In re Hampton

Hampton asked the Supreme Court to review a claim that the Eleventh Circuit went too long without acting on two pending motions, allegedly denying due process and access to the courts. On May 26, 2020, the Supreme Court declined review, so it did not decide that legal question on the merits.

The case matters to people waiting on unresolved court motions, especially self-represented or incarcerated litigants who say delay blocks access to the courts. But because the Supreme Court declined review, it did not change the rules for similar cases.

The Supreme Court has finished this docket action. Any further steps would have to come outside this closed Supreme Court case, while the lower-court result remains in place.

Hampton said the Eleventh Circuit failed to act for more than 18 months on two pending motions. Hampton argued that delay denied due process and access to the courts.

People with long-pending motions may care about the issue, especially prisoners or self-represented litigants. Still, the Court's refusal to hear the case did not set a new national rule.

Nothing further happens in this Supreme Court docket. The Court declined review, so the lower-court result stays in place and the merits question remains unanswered.