Supreme Court of the United States · Official docket →
Joseph Lee Betancourt v. United States
IFP petition · United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit, No. 24-20070 · judgment June 4, 2025
Certiorari denied · January 20, 2026
Question presented
Whether 18 U.S.C. § 922(g)(1)—the federal statute that prohibits a person from possessing a firearm if he has been convicted of “a crime punishable by imprisonment for a term exceeding one year”—complies with the Second Amendment.
Counsel of record
For petitioner
Evan Gray Howze
Federal Public Defender
For respondent
D. John Sauer
Solicitor General
Case
Conference history
Distributed for 4 conferences
Proceedings
- Jan 20 2026Petition DENIED.
- Jan 12 2026DISTRIBUTED for Conference of 1/16/2026.
- Jan 05 2026DISTRIBUTED for Conference of 1/9/2026.
- Dec 08 2025DISTRIBUTED for Conference of 12/12/2025.
- Nov 24 2025Supplemental brief of petitioner Joseph Lee Betancourt filed. (Distributed)
- Nov 19 2025DISTRIBUTED for Conference of 12/5/2025.
- Nov 19 2025Reply of petitioner Joseph Lee Betancourt filed. (Distributed)
- Nov 03 2025Memorandum of respondent United States filed.
- Sep 29 2025Motion to extend the time to file a response is granted and the time is extended to and including November 3, 2025.
- Sep 26 2025Motion to extend the time to file a response from October 2, 2025 to November 3, 2025, submitted to The Clerk.
- Aug 28 2025Petition for a writ of certiorari and motion for leave to proceed in forma pauperis filed. (Response due October 2, 2025)