No. 25-1085

Elephant Insurance Company, et al. v. Christopher Holmes, et al.

Lower Court: Fourth Circuit
Docketed: 2026-03-17
Status: Pending
Type: Paid
Tags: article-iii-standing common-law-harm fourth-circuit-seventh-circuit-split personal-information public-disclosure-of-private-facts tort-liability
Latest Conference: N/A
Question Presented (from Petition)

1. The Court has held that a plaintiff can establish Article III standing through an intangible injury-in-fact where (1) that injury bears a close relationship to a harm traditionally recognized as providing a basis for a lawsuit in American courts and (2) that injury includes the elements "essential to liability" in a suit for that harm. The first question presented is whether it is "essential to liability" that the defendant—and not a third party—commit the act giving rise to the injury that bears the close relationship to the traditionally recognized harm.

2. The United States Courts of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit and for the Seventh Circuit have split over whether the publication of personal information that is neither embarrassing nor sensitive is sufficiently analogous to the common law harm of public disclosure of private facts to confer Article III standing. The second question presented is whether a plaintiff can establish Article III standing through analogy to public disclosure of private facts when the information is neither embarrassing nor sensitive.

Question Presented (AI Summary)

Whether a defendant must personally commit the act causing injury for tort liability to attach, and whether publication of non-sensitive personal information confers Article III standing by analogy to public disclosure of private facts

Docket Entries

2026-04-14
Motion to extend the time to file a response is granted and the time is extended to and including May 18, 2026.
2026-04-13
Motion of Christopher Holmes, et al. for an extension of time submitted.
2026-04-13
Motion to extend the time to file a response from April 16, 2026 to May 18, 2026, submitted to The Clerk.
2026-03-12
Petition for a writ of certiorari filed. (Response due April 16, 2026)
2026-01-06
Application (25A768) granted by The Chief Justice extending the time to file until March 13, 2026.
2025-12-31
Application (25A768) to extend the time to file a petition for a writ of certiorari from January 12, 2026 to March 13, 2026, submitted to The Chief Justice.

Attorneys

Christopher Holmes, et al.
David Kevin LietzMilberg, PLLC, Respondent
Elephant Insurance Company
Claudia Drennen McCarronMullen Coughlin LLC, Petitioner