No. 19-7815October Term 2019Decided May 4, 2020Updated Sep 3, 2026
Grimsley v. Oregon
The Court declined to review Grimsley's case, leaving the lower-court result in place without deciding the jury-unanimity question.
Case status
Decided · May 4, 2020
- Current stage
- Decided
- Latest event
- Decision released May 4, 2020
- What it's about
This is a pending petition for a writ of certiorari appealing a decision from the Ninth Circuit involving the state of Oregon. The specific facts and legal issues of the case are not detailed in the available records.
Question presented
Whether the Sixth Amendment’s right to a jury trial—as applied to the States through the Fourteenth Amendment—requires a unanimous verdict to convict a defendant of a serious offense?
- Case path
United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit / Decision released May 4, 2020
- Area
Decided Supreme Court case
Decision
What the Court decided
The Court declined to review Grimsley's case, leaving the lower-court result in place without deciding the jury-unanimity question.
Impact
For a person convicted in Oregon without every juror agreeing, the petition sought a Supreme Court review of that conviction process. The Court's action left the Ninth Circuit result in place for this case.
Not official Court text.
Briefing
What it's about
The petition asked whether the Constitution requires unanimous jury verdicts for serious state criminal convictions. On May 4, 2020, the Court declined review and did not decide that question on the merits.
Impact
For a person convicted in Oregon without every juror agreeing, the petition sought a Supreme Court review of that conviction process. The Court's action left the Ninth Circuit result in place for this case.
What's next
The Supreme Court's docket action is finished. The Ninth Circuit result remains in place for this case.
What did the Supreme Court rule in Grimsley v. Oregon?
The Court declined review. It did not decide whether the Constitution requires unanimous jury verdicts for serious state crimes.
Who is affected by the Grimsley case?
Grimsley and others challenging Oregon convictions based on nonunanimous jury verdicts may be affected. The lower-court result remains in place in this case.
What happens next in Grimsley v. Oregon?
No Supreme Court merits proceedings remain. The Ninth Circuit result continues to govern this case.
Timing
Decided May 4, 2020
The Court released its decision on May 4, 2020 without hearing oral argument.
Activity
Docket activity2
AI analysis generated: Case Briefing
Sep 3, 2026 | Generated
Brief added: Petition
Nov 10, 2019 | 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