Skipper v. Byrd
In brief
The Supreme Court did not rule on the confession question; it declined review and left the Sixth Circuit’s ruling for Byrd in place.
- Where it stands
- Decided
Decided · May 26, 2020
- What it’s about
- The Court denied review of the Sixth Circuit’s ruling for Byrd, leaving that decision in place.
- Who it affects
- Byrd’s favorable Sixth Circuit ruling remained in place, but the denial was not a Supreme Court decision on the confession question.
Summary: written with AI from the case record.
What it's about
The petition concerned whether a defendant may claim ineffective assistance of counsel based on counsel’s failure to seek plea negotiations when the prosecution made no plea offer.
The question was framed under the Sixth Amendment’s right to confront witnesses (the Confrontation Clause) and the Court’s 1968 decision in Bruton v. United States.
Question presented
Whether the Sixth Amendment’s Confrontation Clause, as interpreted in Bruton v. United States, 391 U.S. 123 (1968), and its progeny, is violated by the admission of a non-testifying co-defendant’s confession that does not name the defendant but, when viewed in conjunction with other evidence, strongly implicates him.
What the Court decided
Holding
Petition DENIED.
What's next
The Court has finished this docket action. The Sixth Circuit’s ruling for Byrd remains in place.
Documents
Docket activity
New analysis added
AI analysis generated: Case Briefing
New analysis added
New analysis added
New analysis added
Show 7 moreShow fewer
New analysis added
New analysis added
New analysis added
New analysis added
New analysis added
New analysis added
New analysis added
Sources
Primary materials plus reporting. Best-effort analysis: this explainer relies on a mix of primary materials and trusted secondary sources. Official filings and opinions remain authoritative.