Supreme Court of the United States · Official docket →
Ronald Smith v. Hunter Saenz, et al.
Paid petition · United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit, No. 24-50975 · judgment August 14, 2025
Before the decision, well below the 4.1% base rate, with no standout signals pointing toward a grant.
Question presented
Under Graham v. Connor, 490 U.S. 386 (1989), the use of force by law enforcement during the course of an arrest, seizure, detention, or search must be “reasonable,” and necessary for some law enforcement aim. In other words, the uses of physical and coercive force cannot be gratuitous. When body camera videos clearly depict relevant events, the images are generally accepted for their truth, Scott v. Harris 550 U.S. 372 (2007).
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Whether it is “reasonable” under the Fourth Amendment and Graham v. Connor, 490 U.S. 386
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for law enforcement to wield deadly force, secondary impact force, and robust physical force against a suspect who is passive, seated, and does not possess a weapon?
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Whether any Court is free to disregard the holding in Scott v. Harris, 550 U.S. 372 (2007) that clearly depicted video events are taken at face value?
Counsel of record
For petitioner
Andres Roberto Cano
Law Offices of Andres Cano
For respondent
Jason Eric Magee
Allison, Bass & Magee, L.L.P.
Case
Conference history
Distributed for 1 conference
Proceedings
- Mar 09 2026Petition DENIED.
- Feb 18 2026DISTRIBUTED for Conference of 3/6/2026.
- Feb 11 2026Waiver of right of respondent Hunter Saenz, et al. to respond filed.
- Dec 12 2025Petition for a writ of certiorari filed. (Response due March 2, 2026)