No. 19-7736October Term 2019Decided Apr 20, 2020Updated Sep 3, 2026
Woods v. Wash. Metro. Transit Auth.
The Supreme Court declined review, leaving the lower court's result in place without deciding the merits.
Case status
Decided · April 20, 2020
- Current stage
- Decided
- Latest event
- Decision released Apr 20, 2020
- What it's about
This is a pending case where the petitioner is asking the Supreme Court to review a lower court decision involving the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority, while also requesting permission to proceed without paying standard filing fees.
Question presented
1. Whether the lower court erred in dismissing the petitioner's complaint for failure to state a claim under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and the Rehabilitation Act? 2. Whether the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA) waived its Eleventh Amendment immunity by accepting federal funds? 3. Whether the petitioner was denied due process and equal protection when the lower courts dismissed the case without a hearing?
- Case path
United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit / Decision released Apr 20, 2020
- Area
Civil Rights
Decision
What the Court decided
The Supreme Court declined review, leaving the lower court's result in place without deciding the merits.
Impact
The lower-court dismissal remains in place for Woods. People bringing similar disability-discrimination claims against WMATA may face the same lower-court barriers.
Not official Court text.
Briefing
What it's about
The Supreme Court declined to review Woods's challenge to the dismissal of claims under the Americans with Disabilities Act and the Rehabilitation Act against WMATA. The Court did not decide the merits of those legal questions.
Impact
The lower-court dismissal remains in place for Woods. People bringing similar disability-discrimination claims against WMATA may face the same lower-court barriers.
What's next
The Supreme Court's docket action is complete. The lower-court dismissal remains in place.
What did the Supreme Court rule in Woods v. WMATA?
The Court declined to review the case. It did not decide whether the lower court correctly dismissed Woods's claims.
Who is affected by Woods v. WMATA?
Woods is directly affected because the lower-court dismissal remains in place. Similar claimants against WMATA may face the same legal barriers.
What happens next in Woods v. WMATA?
The Supreme Court has completed its action on the case. The lower court's result remains in effect.
Timing
Decided April 20, 2020
The Court released its decision on April 20, 2020 without hearing oral argument.
Documents
Activity
Docket activity2
AI analysis generated: Case Briefing
Sep 3, 2026 | Generated
Brief added: Petition
Feb 20, 2020 | Court records
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
- Sep 3, 2026
- Method
- Methodology