Supreme Court of the United States · Official docket →
Joel Zavala-Garcia v. United States
IFP petition · United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit, No. 25-10895 · judgment January 14, 2026
Question presented
Should Almendarez-Torres v. United States, 523 U.S. 224 (1998), be overruled? LIST OF PARTIES Joel Zavala-Garcia, petitioner on review, was the Defendant-Appellant below. The United States of America, respondent on review, was Plaintiff-Appellee. No party is a corporation. RELATED PROCEEDINGS • United States v. Zavala-Garcia, No. 5:25-CR-00061, U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Texas. Judgment entered on July 31, 2025. • United States v. Zavala-Garcia, No. 25-10895, U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit. Judgment entered on January 14, 2026.
Counsel of record
For petitioner
Christy Posnett Martin
Federal Public Defender-Northern District of Texas
For respondent
D. John Sauer
Solicitor General
Case
Subject area
Criminal Procedure (estimated from the questions presented, in the Supreme Court Database’s categories)
Conference history
Distributed for 1 conference
Order
Order list, May 26, 2026 · Certiorari denied
Proceedings
- May 26 2026Petition DENIED.
- May 06 2026DISTRIBUTED for Conference of 5/21/2026.
- Apr 30 2026Waiver of right of respondent United States to respond filed.
- Apr 07 2026Petition for a writ of certiorari and motion for leave to proceed in forma pauperis filed. (Response due May 11, 2026)