No. 25-7105October Term 2025Dismissed
John Deonarine v. Monica Aguilar, Erroneously Sued as Lopez
from the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit.
Case status
- Current stage
- Dismissed
- Latest event
- Dismissed
- Decision timing
- No window until argument is scheduled.
- What it's about
from the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit.
Question presented
1. Whether a court may grant summary judgment in a Fourth Amendment false-arrest action by treating body-camera footage as conclusive evidence of probable cause when the recording is capable of multiple reasonable interpretations, notwithstanding Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 56 sftequirement that courts view the evidence in the light most favorable to the nonmoving party. 2. Whether the Fourth Amendment permits a court to uphold an arrest at summary judgment based on an officer sftnterpretation of a criminal statute where the legality of the pfaintiftO conduct depends on a detailed statutory licensing framework and the evidence regarding that interpretation (including video evidence and sworn testimony & disputed.
- Case path
United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit / Dismissed
- Area
Criminal Procedure
Briefing
What it's about
John Deonarine has asked the Supreme Court to review a Ninth Circuit case about an allegedly unlawful arrest. The petition says judges should not treat body-camera footage as conclusive proof for the officer before trial when the video and sworn testimony can reasonably be read more than one way, especially where the arrest turned on a licensing law.
Argument
No oral argument is scheduled yet. The petition asks whether judges may treat disputed body-camera footage as conclusive and uphold an arrest based on an officer's reading of a licensing statute before trial.
Impact
The case could affect how easily people can get an arrest lawsuit to a jury when police video is unclear. For example, someone arrested during a dispute over licensing rules could win or lose before trial based on how much weight a judge gives ambiguous body-camera footage.
What is Deonarine v. Aguilar about?
The petition asks whether judges can treat body-camera video as conclusive and dismiss an arrest case before trial. It also questions arrests upheld on an officer's reading of a licensing law when video and sworn testimony point different ways.
Who could be affected if the Court takes this case?
People who sue over allegedly unlawful arrests could be affected, especially when police video and witness accounts do not clearly match. Police officers and lower-court judges could also see clearer rules for deciding these cases before trial.
What happens next in John Deonarine v. Aguilar?
The justices must first decide whether to grant certiorari, meaning whether to hear the case. No oral argument is scheduled, and no decision window is available yet.
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 23, 2026
- Method
- Methodology