Supreme Court Oral Arguments

Fernandez v. United States Justia · Docket · oyez.org Argued on Nov 12, 2025. Petitioner: Joe Fernandez.Respondent: United States of America. Advocates: Benjamin Gruenstein (for the Petitioner) Eric J. Feigin (for the Respondent) Facts of the case (from oyez.org) Joe Fernandez participated as a backup shooter in a 2000 murder-for-hire scheme in the Bronx. On February 22, 2000, Patrick Darge hired him to help kill Arturo Cuellar and Idelfonso Vivero Flores, two Mexican drug cartel members who had come to New York City to collect approximately $6.5 million owed by drug trafficker Jeffrey Minaya for 274 kilograms of cocaine. When Darge's gun jammed after shooting Cuellar in the head, Fernandez fired fourteen shots in the apartment building lobby, nine hitting the victims. He received $40,000 for his participation. After eleven years on the run, Fernandez surrendered to police in October 2011. Unlike his co-defendants who pleaded guilty and cooperated with the government, Fernandez proceeded to trial in 2013. The government's key witness was Patrick Darge, who admitted during cross-examination to lying to authorities in previous cases. Despite this admission, the jury convicted Fernandez of participating in a murder-for-hire conspiracy resulting in two deaths and aiding and abetting the use of a firearm to commit murder during a crime of violence. In October 2014, he received a mandatory life sentence, while his cooperating co-defendants received significantly lighter sentences: Darge (30 years), Reyes (25 years), Minaya (15 years), and Rivera (2 years). The U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York originally sentenced Fernandez, and the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit affirmed his conviction on direct appeal in 2016. In 2021, the district court vacated one of his convictions but left the mandatory life sentence intact. When Fernandez filed a compassionate release motion citing his possible innocence and sentencing disparity, the district court granted it in 2022, but the Second Circuit reversed this decision. Question Can a federal prisoner use the compassionate release law to get their sentence reduced based on claims that they might be innocent or that their sentence is unfair, even though these same claims would normally have to be raised through habeas corpus?

Rutherford v. United States Justia · Docket · oyez.org Argued on Nov 12, 2025. Petitioner: Daniel Rutherford.Respondent: United States of America. Advocates: David C. Frederick (for the Petitioner in No. 24-820) David A. O'Neil (for the Petitioner in No. 24-860) Eric J. Feigin (for the Respondent) Facts of the case (from oyez.org) In 2003, twenty-two-year-old Daniel Rutherford committed two armed robberies at a Pennsylvania chiropractic office within a five-day period. During the first robbery, he brandished a gun at the chiropractor and stole $390 and a watch. Four days later, he returned to the same office with an accomplice, again pulled a gun, and stole $900 in cash and jewelry. A jury convicted Rutherford of one count of conspiracy to commit Hobbs Act robbery, two counts of Hobbs Act robbery, and two counts of using a firearm during a crime of violence under 18 U.S.C. § 924(c). The district court sentenced Rutherford to 125 months for the robbery-related charges plus mandatory consecutive sentences of 7 years for the first § 924(c) offense and 25 years for the second, totaling nearly 42.5 years in prison. The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit affirmed his conviction in 2007, and he did not appeal his sentence. In 2021, Rutherford filed a motion for compassionate release, arguing that changes in federal sentencing law would result in a significantly shorter sentence if he were sentenced today. The district court denied his motion in 2023, and the Third Circuit affirmed the lower court’s denial. Question May a district court, when evaluating a motion for compassionate release under 18 U.S.C. § 3582(c)(1)(A)(i), consider as an “extraordinary and compelling reason” the fact that a defendant is serving a sentence substantially longer than what would be imposed today due to the First Step Act’s prospective changes to mandatory minimum penalties, particularly where the disparity amounts to decades of additional imprisonment?

The GEO Group, Inc. v. Menocal Justia · Docket · oyez.org Argued on Nov 10, 2025. Petitioner: The GEO Group, Inc.Respondent: Alejandro Menocal. Advocates: Dominic E. Draye (for the Petitioner) Jennifer D. Bennett (for the Respondents) Sopan Joshi (for the United States, as amicus curiae, supporting the Respondents) Facts of the case (from oyez.org) Alejandro Menocal and other immigration detainees brought a class action lawsuit against The GEO Group, Inc. (GEO), a private company that operates the Aurora Immigration Processing Center (AIPC) in Colorado under contract with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). GEO maintained a mandatory Sanitation Policy requiring all detainees to clean common areas including walls, floors, bathrooms, and recreation yards. Detainees who refused these cleaning assignments faced escalating disciplinary actions, beginning with suspension of television and phone privileges and potentially resulting in solitary confinement for up to seventy-two hours. Menocal, detained from June to September 2014, witnessed fellow detainees placed in isolation for refusing to clean, and multiple detainees testified to being threatened with or actually placed in solitary confinement for noncompliance. Additionally, AIPC operated a Voluntary Work Program where detainees could work up to eight hours daily in various jobs such as food preparation, barbering, and laundry services for compensation of $1.00 per day. Menocal filed suit in October 2014, alleging forced labor under the Trafficking Victims Protection Act for the mandatory cleaning program and unjust enrichment under Colorado common law for the $1.00 daily wage in the Voluntary Work Program. The U.S. District Court for the District of Colorado certified two classes in 2017, which the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit affirmed in 2018. Following discovery, GEO moved for summary judgment claiming derivative sovereign immunity under Yearsley v. W.A. Ross Construction Co. The district court denied GEO's motion in October 2022, finding that ICE neither directed nor required GEO to compel detainee labor or limit compensation to $1.00 per day. GEO appealed this denial to the Tenth Circuit, which dismissed for lack of appellate jurisdiction. Question Is an order denying a government contractor’s claim of derivative sovereign immunity immediately appealable under the collateral-order doctrine?

