Supreme Court of the United States · Official docket →
Jose Ramon Castillo-Lopez v. United States
IFP petition · United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit, No. 23-11099 · judgment October 31, 2025
GVR'd · June 29, 2026
Questions presented
- Based on his plea agreement’s boilerplate waiver of most appellate rights, the Fifth Circuit dismissed Petitioner’s challenge to his federal sentence. Was that wrong? 2. Petitioner agreed to waive his appellate rights in exchange for the Government’s promises to dismiss an illegal reentry charge and to refrain from filing additional charges for conduct “underlying and related to” his plea of guilty. After the district court accepted his guilty plea, but before the court accepted the plea agreement, Petitioner learned that the State of Texas intended to pursue the attempted murder charges based on the very same conduct. Petitioner asked to withdraw from his guilty plea so that he could plead guilty without any plea agreement. The district court denied that motion, and the Fifth Circuit affirmed. Did Petitioner show a “fair and just reason” to withdraw from the agreed plea?
Counsel of record
For petitioner
James Matthew Wright
Office of the Federal Public Defender
For respondent
D. John Sauer
Solicitor General
Case
Conference history
Distributed for 2 conferences
Proceedings
- Jul 31 2026Judgment Issued.
- Jun 29 2026Motion to proceed in forma pauperis and petition for a writ of certiorari GRANTED. Judgment VACATED and case REMANDED for further consideration in light of Hunter v. United States, 608 U. S. ___ (2026).
- Jun 22 2026DISTRIBUTED for Conference of 6/25/2026.
- Apr 23 2026DISTRIBUTED for Conference of 5/14/2026.
- Apr 06 2026Memorandum of respondent United States filed.
- Mar 02 2026Motion to extend the time to file a response is granted and the time is extended to and including April 6, 2026.
- Feb 27 2026Motion to extend the time to file a response from March 6, 2026 to April 6, 2026, submitted to The Clerk.
- Jan 29 2026Petition for a writ of certiorari and motion for leave to proceed in forma pauperis filed. (Response due March 6, 2026)