No. 21-5726October Term 2021Decided Jun 13, 2022
Kemp v. United States
This case was about whether a federal court can reopen a final judgment under Rule 60(b)(1) when the district judge made a legal error.
Case status
- Current stage
- Decided
- Latest event
- Decision released Jun 13, 2022
- What it's about
This case was about whether a federal court can reopen a final judgment under Rule 60(b)(1) when the district judge made a legal error. The Supreme Court held that the rule’s reference to a "mistake" does include a judge’s error of law, although Kemp’s request was still too late under the rule’s one-year deadline.
Question presented
Whether Rule 60(b)(1) authorizes relief based on a district court ’ s error of law.
- Case path
United States Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit / Decision released Jun 13, 2022
- Area
Decided Supreme Court case
Timing
Decided June 13, 2022
The Court released its decision on June 13, 2022 without hearing oral argument.
Related cases
Grounding
- Grounding
- Primary-source trail available.
- Note
- Plain-English explainer. Official filings and opinions remain authoritative.
- Checked
- Jul 25, 2026
- Method
- Methodology