Jones v. Mississippi
| Docket No. | Op. Below | Argument | Opinion | Vote | Author | Term |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 18-1259 | Miss. | Nov 3, 2020 | Apr 22, 2021 | 6-3 | Kavanaugh | OT 2020 |
Holding: The Eighth Amendment does not require a finding that a juvenile is permanently incorrigible before imposing a sentence of life without parole.
Judgment: Affirmed, 6-3, in an opinion by Justice Kavanaugh on April 22, 2021. Justice Thomas filed an opinion concurring in the judgment. Justice Sotomayor filed a dissenting opinion, in which Justices Breyer and Kagan joined.
SCOTUSblog Coverage
- Court upholds life-without-parole sentence for Mississippi man convicted as juvenile (Amy Howe, April 22, 2021)
- Argument analysis: Justices debate requirements for life sentences for juveniles (Amy Howe, November 3, 2020)
- Case preview: Court to consider life sentences for juveniles again (Amy Howe, November 2, 2020)
- Justices will hear argument in ACA case one week after Election Day (Amy Howe, August 19, 2020)
- Relist Watch in the Time of Cholera (John Elwood, March 19, 2020)
- Justices grant replacement for D.C. sniper case (Amy Howe, March 9, 2020)
- Relist Watch (Updated) (John Elwood, March 4, 2020)
| Date | Proceedings and Orders |
|---|---|
| 02/15/2019 | Application (18A840) to extend the time to file a petition for a writ of certiorari from February 27, 2019 to March 29, 2019, submitted to Justice Alito. |
| 02/19/2019 | Application (18A840) granted by Justice Alito extending the time to file until March 29, 2019. |
| 03/29/2019 | Petition for a writ of certiorari filed. (Response due April 29, 2019) |
| 04/03/2019 | Waiver of right of respondent Mississippi to respond filed. |
| 04/10/2019 | DISTRIBUTED for Conference of 4/26/2019. |
| 04/22/2019 | Response Requested. (Due May 22, 2019) |
| 05/17/2019 | Motion of Mississippi for an extension of time not accepted for filing. (May 28, 2019) |
| 05/17/2019 | Motion to extend the time to file a response from May 22, 2019 to June 11, 2019, submitted to The Clerk. |
| 05/22/2019 | Motion of Scholars of Criminal Law for leave to file amicus brief not accepted for filing. (Corrected verison submitted). |
| 05/22/2019 | Brief amici curiae of Scholars of Criminal Law filed. (5/31/2019) |
| 06/03/2019 | Motion to extend the time to file a response is granted and the time is extended to and including June 11, 2019. |
| 06/11/2019 | Brief of respondent Mississippi in opposition filed. |
| 06/25/2019 | Reply of petitioner Brett Jones filed. |
| 06/26/2019 | DISTRIBUTED for Conference of 10/1/2019. |
| 02/26/2020 | DISTRIBUTED for Conference of 2/28/2020. |
| 03/02/2020 | DISTRIBUTED for Conference of 3/6/2020. |
| 03/09/2020 | Petition GRANTED. |
| 03/13/2020 | Motion for an extension of time to file the briefs on the merits filed. |
| 03/26/2020 | Motion for an extension of time to file the briefs on the merits granted. The time to file the joint appendix and petitioner's brief on the merits is extended to and including June 5, 2020. The time to file respondent's brief on the merits is extended to and including August 14, 2020. Petitioner's reply brief on the merits is due pursuant to Rule 25.3. |
| 06/05/2020 | Joint appendix filed. (Statement of costs filed) |
| 06/05/2020 | Brief of petitioner Brett Jones filed. |
| 06/12/2020 | Brief amici curiae of National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers, et al. filed. |
| 06/12/2020 | Brief amici curiae of Juvenile Law Center, et al. filed. |
| 06/12/2020 | Brief amici curiae of Madge Jones, Tony Jones, Marty Jones and Nicolle Olson filed. |
| 06/12/2020 | Brief amici curiae of The ACLU Foundation, et al. filed. |
| 06/12/2020 | Brief amicus curiae of Jonathan F. Mitchell & Adam K. Mortara in support of neither party filed. |
| 06/12/2020 | Brief amici curiae of Erwin Chemerinsky, et al. filed. |
| 06/12/2020 | Brief amici curiae of Current and Former Prosecutors, Department of Justice Officials, and Judges filed. |
| 06/12/2020 | Brief amicus curiae of The American Bar Association filed. |
| 08/14/2020 | Brief of respondent Mississippi filed. |
| 08/19/2020 | SET FOR ARGUMENT on Tuesday, November 3, 2020. |
| 08/21/2020 | Brief amicus curiae of United States filed. |
| 08/21/2020 | Motion of the Acting Solicitor General for leave to participate in oral argument as amicus curiae and for divided argument filed. |
| 08/21/2020 | Brief amici curiae of State of Indiana, et al. filed. |
| 08/21/2020 | Brief amicus curiae of Populi filed. |
| 08/21/2020 | Brief amicus curiae of Criminal Justice Legal Foundation filed. |
| 08/21/2020 | Brief amici curiae of National Organization of Victims of Juvenile Murderers, et al. filed. (9/4/2020) (Distributed) |
| 08/31/2020 | Record requested from the Supreme Court of Mississippi. |
| 09/02/2020 | CIRCULATED |
| 09/09/2020 | Record of the Supreme Court of Mississippi electronically received (includes circuit court record). |
| 09/14/2020 | Reply of petitioner Brett Jones filed. (Distributed) |
| 10/05/2020 | Motion of the Acting Solicitor General for leave to participate in oral argument as amicus curiae and for divided argument GRANTED. |
| 11/03/2020 | Argued. For petitioner: David M. Shapiro, Chicago, Ill. For respondent: Krissy C. Nobile, Deputy Solicitor General, Jackson, Miss.; and Frederick Liu, Assistant to the Solicitor General, Department of Justice, Washington, D. C. (for United States, as amicus curiae.) |
| 04/22/2021 | Adjudged to be AFFIRMED. Kavanaugh, J., delivered the opinion of the Court, in which Roberts, C. J., Alito, Gorsuch, and Barrett, JJ., joined. Thomas, J., filed an opinion concurring in the judgment. Sotomayor, J., filed a dissenting opinion, in which Breyer and Kagan, JJ., joined. |
| 05/24/2021 | MANDATE ISSUED. |
| 05/24/2021 | JUDGMENT ISSUED. |