474) granted by Justice Thomas extending the time to file until January 2, 2025.
  23. Nov 07 2024
    Application (24A474) to extend the time to file a petition for a writ of certiorari from December 3, 2024 to February 1, 2025, submitted to Justice Thomas.