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No. 25-1065October Term 2025Petition Pending

Docket 25-1065October Term 2025 (2025–2026)

Prentis Boles v. Union Pacific Railroad Company

Prentis Boles has filed a petition asking the Supreme Court to review a Missouri appellate ruling involving Union Pacific Railroad Company.

Case status

Current stage
Petition Pending
Latest event
Petition pending
Decision timing
No decision timeline until the Court agrees to hear the case.
Petition PendingNot granted
ArgumentsNot scheduled
Decision ReleasedNot scheduled
What it's about

Prentis Boles has filed a petition asking the Supreme Court to review a Missouri appellate ruling involving Union Pacific Railroad Company. The petition appears to challenge the Missouri Supreme Court and Missouri Court of Appeals’ strict application of Rule 84.04, which sets formatting and briefing requirements for appeals; the Court has not yet agreed to hear the case.

Question presented

1. Whether Missouri Supreme Court and Appellant Court, application of Rule 84.04 strict formatting for Appellate brief, acting as a Jurisdictional bar, would lack judicial authority by improperly infringe, restrict and deprived entitled Petitioner FELA Jury Trial rights upon Federal substantive law under Federal Employer ’ s Liability Acts 45 U.S.C 51et seq, set forth, by thus, Court under 7 Amendment (jury trial rights) and Supremacy Clause (federal over state) as a matter of FELA federal substantive, standard and statutory laws? 2. Whether Missouri Circuit Court Trial Judge committed a constitutional and legal error of law, by denying a fair FELA Jury Trial and failure to follow and comply with thus Court, settled precedent, stare decisis principle is direct violation of the FELA Supremacy Clause, Federal Substantive, standard and statutory laws and US Congress intent? 3. Whether Missouri Trial Circuit Court Judge committed a constitutional and structural error, by “ usurp ” solely relying on improper legal standard of “ state ” Missouri Supreme Court law, by obstruction, interfering and usurpation FELA Juries decision-makers of their constitutional power, duties, and role as the “ trier of facts, for determiner negligence FELA remedies that protect thus, Court settled law final decision, under 7 th Amendment and Supremacy Clause (Article VI, Clause 2)?

Case path

Court of Appeals of Missouri, Western District / Petition pending

Area

Petition for review pending

Briefing

What it's about

Prentis Boles asks the Supreme Court to review a Missouri appellate ruling involving Union Pacific Railroad Company. He challenges Missouri courts' strict use of Rule 84.04 briefing requirements in a case involving the Federal Employers' Liability Act (FELA), a federal law covering railroad-worker injury claims.

Argument

The petition for certiorari (the Court's decision to hear a case) has been filed, but oral argument is not scheduled and the Court has not agreed to hear the case.

Impact

The case concerns whether strict state appeal-format rules can prevent review of claims under FELA. It could affect railroad workers who seek to appeal FELA cases in Missouri but do not meet the state's briefing requirements.

What is at stake in Boles v. Union Pacific Railroad Company?

Boles argues that Missouri's strict appellate-brief formatting rule improperly blocks review of federal FELA claims and jury-trial protections.

Who could be affected by the Boles case?

Railroad workers pursuing FELA injury claims in Missouri could be affected, particularly when appealing a trial-court decision.

What happens next in Boles v. Union Pacific Railroad Company?

The Supreme Court will first decide whether to grant certiorari (agree to hear the case). Oral argument has not been scheduled.

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
Primary materials5
Context reporting3