In re Mattison

Mattison asked the Supreme Court for an extraordinary order directing lower federal courts to act on motions and a mandamus request that he said had been pending too long. The available record indicates the Supreme Court declined review and did not decide whether those lower courts acted improperly.

The available record does not provide a vote count or opinion lineup, and the case was not scheduled for argument.

That means Mattison did not get the immediate Supreme Court order he wanted. For people waiting on lower-court action, this shows the justices often refuse to step in through rare emergency-style requests.

There is no further action in this Supreme Court docket. Any remaining relief would have to come, if at all, from lower courts or through other available procedures outside this closed case.

Mattison asked the Supreme Court to force lower courts to rule on filings he said had been left unresolved for years. He also tied the request to his effort to challenge an earlier Virginia conviction.

Mattison did not get a Supreme Court order requiring the lower courts to act. More broadly, people with delayed cases should not assume the justices will intervene through mandamus (an order commanding action).

This Supreme Court case is over. If Mattison wants more relief, he would need to pursue whatever options remain in the lower courts or in a separate proceeding.