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Ramirez v. Collier

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Docket No. Op. Below Argument Opinion Vote Author Term
21-5592 5th Cir. Nov 9, 2021 Mar 24, 2022 8-1 Roberts OT 2021

Holding: Petitioner John Ramirez is likely to succeed on his claims under the Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act because Texas" restrictions on religious touch and audible prayer in the execution chamber burden religious exercise and are not the least restrictive means of furthering the state"s compelling interests.

Judgment: Reversed and remanded, 8-1, in an opinion by Chief Justice Roberts on March 24, 2022. Justices Sotomayor and Kavanaugh filed concurring opinions. Justice Thomas filed a dissenting opinion.

SCOTUSblog Coverage

DateProceedings and Orders (key to color coding)
09/07/2021Petition for a writ of certiorari and motion for leave to proceed in forma pauperis filed. (Response due October 7, 2021)
09/07/2021Application (21A33) for a stay of execution of sentence of death, submitted to Justice Alito.
09/07/2021Motion for leave to file amicus brief and motion for leave to file brief in compliance with Rule 33.2 filed by The Becket Fund for Religious Liberty.
09/08/2021Brief of respondent Collier, Bryan, et al. in opposition filed.
09/08/2021Reply of applicant John H. Ramirez filed.
09/08/2021Application (21A33) referred to the Court.
09/08/2021Motion to proceed in forma pauperis and petition for a writ of certiorari GRANTED.
09/08/2021The application for stay of execution of sentence of death presented to Justice Alito and by him referred to the Court is granted. The motion for leave to proceed in forma pauperis and the petition for a writ of certiorari are granted. The Clerk is directed to establish a briefing schedule that will allow the case to be argued in October or November 2021.
09/09/2021This case is set for argument on Monday, November 1, 2021. Petitioner's brief on the merits, and any amicus curiae briefs in support of petitioner or in support of neither party, are to be filed on or before Monday, September 27, 2021. Respondents' brief on the merits, and any amicus curiae briefs in support of respondents, are to be filed on or before Friday, October 15, 2021. Petitioner's reply brief is due on or before 2 p.m., Monday, October 25, 2021.
09/09/2021ARGUMENT SET FOR Monday, November 1, 2021.
09/10/2021The parties are directed to submit briefs that address whether petitioner adequately exhausted his audible prayer claim under the Prison Litigation Reform Act, 42 U.S.C. § 1997e(a). The parties are also directed to address whether petitioner has satisfied his burden under the Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act of 2000 (RLUIPA) to demonstrate that a sincerely held religious belief has been substantially burdened by restrictions on either audible prayer or physical contact. The parties are further directed to address whether the government has satisfied its burden under RLUIPA to demonstrate its policy is the least restrictive means of advancing a compelling government interest. Finally, the parties are directed to address the type of equitable relief petitioner is seeking, the appropriate standard for this relief, and whether that standard has been met here. See Hill v. McDonough, 547 U. S. 573, 584 (2006) (setting forth a four- factor test for equitable relief). The parties may address other relevant issues, avoiding repetition of discussion in prior briefing.
09/13/2021Blanket Consent filed by Petitioner, John Ramirez
09/13/2021Blanket Consent filed by Respondent, Bryan Collier
09/21/2021CIRCULATED
09/22/2021Motion for leave to file Volume II of the joint appendix under seal filed by respondent Bryan Collier.
09/22/2021Lodging proposal letter of respondents filed.
09/22/2021Letter in opposition to respondents' lodging proposal filed by petitioner.
09/23/2021Reply letter regarding lodging proposal filed by respondents.
09/23/2021Sur-reply letter regarding respondents lodging proposal filed by petitioner.
09/27/2021Joint appendix (Volume I) filed. (Statement of costs filed). (Distributed)
09/27/2021Brief of petitioner John Ramirez filed. (Distributed)
09/27/2021Brief amicus curiae of United States in support of neither party filed. (Distributed)
09/27/2021Brief amicus curiae of First Liberty Institute filed. (Distributed)
09/27/2021Brief amici curiae of The Freedom From Religion Foundation, et al. in support of neither party filed. (Distributed)
09/27/2021Brief amicus curiae of Protect the First Foundation filed. (Distributed)
09/27/2021Brief amici curiae of Alliance Defending Freedom filed. (Distributed)
09/27/2021Brief amici curiae of Former Prison Officials filed. (Distributed)
09/27/2021Brief amici curiae of Spiritual Advisors and Former Corrections Officials filed. (Distributed)
09/27/2021Brief amici curiae of Christian Legal Society, et al. filed. (Distributed)
09/27/2021Brief amicus curiae of The Becket Fund for Religious Liberty filed. (Distributed)
09/27/2021Brief amici curiae of Religious-Liberty Scholars Douglas Laycock, et al. filed. (Distributed)
09/27/2021Brief amici curiae of United States Conference of Catholic Bishops and Texas Catholic Conference of Bishops filed. (Distributed)
09/27/2021Brief amici curiae of Scholars of the PLRA and Prison Grievance Systems filed. (Distributed)
09/29/2021Record requested from the U.S.C.A. 5th Circuit.
09/29/2021Motion of the Acting Solicitor General for leave to participate in oral argument as amicus curiae, for divided argument, and for enlargement of time for oral argument filed.
10/01/2021Motion of The Becket Fund for Religious Liberty for leave to participate in oral argument as amicus curiae, for divided argument, and for enlargement of time for oral argument filed.
10/12/2021Motion for leave to file Volume II of the joint appendix under seal GRANTED.
10/12/2021Motion of the Acting Solicitor General for leave to participate in oral argument as amicus curiae, for divided argument, and for enlargement of time for oral argument GRANTED.
10/12/2021Motion of The Becket Fund for Religious Liberty for leave to participate in oral argument as amicus curiae, for divided argument, and for enlargement of time for oral argument DENIED.
10/13/2021Respondents' September 22, 2021 lodging proposal approved, and submission of the non-record materials is requested by the Clerk.
10/15/2021Brief of respondents Bryan Collier filed. (Distributed)
10/15/2021Brief amici curiae of Arizona, et al., filed. (Distributed)
10/15/2021Brief amici curiae of Maria Chavon Aguilar, Fernando Castro, Pablo Castro Jr., & Roberto Salcedo Jr. filed. (Distributed)
10/15/2021Brief amicus curiae of Criminal Justice Legal Foundation filed. (Distributed)
10/19/2021Respondents' lodging material received (including redacted declaration for public record and the unredacted sealed declaration).
10/22/2021ARGUMENT RESCHEDULED for Tuesday, November 9, 2021.
10/25/2021Reply of petitioner John Ramirez filed. (Distributed)
11/09/2021Argued. For petitioner: Seth Kretzer, Houston, Tex. For United States, as amicus curiae: Eric J. Feigin, Deputy Solicitor General, Department of Justice, Washington, D. C. For respondents: Judd E. Stone, II, Solicitor General, Austin, Tex.
03/24/2022Judgment REVERSED and case REMANDED. Roberts, C. J., delivered the opinion of the Court, in which Breyer, Alito, Sotomayor, Kagan, Gorsuch, Kavanaugh, and Barrett, JJ., joined. Sotomayor, J., and Kavanaugh, J., filed concurring opinions. Thomas, J., filed a dissenting opinion.
04/25/2022JUDGMENT ISSUED.
06/28/2022JUDGMENT FEE RECIEVED