No. 19-7818October Term 2019Decided Apr 27, 2020
Benjamin v. McGinley
The Supreme Court did not take up Benjamin's case, so the lower-court result stayed in force and the larger legal questions were left unanswered by the justices.
Case status
- Current stage
- Decided
- Latest event
- Decision released Apr 27, 2020
- What it's about
Benjamin v. McGinley is a pending Supreme Court case originating from the Third Circuit in which a petition for a writ of certiorari has been filed. The petitioner has also requested to proceed in forma pauperis, indicating an inability to pay court filing fees.
Question presented
1. Whether the Pennsylvania Supreme Court's decision in Commonwealth v. Muniz, 164 A.3d 1189 (Pa. 2017), which held that the retroactive application of Pennsylvania's Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act (SORNA) violates the ex post facto clause of the Pennsylvania Constitution, applies to individuals whose direct appeals were final before Muniz was decided? 2. Whether the retroactive application of SORNA violates the Ex Post Facto Clause of the United States Constitution?
- Case path
United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit / Decision released Apr 27, 2020
- Area
Decided Supreme Court case
Briefing
What it's about
Benjamin asked the Supreme Court to review a dispute tied to Pennsylvania's retroactive sex-offender registration law and to related federal review of his claims. On April 27, 2020, the Court declined review, leaving the lower-court result in place without deciding the merits.
Vote
The case was not argued, and the available record does not include a vote count or opinion explaining the Court's action.
Impact
For Benjamin, that meant no Supreme Court second look at the lower-court outcome. For other people challenging old Pennsylvania registration requirements or similar federal review limits, the justices gave no new nationwide guidance.
What's next
There is no further action at the Supreme Court on this docket. Similar issues would have to continue in lower courts or come back in a future case.
What did the Supreme Court do in Benjamin v. McGinley?
The Court declined review on April 27, 2020. It left the lower-court result in place and did not decide the underlying legal questions.
Who was affected by Benjamin v. McGinley?
Benjamin was directly affected because the lower-court result stayed in place. Others making similar Pennsylvania registration or federal review challenges got no new Supreme Court rule to cite.
What happens next in Benjamin v. McGinley?
Nothing else is scheduled at the Supreme Court in this docket. Similar issues would need to return in lower courts or a future case.
Decision
What the Court decided
The Supreme Court did not take up Benjamin's case, so the lower-court result stayed in force and the larger legal questions were left unanswered by the justices.
Impact
For Benjamin, that meant no Supreme Court second look at the lower-court outcome. For other people challenging old Pennsylvania registration requirements or similar federal review limits, the justices gave no new nationwide guidance.
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