No. 21-23October Term 1921Decided Jan 3, 1922Updated Sep 3, 2026
United States v. Thompson
The Court declined review, leaving the lower-court result in place without deciding the federal appeals question.
Case status
Decided · January 3, 1922
- Current stage
- Decided
- Latest event
- Decision released Jan 3, 1922
- What it's about
The Court held that 18 U.S.C. § 3731 allows the federal government to appeal a district court order granting a defendant a new trial because the judge found the jury’s verdict was against the weight of the evidence. The government therefore prevailed.
Question presented
Whether 18 U.S.C. 3731, which authorizes the government to appeal an “order of a district court dismissing an indictment or information or granting a new trial after verdict or judgment, as to any one or more counts,” permits the government to appeal an order granting a new trial that is based on a finding that the jury’s verdict was against the weight of the evidence?
- Case path
Supreme Court of Appeals of West Virginia / Decision released Jan 3, 1922
- Area
Decided Supreme Court case
Decision
What the Court decided
The Court declined review, leaving the lower-court result in place without deciding the federal appeals question.
Impact
The lower-court result remains in place for the parties. Government prosecutors and defendants facing similar new-trial orders do not receive a nationwide answer from this docket action.
Not official Court text.
Briefing
What it's about
The Court declined review of a dispute over whether a federal law allows the government to appeal a judge's order granting a new trial because the verdict was against the weight of the evidence. It did not decide that legal question on the merits.
Impact
The lower-court result remains in place for the parties. Government prosecutors and defendants facing similar new-trial orders do not receive a nationwide answer from this docket action.
What's next
The Supreme Court has finished its docket action. The case returns no further to the Court unless a new, separate filing is made.
What did the Supreme Court decide in United States v. Thompson?
The Court declined review. It did not decide whether the government may appeal a new-trial order based on the weight of the evidence.
Who is affected by the Court's action in this case?
The parties remain bound by the lower-court result. Similar defendants and prosecutors receive no nationwide Supreme Court answer from this action.
What happens next in United States v. Thompson?
The Supreme Court's docket action is complete. The lower-court result remains in place.
Timing
Decided January 3, 1922
The Court released its decision on January 3, 1922 without hearing oral argument.
Documents
Activity
Docket activity2
AI analysis generated: Case Briefing
Sep 3, 2026 | Generated
Brief added: Petition
Jun 9, 2021 | 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