No. 25-6702

Jason Steven Kokinda v. United States

Lower Court: Fourth Circuit
Docketed: 2026-02-04
Status: Pending
Type: IFP
Response WaivedIFP
Tags: criminal-law due-process nichols-precedent plain-error sex-offender-registration statutory-interpretation
Key Terms:
AdministrativeLaw DueProcess
Latest Conference: 2026-02-27
Question Presented (AI Summary)

Did the lower courts commit plain error by reinterpreting the elements of 18 U.S.C. § 2250 to criminalize a law-abiding modus operandi of moving between states?

Question Presented (OCR Extract)

Did the lower courts commit plain error requiring summary reversal by reinterpreting the elements of 18 U.S.C. § 2250 , (construed by the unanimous Supreme Court panel in Nichols v. United States , 578 U.S. 104, 136 S. Ct. 1113, 194 L. Ed. 2d 324 (2016),) to thereby criminalize a law-abiding modus operandi of never staying longer than state law allows unregistered visitors and moving on? Question Presented: Is the term “habitually lives ” merely ambiguous in isolation, or subject to the rule of lenity, in any regard, because the Attorney General was not delegated specific authority to interpret 18 U.S.C. § 2250 in compliance with judicial canons and lacked the expertise required to provide Skidmore deference postLoper Bright ? 11 PARTIES TO PROCEEDING 1: The United States of America, Represented by Respondents: Office of the Solicitor General 950 Pennsylvania Ave., NW Washington, D.C. 20530-0001 (202) 514-2203 Eleanor F. Hurney (Assistant U.S. Attorney) 300 Third Street, Suite #300 Elkins, WV 26241 2: Pro Se, Petitioner Jason Steven Kokinda 1631 Wesel Blvd., #1079 Hagerstown, MD 21740 (609)-942-9012 II. LIST OF ALL DIRECTLY

Docket Entries

2026-02-12
DISTRIBUTED for Conference of 2/27/2026.
2026-02-09
Waiver of United States of right to respond submitted.
2026-02-09
Waiver of right of respondent United States to respond filed.
2026-01-21
Petition for a writ of certiorari and motion for leave to proceed in forma pauperis filed. (Response due March 6, 2026)
2025-11-20
Application (25A546) granted by The Chief Justice extending the time to file until January 22, 2026.
2025-11-07
Application (25A546) to extend the time to file a petition for a writ of certiorari from November 23, 2025 to January 22, 2026, submitted to The Chief Justice.

Attorneys

Jason Kokinda
Jason Steven Kokinda — Petitioner
Jason Steven Kokinda — Petitioner
Jason Steven Kokinda — Petitioner
United States
D. John SauerSolicitor General, Respondent
D. John SauerSolicitor General, Respondent
D. John SauerSolicitor General, Respondent