Jackson v. Hobbs

Linked with:

• 10-9646

Holding: The Eighth Amendment prohibits a sentencing scheme that requires life in prison without the possibility of parole for juvenile homicide offenders.

Plain English Summary: In a series of decisions dating back to 1988, the Supreme Court has repeatedly ruled that youths under age 18 who commit crimes must not necessarily get as severe a punishment as adults who committed the same kind of crimes. Among other rulings, the Court has forbidden the death penalty for minors who commit murders, and it has barred a sentence of life in prison without a chance of release for minors who commit crimes in which the victim is not killed. In this new ruling, the Court avoiding imposing such a flat ban on life without parole for a minor who commits murder, but it did rule out such a sentence as a mandatory requirement in all such cases. It said, though, that it does not expect very many youths under age 18 to get such a sentence that essentially would require them to stay in prison until they die.

Judgment: Reversed and remanded, in an opinion by Justice Kagan on June 25, 2012. Justice Breyer filed a concurring opinion, in which Justice Sotomayor joined. Chief Justice Roberts filed a dissenting opinion, in which Justices Scalia, Thomas and Alito joined. Justice Thomas filed a dissenting opinion, in which Justice Scalia joined. Justice Alito filed a dissenting opinion, in which Justice Scalia joined.

Briefs and Documents

Merits Briefs for the Petitioner

• Brief for  Kuntrell Jackson
• Reply Brief for Kuntrell Jackson

Amicus Briefs in Support of the Petitioner

• Brief for Former Juvenile Court Judges 
• Brief for The American Psychological Association et al.
•  Brief for Amnesty International, et al. 
• Brief for Certain Family Members of Victims Killed by Youths 
• Brief of Jeffrey Fagan et al.
• Brief for J. Lawrence Aber et al.
• Brief for Professor of Law and his Students from the Moritz College of Law 
• Brief for Juvenile Law Center et al. 
• Brief for the NAACP Legal Defense Fund et al.

Merits Brief for the Respondent

• Brief for  Ray Hobbs

Amicus Briefs in support of the respondent

• Brief for Michigan et al.
• Brief for National District Attorneys Association
• Brief for the National Organization of Victims of Juvenile Lifers

Certirorai-stage Documents

• Opinion below (Ark. S. Ct.)
• Petition for certiorari
• Brief in opposition
• Petitioner’s reply