No. 19-7770October Term 2019Decided Apr 27, 2020
In re Williams
The Supreme Court did not hear Williams' case, so his plea- and lawyer-related claims were not resolved by the justices and the lower-court result stayed in place.
Case status
- Current stage
- Decided
- Latest event
- Decision released Apr 27, 2020
- What it's about
This case involves a petition filed at the Supreme Court by a party named Williams. The specific details and legal issues of the case are not available in the provided context.
Question presented
1. Whether the Petitioner is being held in violation of the Constitution or laws of the United States? 2. Whether the Petitioner is entitled to a Writ of Habeas Corpus? 3. Whether the Petitioner is entitled to an evidentiary hearing?
- Case path
Decision released Apr 27, 2020
- Area
Criminal Procedure
Briefing
What it's about
The petition asked the Supreme Court to review Marcus Williams' claims that lawyer errors and plea-hearing rule violations made his guilty plea involuntary. Williams also sought habeas corpus relief (a court order challenging unlawful detention) and a hearing on the facts, but on April 27, 2020, the Court declined to take up the case and did not decide those claims on the merits.
Impact
For Williams, that meant no Supreme Court review of his effort to undo his plea or get a new hearing. For other prisoners raising similar complaints about pleas or lawyer performance, the order created no new nationwide rule.
What's next
There is no further action scheduled in this Supreme Court docket. Any additional relief would have to come, if available, through another court filing or procedure.
What was In re Williams about?
Williams asked the Supreme Court to review claims that lawyer errors and plea-rule violations made his guilty plea involuntary. He also sought habeas relief and an evidentiary hearing.
Who was affected by the Court's action in In re Williams?
Williams was directly affected because the Court did not take up his case. Other inmates got no new Supreme Court rule on plea challenges or lawyer-performance claims.
What happens next in In re Williams?
Nothing further is scheduled at the Supreme Court in this docket. The lower-court result stays in place unless another legal avenue remains available.
Decision
What the Court decided
The Supreme Court did not hear Williams' case, so his plea- and lawyer-related claims were not resolved by the justices and the lower-court result stayed in place.
Impact
For Williams, that meant no Supreme Court review of his effort to undo his plea or get a new hearing. For other prisoners raising similar complaints about pleas or lawyer performance, the order created no new nationwide rule.
Not official Court text.
Timing
Decided April 27, 2020
The Court released its decision on April 27, 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