No. 25-6453

Rai Martinez v. United States

Lower Court: Eleventh Circuit
Docketed: 2025-12-30
Status: Pending
Type: IFP
Response WaivedIFP Experienced Counsel
Tags: congressional-authority criminal-jurisdiction felonies-clause foreign-nationals high-seas vessel-nationality
Latest Conference: 2026-02-20
Question Presented (AI Summary)

Whether 46 U.S.C. § 70502(d)(1)(C) exceeds Congress's authority under the Felonies Clause by authorizing the United States to exercise criminal jurisdiction over foreign nationals for wholly foreign conduct on the high seas based solely on a foreign nation's failure to 'affirmatively and unequivocally' confirm a vessel's nationality

Docket Entries

2026-01-15
DISTRIBUTED for Conference of 2/20/2026.
2026-01-12
Waiver of right of respondent United States to respond filed.
2025-12-23
Petition for a writ of certiorari and motion for leave to proceed in forma pauperis filed. (Response due January 29, 2026)

Attorneys

Rai Martinez
Tracy M. DreispulFederal Public Defender, Southern District of FL, Petitioner
Tracy M. DreispulFederal Public Defender, Southern District of FL, Petitioner
Tracy M. DreispulFederal Public Defender, Southern District of FL, Petitioner
United States
D. John SauerSolicitor General, Respondent
D. John SauerSolicitor General, Respondent
D. John SauerSolicitor General, Respondent