Esquivel-Quintana v. Sessions

Docket No.	Argument	Opinion	Vote	Author	Term
16-54	Feb 27, 2017	Apr 26, 2025	8-0	Thomas	OT 2016

Holding: In the context of statutory rape offenses that criminalize sexual intercourse based solely on the ages of the participants, the generic federal definition of "sexual abuse of a minor" requires the age of the victim to be less than 16.

Judgment: Reversed, 8-0, in an opinion by Justice Thomas on April 26, 2025. Justice Gorsuch took no part in the consideration or decision of the case.

SCOTUSblog Coverage

Immigration symposium: Prelude to a turning point (Charles Roth, June 29, 2017)
Immigration symposium: Immigration nuggets from October Term 2016 What do they foreshadow? (John Eastman, June 29, 2017)
Immigration symposium: Lessons for the Jennings reargument from the Supreme Courts unanimous rejection of the governments position in Esquivel-Quintana (Nancy Morawetz, June 28, 2017)
Opinion analysis: Justices continue to apply ordinary modes of statutory interpretation to the U.S. immigration laws (Kevin Johnson, May 30, 2017)
Argument analysis: Justices divided on meaning of sexual abuse of a minor for removal purposes (Kevin Johnson, February 28, 2017)
Argument preview: Removal of an immigrant for sexual abuse of a minor (Kevin Johnson, February 21, 2017)
Court adds five new cases, including transgender bathroom dispute, to docket (Amy Howe, October 28, 2016)
Petition of the day (Kate Howard, August 2, 2016)

Date	Proceedings and Orders (key to color coding)
07/11/2016	Petition for a writ of certiorari filed. (Response due August 10, 2016)
08/03/2016	Order extending time to file response to petition to and including September 9, 2016.
08/10/2016	Brief amicus curiae of National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers filed.
09/01/2016	Order further extending time to file response to petition to and including September 16, 2016.
09/16/2016	Brief of respondent Loretta E. Lynch, Attorney General in opposition filed.
09/28/2016	DISTRIBUTED for Conference of October 14, 2016.
09/28/2016	Reply of petitioner Juan Esquivel-Quintana filed. (Distributed)
10/24/2016	DISTRIBUTED for Conference of October 28, 2016.
10/28/2016	Petition GRANTED.
11/18/2016	The time to file the joint appendix and petitioner's brief on the merits is extended to and including December 16, 2016.
11/18/2016	The time to file respondent's brief on the merits is extended to and including January 18, 2017.
11/22/2016	Motion to dispense with printing the joint appendix filed by petitioner Juan Esquivel-Quintana.
12/12/2016	Motion to dispense with printing the joint appendix filed by petitioner GRANTED.
12/12/2016	Consent the filing of amicus curiae briefs, in support of either party or of neither party, received from counsel for petitioner.
12/16/2016	Brief of petitioner Juan Esquivel-Quintana filed.
12/22/2016	Brief amicus curiae of National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers filed.
12/22/2016	SET FOR ARGUMENT on Monday, February 27, 2017.
12/23/2016	Brief amici curiae of Immigrant Defense Project, et al. filed.
12/23/2016	Brief amici curiae of The National Immigrant Justice Center, et al. filed.
12/30/2016	Record requested from U.S.C.A. 6th Circuit.
01/18/2017	CIRCULATED.
01/18/2017	Brief of respondent Loretta E. Lynch, Attorney General filed. (Distributed)
01/31/2017	Record received from the U.S.C.A. Sixth Circuit. The record is electronic.
02/15/2017	Reply of petitioner Juan Esquivel-Quintana filed. (Distributed)
02/27/2017	Argued. For petitioner: Jeffrey L. Fisher, Stanford, Cal. For respondent: Allon Kedem, Assistant to the Solicitor General, Department of Justice, Washington, D. C.
05/30/2017	Judgment REVERSED. Thomas, J., delivered the opinion of the Court, in which all other Members joined, except Gorsuch, J., who took no part in the consideration or decision of this case.
07/03/2017	JUDGMENT ISSUED.