No. 25-1

James Skinner v. Louisiana

Lower Court: Louisiana
Docketed: 2025-07-01
Status: Pending
Type: Paid
Amici (7)Relisted (5)
Tags: brady-violation criminal-procedure due-process evidence-withholding judicial-precedent post-conviction-relief
Key Terms:
DueProcess HabeasCorpus
Latest Conference: 2026-02-20 (distributed 5 times)
Question Presented (AI Summary)

Did Louisiana courts err in refusing to apply Wearry to Mr. Skinner's Brady claims?

Question Presented (OCR Extract)

In Wearry v. Cain , 577 U.S. 385 (2016) (per curiam), this Court summarily reversed a Louisiana postconviction court and vacated Michael Wearry’s murder conviction. This Court determined that the State withheld evidence that would have seriously impeached the State’s star witnesses. “Beyond doubt,” this Court held, withholding that evidence violated Brady v. Maryland , 373 U.S. 83 (1963). Wearry , 577 U.S. at 392. Petitioner James Skinner was convicted of the same crime as Mr. Wearry on the basis of the same star witnesses’ testimony. The State withheld the same evidence as in Wearry ; indeed, Mr. Skinner has since uncovered still more evidence that the State did not turn over. Mr. Skinner thus petitioned Louisiana courts for the same relief as Mr. Wearry: vacatur of his conviction. In response, the Louisiana postconviction trial court wrote only: “[T]he Weary [sic] case is distinguishable enough from the instant case that its decision does not compel this Court to follow suit.” This petition presents the following question: Did Louisiana courts err in refusing to apply Wearry to Mr. Skinner’s Brady claims?

Docket Entries

2026-02-13
Rescheduled.
2026-02-13
DISTRIBUTED for Conference of 2/20/2026.
2026-01-20
Rescheduled.
2026-01-20
DISTRIBUTED for Conference of 1/23/2026.
2026-01-12
Rescheduled.
2026-01-12
DISTRIBUTED for Conference of 1/16/2026.
2026-01-05
Rescheduled.
2025-12-10
DISTRIBUTED for Conference of 1/9/2026.
2025-12-08
Electronic record received from the Livingston Parish Clerk of Court’s Office (Louisiana).
2025-12-08
Electronic record received from the Supreme Court of Louisiana.
2025-12-01
Record Requested.
2025-11-18
Reply of petitioner James Skinner filed. (Distributed)
2025-11-18
Reply of James Skinner submitted.
2025-11-18
DISTRIBUTED for Conference of 12/5/2025.
2025-10-31
Brief of respondent Louisiana in opposition filed.
2025-10-31
Brief of State of Louisiana in opposition submitted.
2025-09-22
Motion to extend the time to file a response is granted and the time is further extended to and including October 31, 2025.
2025-09-19
Motion of State of Louisiana for an extension of time submitted.
2025-09-19
Motion to extend the time to file a response from September 29, 2025 to October 31, 2025, submitted to The Clerk.
2025-07-31
2025-07-31
Amicus brief of Innocence Network submitted.
2025-07-31
Amicus brief of Two Louisiana Prisoners, Everette Norwood and Ernest Allen, as Amici Curiae Supporting Petitioner submitted.
2025-07-31
Amicus brief of Z. Payvand Ahdout, Lee Kovarsky submitted.
2025-07-31
Amicus brief of Cato Institute submitted.
2025-07-31
Amicus brief of Professor Brandon L. Garrett submitted.
2025-07-31
Amicus brief of Patrick O'Neal submitted.
2025-07-31
2025-07-31
2025-07-31
2025-07-31
2025-07-31
2025-07-30
Motion to extend the time to file a response is granted and the time is extended to and including September 29, 2025.
2025-07-30
Motion to extend the time to file a response from July 31, 2025 to September 29, 2025, submitted to The Clerk.
2025-07-25
2025-06-25
2025-05-13
Application (24A1088) granted by Justice Alito extending the time to file until June 25, 2025.
2025-05-08
Application (24A1088) to extend the time to file a petition for a writ of certiorari from May 26, 2025 to July 25, 2025, submitted to Justice Alito.

Attorneys

Cato Institute
Matthew P. CavedonCato Institute, Amicus
Matthew P. CavedonCato Institute, Amicus
Innocence Network
James J. Benjamin Jr.Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld LLP, Amicus
James J. Benjamin Jr.Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld LLP, Amicus
James Skinner
Jee Yeong ParkInnocence & Justice Louisiana, Petitioner
Jee Yeong ParkInnocence Project New Orleans, Petitioner
Law Professors
Zachary Kent WarrenWilliams & Connolly LLP, Amicus
Zachary Kent WarrenWilliams & Connolly LLP, Amicus
Louisiana
Brett SommerAssistant District Attorney, Respondent
Jorge Benjamin AguinagaLouisiana Department of Justice, Respondent
Brett SommerAssistant District Attorney, Respondent
Patrick O'Neal
Evan James BergeronWinston Bergeron, LLP, Amicus
Evan James BergeronWinston Bergeron, LLP, Amicus
Professor Brandon L. Garrett
Andrew H. SchapiroQuinn Emanuel Urquhart & Sullivan, LLP, Amicus
Andrew H. SchapiroQuinn Emanuel Urquhart & Sullivan, LLP, Amicus
State of Louisiana
Brett Charles Sommer21st JDC DA's Office, State of Louisiana, Respondent
Jorge Benjamin AguinagaLouisiana Department of Justice, Respondent
Two Louisiana Prisoners, Everette Norwood and Ernest Allen, as Amici Curiae Supporting Petitioner
Thomas Ward FramptonUniversity of Virginia School of Law, Amicus
Thomas Ward FramptonUniversity of Virginia School of Law, Amicus
Z. Payvand Ahdout, Lee Kovarsky
David Benjamin OwensLoevy & Loevy, Amicus
David Benjamin OwensLoevy & Loevy, Amicus