Hamm v. Joseph Clifton Smith

The Supreme Court dismissed its writ of certiorari (its decision to hear the case) as improvidently granted. It did not answer how courts should weigh multiple IQ scores in an Atkins intellectual-disability claim.

The Court ruled 5–4, with Justices Kavanaugh, Kagan, and Barrett in the majority; Justices Sotomayor and Jackson concurred; Chief Justice Roberts and Justices Thomas, Alito, and Gorsuch dissented.

In a per curiam opinion, the Court dismissed the writ of certiorari as improvidently granted.

Majority

Sotomayor

Jackson

Kavanaugh

Kagan

Barrett

Dissent

Thomas

Alito

Roberts

Gorsuch

““The writ of certiorari is dismissed as improvidently granted.””

The case creates no new Supreme Court standard for evaluating varying IQ scores in death-penalty cases. Capital defendants raising intellectual-disability claims, including Smith, remain affected by the legal rules that otherwise apply to their cases.

The Supreme Court case is over. Lower courts will continue addressing intellectual-disability claims without a new Supreme Court rule from this case on combining multiple IQ scores.

The Court dismissed its decision to hear the case as improvidently granted. It did not resolve the question about assessing multiple IQ scores.

People facing death sentences who raise intellectual-disability claims may be affected. The decision creates no new nationwide method for weighing differing IQ-test results.

The Supreme Court's review has ended. Lower courts continue to handle Smith's case and similar claims under the legal rules otherwise applicable.