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McCoy v. Louisiana

Docket No. Argument Opinion Vote Author Term
16-8255 Jan 17, 2018 May 14, 2018 6-3 Ginsburg OT 2017

Holding: The Sixth Amendment guarantees a defendant the right to choose the objective of his defense and to insist that his counsel refrain from admitting guilt, even when counsel"s experienced-based view is that confessing guilt offers the defendant the best chance to avoid the death penalty.

Judgment: Reversed and remanded, 6-3, in an opinion by Justice Ginsburg on May 14, 2018. Justice Alito filed a dissenting opinion, in which Justices Thomas and Gorsuch joined.

DateProceedings and Orders (key to color coding)
03/06/2017Petition for a writ of certiorari and motion for leave to proceed in forma pauperis filed. (Response due April 10, 2017)
03/24/2017Brief of respondent Louisiana in opposition filed.
04/10/2017Brief amicus curiae of The Ethics Bureau at Yale filed.
04/10/2017Brief amici curiae of The Louisiana Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers, et al. filed.
04/11/2017Reply of petitioner Robert Leroy McCoy filed. (Distributed)
04/13/2017DISTRIBUTED for Conference of April 28, 2017.
04/24/2017Record Requested.
06/12/2017Record received from the Supreme Court of Louisiana (6 boxes).
06/15/2017DISTRIBUTED for Conference of September 25, 2017.
09/28/2017Motion to proceed in forma pauperis and petition for a writ of certiorari GRANTED limited to Question 1 presented by the petition.
11/13/2017Brief of petitioner Robert L.McCoy filed (to be corrected and reprinted).
11/13/2017Joint appendix filed (2 volumes). (Statement of costs filed)
11/13/2017Brief of petitioner Robert L. McCoy filed (Corrected brief received 1/10/18). (Distributed)
11/17/2017SET FOR ARGUMENT ON Wednesday, January 17, 2018
11/17/2017Brief amicus curiae of Cato Institute filed.
11/20/2017Brief amicus curiae of The National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers filed.
11/20/2017Brief amici curiae of Ten Law School Professors and the Ethics Bureau at Yale filed. (Distributed)
11/20/2017Brief amicus curiae of The Criminal Bar Association of England & Wales filed. (Distributed)
11/20/2017Brief amicus curiae of American Bar Association filed. (Distributed)
11/22/2017CIRCULATED.
12/13/2017Brief of respondent Louisiana filed. (Distributed)
12/18/2017Record requested from the Supreme Court of Louisiana.
12/20/2017Brief amici curiae of States of Alabama, Arkansas, Idaho, Indiana, Kansas, Montana, Nevada, South Carolina, Tennessee, Utah, and Wyoming filed. (Distributed)
01/05/2018Reply of petitioner Robert L.McCoy filed. (Distributed)
01/17/2018Argued. For petitioner: Seth P. Waxman, Washington, D. C. For respondent: Elizabeth Murrill, Solicitor General of Louisiana, Baton Rouge, La.
05/14/2018Judgment REVERSED and case REMANDED. Ginsburg, J., delivered the opinion of the Court, in which Roberts, C. J., and Kennedy, Breyer, Sotomayor, and Kagan, JJ., joined. Alito, J., filed a dissenting opinion, in which Thomas and Gorsuch, JJ., joined.
06/15/2018JUDGMENT ISSUED.
06/15/2018MANDATE ISSUED.
06/20/2018Record returned to the Supreme Court of Louisiana (6 boxes).