Supreme Court of the United States · Official docket →
Victor Everette Silvers v. United States
Paid petition · United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit, No. 23-5427 · judgment February 20, 2025
Before the decision, well below the 4.1% base rate, with no standout signals pointing toward a grant.
Question presented
Certain federal criminal offenses under Title 18 of the United States Code, including under § 1111(b) (murder), § 1113 (attempted murder or manslaughter), § 2261(a)(1) (domestic violence), and § 2262(a)(1) (violation of a protection order), require that the government prove—as a necessary element of the offense—that the alleged crime was committed within “the special maritime and territorial jurisdiction of the United States,” which, as here, is frequently a fact-intensive evidentiary issue. The question presented, on which the courts of appeals are divided, is: Whether taking judicial notice to conclusively determine that a location is within the “special maritime and territorial jurisdiction of the United States” violates the Fifth and Sixth Amendments’ right to a trial by jury? (i)
Counsel of record
For petitioner
Ryan Michael Chabot
Wilmer Cutler Pickering Hale and Dorr LLP
For respondent
D. John Sauer
Solicitor General
Proceedings
- Jan 12 2026Petition DENIED.
- Dec 23 2025DISTRIBUTED for Conference of 1/9/2026.
- Dec 19 2025Reply of petitioner Victor Everette Silvers filed. (Distributed)
- Dec 05 2025Brief of respondent United States in opposition filed.
- Nov 10 2025Motion to extend the time to file a response is granted and the time is further extended to and including December 5, 2025.
- Nov 06 2025Motion to extend the time to file a response from November 13, 2025 to December 5, 2025, submitted to The Clerk.
- Oct 14 2025Brief amicus curiae of Professor Haley Proctor filed.
- Oct 10 2025Motion to extend the time to file a response is granted and the time is extended to and including November 13, 2025.
- Oct 09 2025Motion to extend the time to file a response from October 14, 2025 to November 13, 2025, submitted to The Clerk.
- Sep 12 2025Response Requested. (Due October 14, 2025)
- Sep 10 2025DISTRIBUTED for Conference of 9/29/2025.
- Sep 05 2025Waiver of right of respondent United States to respond filed.
- Aug 21 2025Petition for a writ of certiorari filed. (Response due September 24, 2025)
- Jun 12 2025Application (24A1227) granted by Justice Kavanaugh extending the time to file until August 22, 2025.
- Jun 10 2025Application (24A1227) to extend the time to file a petition for a writ of certiorari from June 23, 2025 to August 22, 2025, submitted to Justice Kavanaugh.