Supreme Court Report

Supreme Court of the United States · Official docket →

Deborah Cooney v. San Diego Gas & Electric, et al.

Paid petition · United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit, No. 23-15236 · judgment July 2, 2025


Certiorari denied · February 23, 2026
Pre-decision estimate: 0% cert probability

Before the decision, well below the 4.1% base rate, with no standout signals pointing toward a grant.

Question presented

We live in a fast-paced society where technological innovations make possible the most unthinkable forms of trespass. Never before have policy-makers had to confront this issue. Uproar over the revelations of former government contractor, Edward Snowden, has sparked a public policy debate about our national surveillance programs. Similar information technologies are being deployed at the state level for various purposes, such as measuring energy consumption. The Smart Grid is one such program. At the heart of this matter lies the ultimate question of 1. Whether the federally-mandated, federallyfunded, state-run Smart Grid violates constitutional rights: a. By chilling freedom of speech and the right to petition for redress? b. By violating the Free Exercise Clause and the Religious Freedoms Restoration Act (RFRA)? c. As an unwarranted search or seizure prohibited by the Fourth Amendment? d. By usurping private property rights or liberties guaranteed by the Fifth Amendment? e. By skirting due process of law during its approval, implementation, or oversight? f. By violating the Right to Privacy?

Counsel of record

For petitioner
Deborah Cooney

For respondent
Quintin E. Lucas
Office of the Attorney General

Case

Conference history
Distributed for 1 conference

Proceedings

  1. Feb 23 2026
    Petition DENIED.
  2. Jan 28 2026
    DISTRIBUTED for Conference of 2/20/2026.
  3. Jan 21 2026
    Waiver of right of respondent California Public Utilities Commission to respond filed.
  4. Jan 20 2026
    Waiver of right of respondents City of Vero Beach and Town of Indian River Shores to respond filed.
  5. Jan 07 2026
    Waiver of right of respondent CoreCivic, Inc. to respond filed.
  6. Dec 11 2025
    Petition for a writ of certiorari filed. (Response due January 20, 2026)