Supreme Court of the United States · Official docket →
George Barry Hawkins, Jr. v. Abigail Spanberger, Governor of Virginia, et al.
Paid petition · United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit, No. 24-1791 · judgment August 20, 2025
Certiorari denied · February 23, 2026
Pre-decision estimate: 1% cert probability
Before the decision, well below the 4.1% base rate, with no standout signals pointing toward a grant.
Question presented
Whether Virginia’s system of discretionary restoration of the right to vote to people with felony convictions violates the First Amendment doctrine prohibiting unfettered discretion in selectively granting permission to engage in expressive conduct.
Counsel of record
For petitioner
Jonathan Lee Sherman
Fair Elections Legal Networ.k
For respondent
Kevin Michael Gallagher
Virginia Office of the Attorney General
Case
Conference history
Distributed for 1 conference
Proceedings
- Feb 23 2026Petition DENIED.
- Jan 21 2026DISTRIBUTED for Conference of 2/20/2026.
- Jan 14 2026Waiver of right of respondent Glenn Youngkin, et al. to respond filed.
- Dec 15 2025Petition for a writ of certiorari filed. (Response due January 20, 2026)