No. 19-108October Term 2019Decided Dec 10, 2020Updated May 24, 2026
United States v. Briggs
This case asked whether military rape charges based on conduct from 1986 to 2006 were filed in time under the Uniform Code of Military Justice.
Case status
Decided 8-0 · December 10, 2020 · Opinion by Justice Alito
Read the opinion (PDF)- Current stage
- Decided
- Latest event
- Decision released Dec 10, 2020
- What it's about
This case asked whether military rape charges based on conduct from 1986 to 2006 were filed in time under the Uniform Code of Military Justice. The dispute was over whether rape counted as an offense "punishable by death," which would mean there was no statute of limitations, even though the Constitution did not allow the death penalty for raping an adult woman.
Question presented
Whether the Court of Appeals for the Armed Forces erred in concluding-contrary to its own longstanding precedent-that the Uniform Code of Military Justice allows prosecution of a rape that occurred between 1986 and 2006 only if it was discovered and charged within five years.
- Case path
United States Court of Appeals for the Armed Forces / Decision released Dec 10, 2020
- Area
Decided Supreme Court case
Timing
Decided December 10, 2020
The Court released its decision on December 10, 2020 without hearing oral argument.
Documents
Activity
Docket activity3
Brief added: Questions Presented
May 24, 2026 | Court records
Opinion added: opinion
Dec 10, 2020 | Court records
Brief added: Petition
Jul 22, 2019 | Court records
Related cases
Grounding
- Grounding
- Primary-source trail available.
- Note
- Plain-English explainer. Official filings and opinions remain authoritative.
- Checked
- Jul 25, 2026
- Method
- Methodology