Gonzales v. Davis
In brief
The Supreme Court refused to hear Gonzales’s case, leaving the Fifth Circuit’s refusal to reopen it in place; it did not decide the underlying legal question.
- Where it stands
- Decided
Decided · May 18, 2020
- What it’s about
- The Court denied review of Gonzales’s case, leaving in place the Fifth Circuit’s refusal to reopen his federal habeas case under Rule 60(b)(6).
- Who it affects
- The Fifth Circuit’s refusal to reopen Gonzales’s federal case remains in place; the Supreme Court did not decide whether the change in law justified reopening it.
Summary: written with AI from the case record.
What it's about
The petition argued that the Fifth Circuit wrongly treated a change in Supreme Court law on intellectual disability as categorically insufficient to justify reopening the case.
The dispute concerned whether a change in Supreme Court law on intellectual disability could be a rare reason for a federal court to reopen a case under Rule 60(b)(6).
Question presented
1. Whether the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals’ decision that Petitioner failed to make a prima facie showing of intellectual disability is contrary to, or involves an unreasonable application of, clearly established Federal law, as determined by the Supreme Court of the United States in Moore v. Texas, 137 S. Ct. 1039 (2017) (Moore I), and Moore v. Texas, 139 S. Ct. 666 (2019) (Moore II). 2. Whether the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals’ decision that Petitioner failed to make a prima facie showing of intellectual disability is based on an unreasonable determination of the facts in light of the evidence presented in the State court proceeding.
What the Court decided
Holding
Petition DENIED.
What's next
The Fifth Circuit’s refusal to reopen Gonzales’s federal case remains in place. The Supreme Court has finished this docket action.
Documents
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.