Last week, I noted that McGinnis could be the next big Second Amendment case. But this morning the Supreme Court denied cert in the case. And there were no noted dissents from that decision. I suspect that the denial was a combination of factors, including that the petitioner was not too sympathetic and the substantive law at issue, 922(g)(8), had not been subject to disagreement in the lower courts. Yet I have to think it also signals continuing debate among the conservative wing of the Supreme Court over just what methodology should be used for Second Amendment challenges. We’ll see with the next petitions waiting to get a conference.
There’s also one new cert petition in Fleury challenging a conviction under Massachusetts’s safe storage law. (The petition was filed Nov. 2, 2020 but not docketed until Feb. 16, 2021).
Petitions Pending
| Case | Ct. Below | Pet. Filed | Implicated Law/Issue | Status |
| Hobbs v. United States
(20-171) |
6th Cir. | 13-Aug-20 | Guilty plea under 922(g) without knowledge of disqualifying status
|
distributed at
8-Jan-2021 conf. |
| McGinnis v. United States
(20-6046) |
5th Cir. | 13-Oct-20 | As-applied challenge to 922(g)(8) | distributed for 19-Feb-21 conf. |
| Fleury v. Massachusetts
(20-1122) |
App. Ct. Mass. | 2-Nov-20 | Challenge to Mass. firearm storage law | response due 18-Mar-2021 |
| Holloway v. Barr
(20-782) |
3d Cir. | 3-Dec-20 | As-applied challenge to 922(g)(1) | response due 10-Mar-2021 |
| Mai v. United States
(20-819) |
9th Cir. | 9-Dec-20 | As-applied challenge to 922(g)(4) | response due 19-Mar-2021 |
| Folajtar v. Barr
(20-812) |
3d Cir. | 11-Dec-20 | As-applied challenge to 922(g)(1) | response due 17-Mar-2021 |
| Knowles v. Hart
(20-840) |
11th Cir. | 17-Dec-20 | Fourth Amendment challenge to use of deadly force against person with holstered weapon | reply due @
18-Feb-2021 |
| New York State Rifle & Pistol Association v. Corlett
(20-843) |
2d Cir. | 17-Dec-20 | Challenge to New York’s good cause public carry regime | response due 22-Feb-2021 |
| Flick v. Rosen | 11th Cir. | 29-Dec-20 | As-applied challenge to 922(g)(1) | response due
8-Mar-2021 |
Petitions Disposed
| Case | Ct. Below | Pet. Filed | Implicated Law/Issue | Status |
| Greer v. United States
(19-8709) |
11th Cir. | 8-Jun-2020 | Scope of appellate review for Rehaif errors | Cert Granted |
| Caniglia v. Strom
(20-157) |
1st Cir. | 10-Aug-20 | Fourth Amendment challenge to gun removal | Set for argument 3-Mar-2021 |
| United States v. Gary
(20-444) |
4th Cir. | 5-Oct-20 | Guilty plea under 922(g) without being informed that knowledge is an element of the offense
(Govt is petitioner) |
Cert Granted |
| Rodriguez v. San Jose
(19-1057) |
9th Cir. | 21-Feb-20 | Warrantless search and seizure of firearms under Fourth Amendment | Cert Denied |
| Johnson v. United States
(19-1390) |
4th. Cir. | 12-Jun-20 | Vagueness challenge to the Armed Career Criminal Act’s elements clause | Cert Denied |
| Zoie H. v Nebraska
(19-1418) |
Neb. Sup. Ct. | 22-June-20
|
Second and Sixth Amendment challenge to jury-less conviction that can result in gun disqualifer for juveniles | Cert Denied |
| Caldara v. City of Boulder
(20-416) |
10th Cir. | 24-Sep-20 | Federal court abstention over Second Amendment claims being adjudicated in state court | Cert Denied |
| Torres v. United States
(20-5579) |
9th Cir. | 27-Aug-20 | As-applied challenge to 922(g)(1) | Cert Denied |
| E.H. v. Florida Dept. Ag. (Pro se)
(20-627) |
Fla. Ct. App. | 9-Oct-20 | Challenge to firearm license denial based on prior mental health commitment | Cert Denied |
| Porter v. United States
(20-522) |
6th Cir. | 16-Oct-20 | Challenge to ACCA enhancement | Cert Denied |
| Yoo v. United States
(20-550) |
5th Cir. | 21-Oct-20 | Challenge to conviction based on misstatements on Form 4473 (req’d for purchase at a gun dealer) | Cert Denied |
