May v. Arkansas
In brief
The Supreme Court refused to hear the case, so it did not rule on whether the courtroom closure violated the defendant’s public-trial right.
- Where it stands
- Decided
Decided · May 4, 2020
- What it’s about
- This case involves a petition for a writ of certiorari filed by a petitioner seeking review of a decision by the Court of Appeals of Arkansas, alongside a request to proceed without paying court fees.
- Who it affects
- For the parties, Supreme Court review ended, but the Court did not resolve the public-trial question.
Summary: written with AI from the case record.
What it's about
May asked the Supreme Court to review an Arkansas court decision and also asked to proceed without paying court fees.
The dispute centered on whether a courtroom may be closed to the public during a minor victim’s testimony without violating a criminal defendant’s right to a public trial.
Question presented
Whether the Arkansas Supreme Court’s decision, which held that a criminal defendant’s right to a public trial is not violated when the trial court closes the courtroom to the public during the testimony of a minor victim, is in conflict with this Court’s decisions in Waller v. Georgia, 467 U.S. 39 (1984), and Presley v. Georgia, 558 U.S. 209 (2010)?
What the Court decided
Holding
Petition DENIED.
What's next
The Supreme Court’s docket action is complete. The record identifies no further Supreme Court step and contains no ruling on the public-trial question.
Documents
Opinions
Key filings
Docket activity
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AI analysis generated: Case Briefing
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Sources
Primary materials plus reporting. Best-effort analysis: this explainer relies on a mix of primary materials and trusted secondary sources. Official filings and opinions remain authoritative.