Supreme Court of the United States · Official docket →
AdvanFort Company v. Zamil Offshore Services Company, et al.
Paid petition · United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit, No. 24-1007 · judgment April 22, 2025
Before the decision, well below the 4.1% base rate, with no standout signals pointing toward a grant.
Question presented
In Piper Aircraft Co. v. Reyno, 454 U.S. 235 (1981), this Court held that “[a]t the outset of any forum non conveniens inquiry, the court must determine whether there exists an alternative forum.” The courts of appeals are divided on whether this requirement is met where, to proceed elsewhere, a case must be split between multiple courts. In the decision below, the Fourth Circuit held that Piper Aircraft’s initial requirement is satisfied even when a plaintiff would have to split its case between multiple foreign courts, as long as those courts are in the same country. The question presented is as follows: Whether the doctrine of forum non conveniens requires the existence of a single foreign court in which a plaintiff has the right to bring its entire case against all defendants, or whether the plaintiff may be forced to split its case across multiple courts.
Counsel of record
For petitioner
Jonathan Yates Ellis
McGuireWoods LLP
For respondent
John S. Williams
Williams & Connolly, LLP
Proceedings
- Jan 12 2026Petition DENIED.
- Dec 16 2025DISTRIBUTED for Conference of 1/9/2026.
- Dec 15 2025Reply of petitioner AdvanFort Company filed. (Distributed)
- Dec 01 2025Brief of respondents Zamil Offshore Services Company, et al. in opposition filed.
- Oct 08 2025Motion to extend the time to file a response is granted and the time is extended to and including December 1, 2025.
- Oct 06 2025Motion to extend the time to file a response from October 31, 2025 to December 1, 2025, submitted to The Clerk.
- Sep 29 2025Petition for a writ of certiorari filed. (Response due October 31, 2025)
- Aug 28 2025Application (25A232) granted by The Chief Justice extending the time to file until September 29, 2025.
- Aug 18 2025Application (25A232) to extend the time to file a petition for a writ of certiorari from August 28, 2025 to September 29, 2025, submitted to The Chief Justice.