Brown v. San Bernardino Cnty.
In brief
The Supreme Court refused to hear Brown’s case, leaving the Ninth Circuit’s dismissal in place without deciding whether his claims could proceed.
- Where it stands
- Decided
Decided · May 26, 2020
- What it’s about
- The Court denied review of Brown’s case, leaving in place the Ninth Circuit’s dismissal of his civil-rights complaint against San Bernardino County respondents.
- Who it affects
- The order leaves the Ninth Circuit’s dismissal in place for Brown, but it does not decide whether his constitutional claims could proceed or whether Heck barred them.
Summary: written with AI from the case record.
What it's about
Brown had alleged violations of the Fourth, Eighth, and Fourteenth Amendments and argued that Heck v. Humphrey did not bar his claims.
The petition focused on Brown’s argument that Heck should not block claims that did not necessarily call his conviction or sentence into question.
Question presented
1. Whether the lower court erred in dismissing the Petitioner's complaint for failure to state a claim upon which relief can be granted, where the Petitioner alleged that the Respondents violated his constitutional rights under the Fourth, Eighth, and Fourteenth Amendments? 2. Whether the lower court erred in dismissing the Petitioner's complaint based on the doctrine of Heck v. Humphrey, 512 U.S. 477 (1994), where the Petitioner's claims did not necessarily imply the invalidity of his conviction or sentence?
What the Court decided
Holding
Petition DENIED.
What's next
The Supreme Court has finished this review. The Ninth Circuit’s dismissal remains in place, and this order does not provide a ruling on Brown’s claims.
Documents
Opinions
Key filings
Docket activity
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AI analysis generated: Case Briefing
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More questions
- When did the Supreme Court deny Brown’s petition?
- The Court denied the petition on May 26, 2020.
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.