Landor v. Louisiana Department of Corrections Justia · Docket · oyez.org Argued on Nov 10, 2025. Petitioner: Damon Landor.Respondent: Louisiana Department of Corrections and Public Safety. Advocates: Zachary D. Tripp (for the Petitioner) Libby A. Baird (for the United States, as amicus curiae, supporting the Petitioner) J. Benjamin Aguinaga (for the Respondents) Facts of the case (from oyez.org) Damon Landor, a devout Rastafarian, vowed as part of his faith never to cut his hair—a religious commitment known as the Nazarite Vow. Incarcerated in 2020, Landor was first held at the St. Tammany Parish Detention Center and later at LaSalle Correctional Center, both of which allowed him to maintain his hairstyle in accordance with his religious beliefs. After approximately five months and with three weeks left in his sentence, Landor was transferred to Raymond Laborde Correctional Center. Upon arrival, Landor proactively explained his religious practices and presented documentation of previous accommodations, including a copy of a federal court decision supporting similar claims. An intake guard disregarded his documentation, summoned the warden, and upon Landor’s inability to produce immediate additional proof of his beliefs, guards forcibly handcuffed Landor and shaved his head. Following his release, Landor sued the Louisiana Department of Corrections and Public Safety, its Secretary James LeBlanc, the correctional center, and Warden Marcus Myers, asserting claims under the Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act (RLUIPA) and 42 U.S.C. § 1983 for violations of his federal constitutional rights, as well as state law claims. The U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Louisiana dismissed Landor’s individual-capacity RLUIPA claims for money damages, holding such relief unavailable under controlling Fifth Circuit precedent. The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit affirmed, relying on its prior decision in Sossamon v. Lone Star State of Texas, and rejecting Landor’s arguments that subsequent Supreme Court authority or other legal developments altered that result. Question May an individual sue a government official in his individual capacity for damages for violations of the Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act (RLUIPA)?

Join General Sauer, Counsel for the government, as he defends the President's use of IEEPA to implement aggressive tariffs, arguing its constitutional basis. Mr. Cotill challenges this view, presenting compelling textual and historical arguments about the limits of presidential power over taxation. Meanwhile, Mr. Gutman highlights issues regarding licensing fees and the historical context of tariffs. The discussions delve into whether tariffs serve as taxes or regulatory tools, making for an engaging debate on governmental authority and economic effects.

In this discussion, Ms. Harrington represents Hain Celestial Group, emphasizing the importance of preserving final judgments despite a non-diverse defendant's dismissal. Mr. Post counters by asserting that federal courts cannot gain jurisdiction through error and stresses the implications of such removals. Topics span jurisdictional defects, the fairness of dismissals, and the plaintiff's forum choice rights. The debate reveals intricate legal principles and the potential consequences of each argument on future cases.

Mr. Gainsbourg and Ms. Blatt, the petitioner's and respondent's counsels respectively, delve into a gripping legal battle over jurisdiction and judgment vacatur. They debate whether Rule 60(c)(1) allows for an unlimited time to vacate judgments deemed void due to improper service. The conversation explores historical context, the implications of timeliness for justice, and practical concerns regarding notice and access to legal relief. This intense discussion raises critical questions about due process and the flexibility required in the legal system.

Mr. Chang, counsel for the petitioner, argues that state tort claims should apply to military contractors, challenging the limits of federal preemption. Mr. Mosier from Fluor Corporation counters that uniquely federal interests in wartime activities necessitate preemption of such claims. Mr. Gannon represents the U.S. position, advocating for a test to determine when contractor claims may be preempted based on combat activities. The discussion delves into military supervision, constitutional arguments, and the implications of contractor liability in combat zones.

Mr. Unikowski, appellate counsel for Isabel Rico, debates the interpretation of the Sentencing Reform Act, arguing that absconding from supervised release should not trigger the fugitive-tolling doctrine. Mr. Handel, representing the government, asserts that fugitives cannot be considered under supervision. The discussion dives into the rehabilitative nature of supervised release and the implications of late-detected violations, highlighting concerns about establishing a common-law fugitive doctrine and the statutory intent behind supervised release regulations.

Louisiana v. Callais (Reargument) Justia · Docket · oyez.org Argued on Oct 15, 2025. Appellant: Louisiana.Appellee: Phillip Callais, et al. Facts of the case (from oyez.org) This case involves a challenge to Louisiana’s congressional redistricting map, specifically focusing on District 6, alleging that the map is an impermissible racial gerrymander. The map was created in response to a previous lawsuit, Robinson v. Ardoin, where plaintiffs argued that the prior map violated Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act by diluting minority votes. To address these issues, the Louisiana Legislature adopted a new map (Senate Bill 8) that included a second majority-Black district. However, the plaintiffs in this case claimed that this new map violated the Equal Protection Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment by prioritizing race in its creation. A three-judge panel concluded that District 6 of the new map did indeed violate the Equal Protection Clause, leading the court to issue an injunction against using this map in future elections.   Question Does Louisiana’s creation of a second majority-Black congressional district constitute unconstitutional racial gerrymandering, even when drawn in response to a federal court finding that the state’s prior single majority-Black district likely violated Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act?