No. 19-8046October Term 2019Decided Apr 27, 2020Updated Sep 3, 2026
Cervantes v. Montgomery
The Supreme Court declined to hear Cervantes v. Montgomery, leaving the Ninth Circuit's result in place without deciding the merits.
Case status
Decided · April 27, 2020
- Current stage
- Decided
- Latest event
- Decision released Apr 27, 2020
- What it's about
This case involves a petition for a writ of certiorari filed in the Supreme Court by Cervantes against Montgomery, seeking review of a decision by the Ninth Circuit. The petitioner has also requested to proceed without paying court fees.
Question presented
1. Whether the state court's decision was based on an unreasonable determination of the facts in light of the evidence presented in the State court proceeding? 2. Whether the state court's decision was contrary to, or involved an unreasonable application of, clearly established Federal law, as determined by the Supreme Court of the United States?
- Case path
United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit / Decision released Apr 27, 2020
- Area
Decided Supreme Court case
Decision
What the Court decided
The Supreme Court declined to hear Cervantes v. Montgomery, leaving the Ninth Circuit's result in place without deciding the merits.
Impact
The Ninth Circuit's result remained in place for Cervantes. For example, other prisoners cannot treat this order alone as a Supreme Court answer to similar claims about state-court factual or legal errors.
Not official Court text.
Briefing
What it's about
Michael Anthony Cervantes asked the Supreme Court to review a Ninth Circuit decision involving claims that a state court mishandled facts and federal law. The Court declined review on April 27, 2020, and did not decide those merits questions.
Impact
The Ninth Circuit's result remained in place for Cervantes. For example, other prisoners cannot treat this order alone as a Supreme Court answer to similar claims about state-court factual or legal errors.
What's next
The Supreme Court has finished its action on this docket. The Ninth Circuit's decision remains in effect.
What did the Supreme Court rule in Cervantes v. Montgomery?
The Court declined to hear the case. It did not decide whether the state court made factual or federal-law errors.
Who is affected by the Cervantes v. Montgomery decision?
Cervantes remains subject to the Ninth Circuit's result. The Court's refusal to hear the case did not itself set an answer for similar cases.
What happens next in Cervantes v. Montgomery?
The Supreme Court's docket action is complete. The Ninth Circuit's decision stays in place.
Timing
Decided April 27, 2020
The Court released its decision on April 27, 2020 without hearing oral argument.
Documents
Activity
Docket activity2
AI analysis generated: Case Briefing
Sep 3, 2026 | Generated
Brief added: Petition
Mar 11, 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