No. 19-586October Term 2019Decided Apr 27, 2020Updated Sep 3, 2026
Hollingsworth v. Dep't of Veterans Affairs
The Court declined review, leaving the lower-court result in place without deciding the merits.
Case status
Decided · April 27, 2020
- Current stage
- Decided
- Latest event
- Decision released Apr 27, 2020
- What it's about
This case involves a petition for a writ of certiorari filed by Hollingsworth against the Department of Veterans Affairs seeking review of a decision from the United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit.
Question presented
Whether the Federal Circuit’s interpretation of 38 U.S.C. § 7105(b)(1) and 38 C.F.R. § 20.201(a) (2012) as requiring a veteran to use a specific form to initiate an appeal to the Board of Veterans’ Appeals—even though the statute and regulation in effect at the time did not require a specific form—is consistent with the pro-veteran canon of construction?
- Case path
United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit / Decision released Apr 27, 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 lower-court result remains in place. A veteran challenging a Veterans Affairs decision may be affected by the requirement to use a particular appeal form.
Not official Court text.
Briefing
What it's about
The Supreme Court declined to review Hollingsworth's case on April 27, 2020. It did not decide whether veterans had to use a specific form to start an appeal to the Board of Veterans' Appeals.
Impact
The lower-court result remains in place. A veteran challenging a Veterans Affairs decision may be affected by the requirement to use a particular appeal form.
What's next
The Supreme Court has finished its action in this case. The lower-court result remains in effect.
What did the Supreme Court do in Hollingsworth v. Department of Veterans Affairs?
The Court declined to hear the case. It did not decide the dispute over whether a specific appeal form was required.
Who is affected by the Hollingsworth case?
Veterans seeking to challenge Veterans Affairs decisions may be affected. The lower-court result on the appeal-form requirement remains in place.
What happens next in Hollingsworth v. Department of Veterans Affairs?
No further Supreme Court action is expected in this docket. The lower-court result continues to govern the case.
Timing
Decided April 27, 2020
The Court released its decision on April 27, 2020 without hearing oral argument.
Documents
Activity
Docket activity2
AI analysis generated: Case Briefing
Sep 3, 2026 | Generated
Brief added: Petition
Nov 1, 2019 | Court records
Related cases
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