No. 19-7626October Term 2019Decided Apr 21, 2020
Rarden v. Ohio
The Supreme Court did not step into Rarden's case, so the Ohio court's judgment remains in place and the justices did not answer the underlying federal-rights questions.
Case status
- Current stage
- Decided
- Latest event
- Decision released Apr 21, 2020
- What it's about
This is a pending petition for a writ of certiorari filed by Rarden against the state of Ohio, seeking review of a decision by the Court of Appeals of Ohio, Butler County.
Question presented
1. Whether the trial court's failure to provide a jury instruction on the lesser-included offense of reckless homicide violated the Petitioner's rights under the Sixth and Fourteenth Amendments to the United States Constitution? 2. Whether the trial court's admission of hearsay statements violated the Petitioner's rights under the Confrontation Clause of the Sixth Amendment to the United States Constitution?
- Case path
Court of Appeals of Ohio, Butler County / Decision released Apr 21, 2020
- Area
Decided Supreme Court case
Briefing
What it's about
Rarden asked the Supreme Court to review his Ohio criminal case, saying the jury should have been allowed to consider reckless homicide and that out-of-court statements were wrongly used against him. The justices finished the docket without taking up those questions, leaving the Ohio court's result in place.
Impact
For Rarden, the Ohio appellate ruling stands. For other defendants, the Court's action sets no new nationwide rule on when juries can consider a less serious charge or when out-of-court statements can be used.
What's next
This Supreme Court docket is over. The Ohio court's decision stays in effect because the justices did not take the case for full review.
What was the dispute in Rarden v. Ohio?
Rarden argued the jury should have been allowed to consider reckless homicide. He also said out-of-court statements were admitted against him unfairly.
How does the Court's action in Rarden v. Ohio affect other defendants?
It leaves Rarden's loss in place and creates no new national rule on less serious charges or out-of-court statements.
What happens next in Rarden v. Ohio?
Nothing else is scheduled in this Supreme Court docket. The Ohio appellate decision remains in effect because the justices did not review the merits.
Decision
What the Court decided
The Supreme Court did not step into Rarden's case, so the Ohio court's judgment remains in place and the justices did not answer the underlying federal-rights questions.
Impact
For Rarden, the Ohio appellate ruling stands. For other defendants, the Court's action sets no new nationwide rule on when juries can consider a less serious charge or when out-of-court statements can be used.
Not official Court text.
Timing
Decided April 21, 2020
The Court released its decision on April 21, 2020 without hearing oral argument.
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
- Jul 25, 2026
- Method
- Methodology