No. 19-1362

Jason Laut v. United States

Lower Court: Seventh Circuit
Docketed: 2020-06-11
Status: Denied
Type: Paid
Tags: circuit-split constructive-amendment criminal-procedure fifth-amendment grand-jury-clause plain-error prejudice rule-52b substantial-rights
Key Terms:
Environmental SocialSecurity Securities Immigration
Latest Conference: 2020-11-13
Question Presented (AI Summary)

What test should be used to determine whether a constructive amendment impacted a defendant's substantial rights?

Question Presented (OCR Extract)

QUESTIONS PRESENTED The Grand Jury Clause of the Fifth Amendment demands “that a court cannot permit a defendant to be tried on charges that are not made in the indictment against him.” Stirone v. United States, 361 U.S. 212, 217 (1960). Because “[t]he right to have the grand jury make the charge on its own judgment is a substantial right,” this Court has long held that a violation of that right is prejudicial per se. Id. at 218-19. Nonetheless, lower courts have squarely divided over whether and, if so, how a defendant must show prejudice when a constructive amendment objection was not preserved at trial. Lower courts likewise have divided on what showing is required to prove that a constructive amendment error is “plain.” In the decision below, the Seventh Circuit doubled down on its outlier jurisprudence, which employs both the most demanding conception of prejudice and the most demanding conception of “plain” in the country. The questions presented are: 1. What test, if any, should be used to determine whether a constructive amendment impacted a defendant’s substantial rights under Rule 52(b). 2. What showing is required to determine whether a constructive amendment is “plain” error under Rule 52(b).

Docket Entries

2020-11-16
Petition DENIED. Justice Barrett took no part in the consideration or decision of this petition.
2020-10-28
DISTRIBUTED for Conference of 11/13/2020.
2020-10-28
Reply of petitioner Jason Laut filed. (Distributed)
2020-10-09
Brief of respondent United States in opposition filed.
2020-08-24
Motion to extend the time to file a response is granted and the time is further extended to and including October 13, 2020. See Rule 30.1.
2020-08-21
Motion to extend the time to file a response from September 11, 2020 to October 11, 2020, submitted to The Clerk.
2020-08-05
Motion to extend the time to file a response is granted and the time is further extended to and including September 11, 2020.
2020-08-03
Motion to extend the time to file a response from August 12, 2020 to September 11, 2020, submitted to The Clerk.
2020-07-09
Motion to extend the time to file a response is granted and the time is extended to and including August 12, 2020.
2020-07-07
Motion to extend the time to file a response from July 13, 2020 to August 12, 2020, submitted to The Clerk.
2020-06-08
Petition for a writ of certiorari filed. (Response due July 13, 2020)
2020-03-16
Application (19A1012) granted by Justice Kavanaugh extending the time to file until May 8, 2020.
2020-03-13
Application (19A1012) to extend the time to file a petition for a writ of certiorari from April 8, 2020 to May 8, 2020, submitted to Justice Kavanaugh.

Attorneys

Jason Laut
John Christopher KorevecKirkland & Ellis LLP, Petitioner
United States
Jeffrey B. WallActing Solicitor General, Respondent