No. 25-1119

Aila Curtis, et al. v. Jay Inslee, former Governor of Washington, et al.

Lower Court: Ninth Circuit
Docketed: 2026-03-25
Status: Pending
Type: Paid
Response Waived
Tags: federal-rule-civil-procedure-12b6 investigational-medical-treatments jacobson-v-massachusetts party-presentation police-power substantive-due-process
Latest Conference: N/A
Question Presented (from Petition)

Question 1:

Does Jacobson v. Massachusetts , 197 U.S. 11 (1905) limit a court's review of government-mandated investigational medical treatments to whether the mandate is rationally related to a legitimate government objective, or does Jacobson first require the court to determine if the scope and means of the mandate constitute a legitimate exercise of the police power of the state that does not infringe upon the federal domain?

Question 2:

Did the Ninth Circuit violate the principle of party presentation by sua sponte deciding a major constitutional question — whether Jacobson forecloses any substantive due process right to refuse an investigational drug — based on facts neither raised, briefed, nor argued by any party, to affirm dismissal under Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 12(b)(6)?

Question Presented (AI Summary)

Whether Jacobson v. Massachusetts limits judicial review of government-mandated investigational medical treatments to rational basis review or requires courts to first determine if the mandate constitutes a legitimate exercise of state police power, and whether the Ninth Circuit violated the principle of party presentation by sua sponte deciding a major constitutional question based on facts neither raised, briefed, nor argued by any party

Docket Entries

2026-04-07
Letter of Petitioners of Aila Curtis, et al. submitted.
2026-03-31
Waiver of PeaceHealth, Liz Dunne, and Doug Koekkoek of right to respond submitted.
2026-03-31
Waiver of right of respondent PeaceHealth, Liz Dunne, and Doug Koekkoek to respond filed.
2026-03-05
Petition for a writ of certiorari filed. (Response due April 24, 2026)
2025-12-19
Application (25A703) granted by Justice Kagan extending the time to file until March 5, 2026.
2025-12-12
Application (25A703) to extend the time to file a petition for a writ of certiorari from January 4, 2026 to March 5, 2026, submitted to Justice Kagan.

Attorneys

Aila Curtis, et al.
David J. SchexnaydreSchexnaydre Law Firm, Petitioner
PeaceHealth, Liz Dunne, and Doug Koekkoek
Whitney Alexis BrownStoel Rives LLP, Respondent