No. 19-8014October Term 2019Decided Apr 20, 2020Updated Sep 3, 2026
Artis v. United States
The Court declined to hear Artis's case, leaving the lower-court result in place without resolving the merits.
Case status
Decided · April 20, 2020
- Current stage
- Decided
- Latest event
- Decision released Apr 20, 2020
- What it's about
This case involves a legal dispute between an individual named Artis and the United States government. The Supreme Court is being asked to review a lower court's decision regarding federal law or criminal proceedings.
Question presented
Whether the District of Columbia’s “felon-in-possession” statute, D.C. Code § 22-4503, is a “law of the United States” for purposes of the federal escape statute, 18 U.S.C. § 751(a)?
- Case path
United States Court of Appeals for the First Circuit / Decision released Apr 20, 2020
- Area
Decided Supreme Court case
Decision
What the Court decided
The Court declined to hear Artis's case, leaving the lower-court result in place without resolving the merits.
Impact
The lower-court result remains in place for Artis and can affect defendants whose federal escape charges depend on a District of Columbia felon-in-possession conviction. For example, it matters to a person accused of escape after being held under that District law.
Not official Court text.
Briefing
What it's about
Artis asked whether the District of Columbia's felon-in-possession law counts as a "law of the United States" under the federal escape statute. The Supreme Court declined review and did not decide that legal question on the merits.
Impact
The lower-court result remains in place for Artis and can affect defendants whose federal escape charges depend on a District of Columbia felon-in-possession conviction. For example, it matters to a person accused of escape after being held under that District law.
What's next
The Supreme Court has finished its action on this petition. The lower-court result remains in place, and the Court did not issue a merits decision.
What did the Supreme Court do in Artis v. United States?
The Court declined review. It did not decide the legal question on the merits.
Who is affected by the Artis case?
Artis and defendants facing federal escape charges tied to District of Columbia felon-in-possession law may be affected. The lower-court result remains in force.
What happens next in Artis v. United States?
The Supreme Court's action is finished. The lower-court result remains in place without a Supreme Court merits decision.
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
Mar 16, 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