No. 25-5930October Term 2025Before Arguments
William Maxwell v. Albert Thomas, III, Warden
from the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit.
Case status
- Current stage
- Before Arguments
- Latest event
- Accepted by the Court
- Decision timing
- No window until argument is scheduled.
- What it's about
from the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit.
Question presented
1. The question for this Court is whether disputes regarding the calculation of an inmate's earned First Step Act time credits, enabling the inmate to transfer into halfway house or home confinement earlier, similar to parole, are actionable under 28 U.S.C. §2241? 2. The question for this Court is whether, given all the obstruction of the administrative remedy process that took place in this case, under Perttu v. Richards, exhaustion of administrative remedies is interwoven into the underlying claims themselves, creating a fact issue for a jury, and whether the trial court must make that determination in the first instance? 3. WHETHER A CLAIM REGARDING APPLICATION OF TIME CREDITS UNDER THE FIRST STEP ACT OF 2018, 132 STAT. 5195–5208 (CODIFIED IN RELEVANT PART AT 18 U. S. C. §§3631–3635), SEEKING ACCELERATED TRANSFER TO A HALFWAY HOUSE OR HOME CONFINEMENT, CAN BE BROUGHT IN A HABEAS PETITION UNDER 28 U. S. C. §2241?
- Case path
United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit / Accepted by the Court
- Area
Criminal Procedure
Timing
Expected by late June 2026, if argued this term
The Court granted review but has not yet scheduled oral argument. Once argued, the median case reaches a decision in 94 days. Nearly all cases are decided by the end of the term in which they are argued.
Briefing
What it's about
The Supreme Court will review a dispute over how a federal inmate's earned First Step Act time credits were calculated for possible earlier transfer to a halfway house or home confinement. The case also asks whether that claim fits in a §2241 habeas petition (a court filing used to challenge custody) and how courts should handle exhaustion (whether the inmate had to fully use the prison grievance process first) when that process was allegedly obstructed.
Argument
The Court has granted certiorari (agreed to hear the case), but oral argument has not been scheduled. The issues are whether First Step Act time-credit claims seeking earlier transfer can be brought under §2241 and how alleged obstruction of the prison remedy process affects exhaustion.
Impact
The answer could determine whether federal inmates can use this court route to challenge time-credit calculations that affect earlier transfer to a halfway house or home confinement. For example, a prisoner who says credits were miscounted may or may not be able to use §2241 to seek review.
What is Maxwell v. Thomas about?
It asks whether a federal inmate can use a §2241 habeas petition to challenge First Step Act time-credit calculations. Those credits could speed transfer to a halfway house or home confinement.
Who could be affected by this case?
Federal inmates seeking earlier transfer to less restrictive settings could be affected. Courts and prison officials also could be affected by how those claims must be filed.
When is the next step in William Maxwell v. Albert Thomas, III, Warden?
There is no argument date or decision window yet. Watch for oral argument or another scheduling move from the Supreme Court.
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
- Jul 29, 2026
- Method
- Methodology