Supreme Court of the United States · Official docket →
Catherine L. Hanaway, in Her Official Capacity as Attorney General of Missouri, et al. v. Thomas L. Sanderson
Paid petition · United States Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit, No. 24-3120, 24-3204 · judgment January 2, 2026
Before the decision, about 1.9× the 4.1% base rate. The model weighted this up for a state or local-government petitioner, a circuit split argued in the petition, and an Eighth Circuit decision below.
Question presented
Under Missouri law, convicted sex offenders cannot participate in Halloween: They must avoid all Halloween-related contact with children, remain at their residence with all outside lighting off during the evening hours, and post a notice stating “No candy or treats at this residence.” Thomas Sanderson, a convicted sex offender, challenged the sign-posting requirement as unconstitutional compelled speech. The Eighth Circuit agreed and struck down Missouri’s law—contending that “the sign mandate compels speech” and fails strict scrutiny. The question presented is: Does Missouri’s Halloween sign-posting requirement, which requires factually accurate disclosures, unconstitutionally compel the speech of convicted sex offenders?
Counsel of record
For petitioner
—
For respondent
Janice Madelyn Bellucci
Law Office of Janice M. Bellucci
Case
Subject area
First Amendment (estimated from the questions presented, in the Supreme Court Database’s categories)
Conference history
Distributed for 2 conferences
Amicus briefs
1 cert-stage
Linked docket
25A1191
Order
Order list, October 19, 2026 · Certiorari denied
Proceedings
- Oct 19 2026Petition DENIED. Justice Alito would grant the petition for a writ of certiorari.
- Oct 13 2026DISTRIBUTED for Conference of 10/16/2026.
- Sep 23 2026DISTRIBUTED for Conference of 10/9/2026.
- Sep 22 2026Reply of petitioners Catherine L. Hanaway, Attorney General of Missouri, et al. filed. (Distributed)
- Sep 08 2026Brief of respondent Thomas L. Sanderson in opposition filed.
- Aug 03 2026Brief amici curiae of Iowa, et al. filed.
- Jul 17 2026Motion to extend the time to file a response is granted and the time is extended to and including September 8, 2026.
- Jul 16 2026Motion to extend the time to file a response from August 7, 2026 to September 8, 2026, submitted to The Clerk.
- Jul 06 2026Petition for a writ of certiorari filed. (Response due August 7, 2026)
- Apr 29 2026Application (25A1191) granted by Justice Kavanaugh extending the time to file until July 6, 2026.
- Apr 22 2026Application (25A1191) to extend the time to file a petition for a writ of certiorari from May 7, 2026 to July 6, 2026, submitted to Justice Kavanaugh.