Supreme Court of the United States · Official docket →
OCA - Greater Houston v. Ken Paxton, Attorney General of Texas, et al.
Paid petition · United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit, No. 24-50826 · judgment August 29, 2025
Before the decision, well below the 4.1% base rate, with no standout signals pointing toward a grant.
Question presented
Section 208 of the Voting Rights Act provides that “[a]ny voter who requires assistance to vote by reason of blindness, disability, or inability to read or write may be given assistance by a person of the voter’s choice,” with certain specific enumerated exceptions. 52 U.S.C. § 10508. Texas passed a state statute that makes it a crime “to compensate another person for assisting voters” who vote by mail or to “solicit[], receive[], or accept[] compensation for” doing so. See Tex. Elec. Code § 86.0105. The Texas statute undisputedly makes it a crime for the staffers or compensated volunteers of social service organizations to assist voters with disabilities or voters who are unable to read or write proficiently in English who request their assistance to vote by mail. Does the Texas statute run afoul of Section 208?
Counsel of record
For petitioner
Adriel I. Cepeda Derieux
American Civil Liberties Union Foundation
For respondent
William Francis Cole
Office of the Attorney General of Texas
Proceedings
- Jun 29 2026Petition DENIED.
- Jun 09 2026DISTRIBUTED for Conference of 6/25/2026.
- Jun 02 2026Reply of petitioner OCA – Greater Houston filed.
- May 20 2026Brief of respondents Paxton, Att'y Gen. of TX, et al. in opposition filed. VIDED.
- May 20 2026Brief of respondents Harris County Republican Party, et al. in opposition filed.
- Mar 26 2026Motion to extend the time to file a response is granted and the time is extended to and including May 20, 2026, for all respondents.
- Mar 25 2026Motion to extend the time to file a response from April 20, 2026 to May 20, 2026, submitted to The Clerk.
- Mar 19 2026Response Requested. (Due April 20, 2026)
- Mar 11 2026DISTRIBUTED for Conference of 3/27/2026.
- Mar 03 2026Waiver of right of respondents Harris County Republican Party, Dallas County Republican Party, National Republican Senatorial Committee, National Republican Congressional Committee, National Republican Committee to respond filed.
- Feb 11 2026Waiver of right of respondent Paxton, Att'y Gen. of TX, et al. to respond filed.
- Jan 26 2026Petition for a writ of certiorari filed. (Response due March 6, 2026)
- Dec 12 2025Application (25A605) granted by Justice Alito extending the time to file until January 26, 2026.
- Dec 10 2025Application (25A605) to extend further the time from December 27, 2025 to January 26, 2026, submitted to Justice Alito.
- Nov 24 2025Application (25A605) granted by Justice Alito extending the time to file until December 27, 2025.
- Nov 18 2025Application (25A605) to extend the time to file a petition for a writ of certiorari from November 27, 2025 to January 26, 2026, submitted to Justice Alito.