Voisine v. United States
| Docket No. | Argument | Opinion | Vote | Author | Term |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 14-10154 | Feb 29, 2016 | Apr 23, 2025 | 6-2 | Kagan | OT 2015 |
Holding: A reckless domestic assault qualifies as a "misdemeanor crime of domestic violence" that prohibits firearms possession by convicted felons under 18 U.S.C. " 922(g)(9).
Judgment: Affirmed, 6-2, in an opinion by Justice Kagan on April 23, 2025. Justice Thomas filed a dissenting opinion, in which Justice Sotomayor joined as to Parts I and II.
SCOTUSblog Coverage
- Opinion analysis: Federal use of force encompasses reckless domestic violence misdemeanor offenses (Rory Little, June 28, 2016)
- A view from the Courtroom: A final bite at the apple (Mark Walsh, June 27, 2016)
- Argument analysis: An unremarkable gun case may be harbinger of things to come (Rory Little, March 1, 2016)
- Argument preview: Another arcane case in which Justice Scalia will be missed (Rory Little, February 23, 2016)
- Court grants review in firearm-possession case (Amy Howe, October 30, 2015)
| Date | Proceedings and Orders |
|---|---|
| 06/04/2015 | Petition for a writ of certiorari and motion for leave to proceed in forma pauperis filed. (Response due July 9, 2015) |
| 07/01/2015 | Order extending time to file response to petition to and including August 10, 2015. |
| 08/03/2015 | Order further extending time to file response to petition to and including September 9, 2015. |
| 09/09/2015 | Brief of respondent United States in opposition filed. |
| 09/14/2015 | Reply of petitioners Stephen L. Voisine and William E. Armstrong, III filed. |
| 09/24/2015 | DISTRIBUTED for Conference of October 9, 2015. |
| 10/13/2015 | DISTRIBUTED for Conference of October 16, 2015. |
| 10/26/2015 | DISTRIBUTED for Conference of October 30, 2015. |
| 10/30/2015 | Motion to proceed in forma pauperis and petition for a writ of certiorari GRANTED limited to Question 1 presented by the petition. |
| 11/18/2015 | Motion to appoint counsel filed by petitioners Stephen L. Voisine and William E. Armstrong, III. |
| 12/02/2015 | Motion DISTRIBUTED for Conference of January 8, 2016. |
| 12/11/2015 | The time to file the joint appendix and petitioners' brief on the merits is extended to and including December 17, 2015. |
| 12/17/2015 | Brief of petitioners Stephen L. Voisine and William E. Armstrong, III filed. |
| 12/17/2015 | Joint appendix filed. (Statement of costs filed.) |
| 12/21/2015 | Consent to the filing of amicus curiae briefs in support of either party received from counsel for petitioners Voisine and Armstrong. |
| 12/23/2015 | SET FOR ARGUMENT ON Monday, February 29, 2016 |
| 12/23/2015 | Brief amici curiae of Gun Owners Foundation, et al. filed. |
| 01/04/2016 | Record requested from the U.S.C.A. 1st Circuit. |
| 01/11/2016 | Motion to appoint counsel filed by petitioners GRANTED, and Virginia G. Villa, Esq., of St. Croix Falls, Wisconsin, is appointed to serve as counsel for the petitioners in this case. |
| 01/12/2016 | Record received from the U.S D.C District of Main The record is electronic and located on PACER, with the exception of SEALED records contained in 1 envelope. |
| 01/15/2016 | CIRCULATED. |
| 01/19/2016 | Brief of respondent United States filed. (Distributed) |
| 01/25/2016 | Brief amici curiae of National Indigenous Women's Resource Center, et al. filed. (Distributed) |
| 01/25/2016 | Brief amici curiae of Major Cities Chiefs and the International Brotherhood of Police Officers filed. |
| 01/26/2016 | Brief amici curiae of National Domestic Violence Hotline, et al. filed. (Distributed) |
| 01/26/2016 | Brief amicus curiae of Everytown for Gun Safety filed. (Distributed) |
| 01/26/2016 | Brief amici curiae of Child Justice, Inc., et al. filed. (Distributed) |
| 01/26/2016 | Brief amici curiae of Brady Center to Prevent Gun Violence, et al. filed. (Distributed) |
| 01/26/2016 | Brief amici curiae of Domestic Violence Legal Empowerment and Appeals Project, et al. filed. (Distributed) |
| 02/18/2016 | Reply of petitioners Stephen L. Voisine and William E. Armstrong, III filed. (Distributed) |
| 02/29/2016 | Argued. For petitioners: Virginia G. Villa, St. Croix Falls, Wis. (Appointed by this Court.) For respondent: Ilana H. Eisenstein, Assistant to the Solicitor General, Department of Justice, Washington, D. C. |
| 06/27/2016 | Adjudged to be AFFIRMED. Kagan, J., delivered the opinion of the Court, in which Roberts, C. J., and Kennedy, Ginsburg, Breyer, and Alito, JJ., joined. Thomas, J., filed a dissenting opinion, in which Sotomayor, J., joined as to Parts I and II. |
| 07/26/2016 | Records from U.S.D.C. Dist. of Maine has been returned. |
| 07/29/2016 | JUDGMENT ISSUED |