No. 20-1704October Term 2020Decided Nov 1, 2021Updated Nov 1, 2021
Simmons v. United States
This case asks when a federal court may throw out a prisoner's late habeas petition under AEDPA without a hearing.
Case status
Decided · November 1, 2021
Read the opinion (PDF)- Current stage
- Decided
- Latest event
- Decision released Nov 1, 2021
- What it's about
This case asks when a federal court may throw out a prisoner's late habeas petition under AEDPA without a hearing. Simmons says the government created an unlawful obstacle that kept him from filing on time, and the issue is whether a court can reject that claim at the pleading stage because a pro se prisoner did not describe the causal link in enough detail.
Question presented
Whether a court can summarily dismiss a pro se habeas petition as untimely for failure to adequately allege a causal connection when petitioner explains how a government impediment “prevented” him from filing timely, but does not allege with specificity how he discovered and attempted to remedy that impediment?
- Case path
United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit / Decision released Nov 1, 2021
- Area
Criminal Procedure
Timing
Decided November 1, 2021
The Court released its decision on November 1, 2021 without hearing oral argument.
Documents
Activity
Docket activity2
Opinion added: Opinion
Nov 1, 2021 | Court records
Brief added: Petition
Jun 4, 2021 | Court records
Related cases
Grounding
- Grounding
- Primary-source trail available.
- Note
- Plain-English explainer. Official filings and opinions remain authoritative.
- Checked
- Jul 25, 2026
- Method
- Methodology