No. 21-511October Term 2021Decided Jun 21, 2022Updated May 25, 2026
Shoop v. Twyford
This case asks whether a federal court handling a state prisoner’s habeas case may order the State to transport the prisoner for medical testing to look for new evidence supporting his claims.
Case status
Decided 5-4 · June 21, 2022 · Opinion by Chief Justice Roberts
Read the opinion (PDF)- Current stage
- Decided
- Latest event
- Decision released Jun 21, 2022
- What it's about
This case asks whether a federal court handling a state prisoner’s habeas case may order the State to transport the prisoner for medical testing to look for new evidence supporting his claims. It centers on whether the All Writs Act can be used for that purpose and whether the court must first decide that the new evidence could actually be considered in the habeas proceeding.
Question presented
1. 28 U.S.C. §2241(c) allows federal courts to issue a writ of habeas corpus ordering the transportation of a state prisoner only when necessary to bring the inmate into court to testify or for trial. It forbids courts from using the writ of habeas corpus to order a state prisoner's transportation for any other reason. May federal courts evade this prohibition by using the All Writs Act to order the transportation of state prisoners for reasons not enumerated in §2241(c)? 2. Before a court grants an order allowing a habeas petitioner to develop new evidence, must it determine whether the evidence could aid the petitioner in proving his entitlement to habeas relief, and whether the evidence may permissibly be considered by a habeas court?
- Case path
United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit / Decision released Jun 21, 2022
- Area
Criminal Procedure
Timing
Decided June 21, 2022
The Court released its decision on June 21, 2022 without hearing oral argument.
Documents
Activity
Docket activity3
Brief added: Questions Presented
May 25, 2026 | Court records
Opinion added: opinion
Jun 21, 2022 | Court records
Brief added: Petition
Oct 4, 2021 | Court records
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Grounding
- Grounding
- Primary-source trail available.
- Note
- Plain-English explainer. Official filings and opinions remain authoritative.
- Checked
- Jul 25, 2026
- Method
- Methodology