Supreme Court of the United States · Official docket →
James Skinner v. Louisiana
Paid petition · Supreme Court of Louisiana, No. 2024-KP-00142 · judgment February 25, 2025
Before the decision, well below the 4.1% base rate, with no standout signals pointing toward a grant.
Question presented
In Wearry v. Cain, 577 U.S. 385 (2016) (per curiam), this Court summarily reversed a Louisiana postconviction court and vacated Michael Wearry’s murder conviction. This Court determined that the State withheld evidence that would have seriously impeached the State’s star witnesses. “Beyond doubt,” this Court held, withholding that evidence violated Brady v. Maryland, 373 U.S. 83 (1963). Wearry, 577 U.S. at 392. Petitioner James Skinner was convicted of the same crime as Mr. Wearry on the basis of the same star witnesses’ testimony. The State withheld the same evidence as in Wearry; indeed, Mr. Skinner has since uncovered still more evidence that the State did not turn over. Mr. Skinner thus petitioned Louisiana courts for the same relief as Mr. Wearry: vacatur of his conviction. In response, the Louisiana postconviction trial court wrote only: “[T]he Weary [sic] case is distinguishable enough from the instant case that its decision does not compel this Court to follow suit.” This petition presents the following question: Did Louisiana courts err in refusing to apply Wearry to Mr. Skinner’s Brady claims?
Counsel of record
For petitioner
Jee Yeong Park
Innocence & Justice Louisiana
For respondent
Jorge Benjamin Aguinaga
Louisiana Department of Justice
Argument & decision
Decided March 30, 2026.
Proceedings
- Mar 30 2026Petition DENIED. Justice Sotomayor, with whom Justice Jackson joins, dissenting from the denial of certiorari. (Detached Opinion)
- Mar 23 2026DISTRIBUTED for Conference of 3/27/2026.
- Mar 16 2026DISTRIBUTED for Conference of 3/20/2026.
- Mar 03 2026Rescheduled.
- Mar 02 2026DISTRIBUTED for Conference of 3/6/2026.
- Feb 24 2026Rescheduled.
- Feb 23 2026DISTRIBUTED for Conference of 2/27/2026.
- Feb 13 2026DISTRIBUTED for Conference of 2/20/2026.
- Feb 13 2026Rescheduled.
- Jan 20 2026DISTRIBUTED for Conference of 1/23/2026.
- Jan 20 2026Rescheduled.
- Jan 12 2026DISTRIBUTED for Conference of 1/16/2026.
- Jan 12 2026Rescheduled.
- Jan 05 2026Rescheduled.
- Dec 10 2025DISTRIBUTED for Conference of 1/9/2026.
- Dec 08 2025Electronic record received from the Supreme Court of Louisiana.
- Dec 08 2025Electronic record received from the Livingston Parish Clerk of Court’s Office (Louisiana).
- Dec 01 2025Record Requested.
- Nov 18 2025DISTRIBUTED for Conference of 12/5/2025.
- Nov 18 2025Reply of petitioner James Skinner filed. (Distributed)
- Oct 31 2025Brief of respondent Louisiana in opposition filed.
- Sep 22 2025Motion to extend the time to file a response is granted and the time is further extended to and including October 31, 2025.
- Sep 19 2025Motion to extend the time to file a response from September 29, 2025 to October 31, 2025, submitted to The Clerk.
- Jul 31 2025Brief amicus curiae of Professor Brandon L. Garrett filed.
- Jul 31 2025Brief amicus curiae of Patrick O'Neal filed.
- Jul 31 2025Brief amicus curiae of Cato Institute filed.
- Jul 31 2025Brief amici curiae of Z. Payvand Ahdout, et al. filed.
- Jul 31 2025Brief amicus curiae of Innocence Network filed.
- Jul 31 2025Brief amici curiae of Everette Norwood, et al. filed.
- Jul 30 2025Motion to extend the time to file a response from July 31, 2025 to September 29, 2025, submitted to The Clerk.
- Jul 30 2025Motion to extend the time to file a response is granted and the time is extended to and including September 29, 2025.
- Jul 25 2025Brief amici curiae of Law Professors filed.
- Jun 25 2025Petition for a writ of certiorari filed. (Response due July 31, 2025)
- May 13 2025Application (24A1088) granted by Justice Alito extending the time to file until June 25, 2025.
- May 08 2025Application (24A1088) to extend the time to file a petition for a writ of certiorari from May 26, 2025 to July 25, 2025, submitted to Justice Alito.