No. 19-1045October Term 2019Decided Oct 5, 2020Updated Sep 3, 2026
Kaur v. Maryland
The Court declined review, leaving the lower-court result in place without deciding the merits.
Case status
Decided · October 5, 2020
Read the opinion (PDF)- Current stage
- Decided
- Latest event
- Decision released Oct 5, 2020
- What it's about
This case asks whether Maryland could retry Raminder Kaur using prosecutors who had extensive knowledge of confidential communications between Kaur and her defense lawyer, along with the defense team’s investigative and strategic work product. The dispute centers on whether that kind of prosecutorial access to privileged defense information violates a criminal defendant’s Sixth Amendment right to counsel.
Question presented
Whether the Sixth Amendment prohibits trial of a criminal defendant by prosecutors with extensive knowledge of both her privileged communications with her defense counsel and that counsel’s investigative and strategic work product.
- Case path
Court of Special Appeals of Maryland / Decision released Oct 5, 2020
- Area
Decided Supreme Court case
Decision
What the Court decided
The Court declined review, leaving the lower-court result in place without deciding the merits.
Impact
The case raises whether a defendant can receive a fair trial after prosecutors learn private information from the defense team. It could affect defendants facing retrial when the prosecution has accessed attorney-client communications.
Not official Court text.
Opinion documents
Briefing
What it's about
The Supreme Court declined to review Kaur v. Maryland on October 5, 2020, and did not decide the Sixth Amendment question. The case concerned whether Maryland could retry Raminder Kaur with prosecutors who knew confidential defense communications and defense strategy.
Impact
The case raises whether a defendant can receive a fair trial after prosecutors learn private information from the defense team. It could affect defendants facing retrial when the prosecution has accessed attorney-client communications.
What's next
The Supreme Court has finished its action in this docket. The lower-court result remains in place.
What was the core dispute in Kaur v. Maryland?
Kaur challenged a retrial by prosecutors who knew confidential communications with her lawyer and the defense team's investigative and strategic work.
Who could be affected by Kaur v. Maryland?
Criminal defendants facing retrial could be affected when prosecutors have learned private information from a defendant's lawyer or defense team.
What happens next after Kaur v. Maryland?
The Supreme Court declined review, so its docket action is finished. The lower-court result remains in place.
Timing
Decided October 5, 2020
The Court released its decision on October 5, 2020 without hearing oral argument.
Documents
Activity
Docket activity3
AI analysis generated: Case Briefing
Sep 3, 2026 | Generated
Opinion added: Opinion
Oct 5, 2020 | Court records
Brief added: Petition
Jan 15, 2020 | Court records
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Grounding
- Grounding
- Primary materials plus reporting.
- Note
- Best-effort analysis: this explainer relies on a mix of primary materials and trusted secondary sources. Official filings and opinions remain authoritative.
- Checked
- Sep 3, 2026
- Method
- Methodology