Supreme Court Report

Supreme Court of the United States · Official docket →

Michael Anthony Christopher Cochren, II v. White Castle System, Inc., et al.

IFP petition · United States Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit, No. 25-1196 · judgment May 14, 2025


Certiorari denied · February 23, 2026

Questions presented

Introductory Statement: White Castle System, Inc.’s redundant counsel improperly waived service, outside of FRCP 4(d). and nullified a summons. This case questions'.

  1. Whether the Clerk’s Office for the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Missouri is issuing summonses correctly.

  2. Whether Clerk #3, on the case management team, intentionally entered White Castle’s Waiver of the Service of Summons form inaccurately on September 23rd, 2024, violating the Oath of Office of Clerks and Deputies, and furthering Clerk #3’s crime, under U.S.C, § 2073. of making a fictitious record regarding proof of service documentation.

  3. Whether the district court’s Clerk’s Office obliterated, or only concealed, White Castle’s return summons, and Cochren’s actual proof of service documentation, filed on October 10th, 2024, committing a federal crime under 18 U.S.C. $ 2071.

  4. Whether it is clearly erroneous to deny recording a default, under FRCP 55(a), while relying on inaccurate information entered into the court’s electronic record instead of documents filed in support.

  5. Whether White Castle System, Inc.’s counsel willfully violated court rules by suggesting, themselves, to respond to Cochren’s complaint later than 21 days, pursuant to FRCP 12(a)(l)(A)(ii). without waiving service of a summons, before being served with process, pursuant to FRCP 4(d)(3). (Precedent setting material.)

Counsel of record

For petitioner
Michael Anthony Christopher Cochren II

For respondent
Alan L. Rupe
Lewis Brisbois Bisgaard & Smith LLP

Case

Conference history
Distributed for 2 conferences

Linked docket
25A301

Proceedings

  1. Apr 20 2026
    Rehearing DENIED.
  2. Apr 01 2026
    DISTRIBUTED for Conference of 4/17/2026.
  3. Mar 19 2026
    Petition for Rehearing filed.
  4. Feb 23 2026
    Petition DENIED.
  5. Feb 05 2026
    DISTRIBUTED for Conference of 2/20/2026.
  6. Jan 28 2026
    Waiver of right of respondent White Castle System, Inc. to respond filed.
  7. Oct 07 2025
    Petition for a writ of certiorari and motion for leave to proceed in forma pauperis filed. (Response due January 30, 2026)
  8. Sep 22 2025
    Application (25A301) granted by Justice Kavanaugh extending the time to file until October 10, 2025.
  9. Sep 11 2025
    Application (25A301) to extend the time to file a petition for a writ of certiorari from October 9, 2025 to October 10, 2025, submitted to Justice Kavanaugh.