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United States v. Leopoldo Rivera-Valdes

Paid petition · United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit, No. 21-30177 · judgment September 18, 2025


Certiorari denied · June 1, 2026
Pre-decision estimate: 25% cert probability (95% interval 19%–33%)

Before the decision, about 6.1× the 4.1% base rate. The model weighted this up for a federal-government petitioner, counsel who has won certiorari before, and a Ninth Circuit decision below.

Question presented

Whether service of a notice of the time and place for deportation proceedings, sent by certified mail to an alien’s self-reported address, consistent with statutory notice procedures under the Immigration and Nationality Act, ch. 477, 66 Stat. 163 (8 U.S.C. 1101 et seq.), is constitutionally adequate to support the entry of an in absentia deportation order, as contemplated under 8 U.S.C. 1252b(c) (1994). (I)

Counsel of record

For petitioner
D. John Sauer
Solicitor General

For respondent
Stephen Reese Sady

Case

Conference history
Distributed for 2 conferences

Linked docket
25A675

Proceedings

  1. Jun 01 2026
    Petition DENIED.
  2. May 26 2026
    DISTRIBUTED for Conference of 5/28/2026.
  3. May 05 2026
    DISTRIBUTED for Conference of 5/21/2026.
  4. May 05 2026
    Reply of petitioner United States filed. (Distributed)
  5. Apr 20 2026
    Brief of respondent Leopoldo Rivera-Valdes in opposition filed.
  6. Mar 13 2026
    Motion to extend the time to file a response is granted and the time is extended to and including April 20, 2026. See Rule 30.1.
  7. Mar 12 2026
    Motion to extend the time to file a response from March 20, 2026 to April 19, 2026, submitted to The Clerk.
  8. Feb 13 2026
    Petition for a writ of certiorari filed. (Response due March 20, 2026)
  9. Jan 08 2026
    Application (25A675) granted by Justice Kagan extending the time to file until February 13, 2026.
  10. Jan 06 2026
    Application (25A675) to extend further the time from January 16, 2026 to February 13, 2026, submitted to Justice Kagan.
  11. Dec 09 2025
    Application (25A675) granted by Justice Kagan extending the time to file until January 16, 2026.
  12. Dec 05 2025
    Application (25A675) to extend the time to file a petition for a writ of certiorari from December 17, 2025 to January 16, 2026, submitted to Justice Kagan.