No. 25-7182October Term 2025Petition PendingUpdated Sep 3, 2026
Johnson v. United States
Case status
Where it stands
Awaiting an order on the petition
- Next
- No decision timeline until the Court agrees to hear the case.
What it's about
David Johnson asks the Supreme Court to review a Sixth Circuit ruling about when prosecutors may introduce an expert-created chart or other presentation as evidence. He argues that the court allowed an interpretive, argumentative exhibit to go to the jury under Rule 611(a) even though it did not meet the requirements for summary evidence under Federal Rule of Evidence 1006.
Question presented
Whether an expert’s interpretive, pedagogical exhibit may be admitted into evidence under Rule 611(a) and reviewed by the jury during deliberations even when it does not comply with Federal Rule of Evidence 1006 and would otherwise be excluded as a demonstrative or illustrative aid that may not be provided to the jury?
What happens next
The next step is a scheduling move or a decision on certiorari (the Court’s decision whether to hear the case). No decision window is available yet.
Why it matters
The answer could affect federal trials where lawyers use charts or presentations to explain evidence. For example, a defendant could face jurors who take an expert’s interpretive exhibit into deliberations rather than viewing it only as a courtroom aid.
The case concerns how federal evidence rules limit persuasive summaries and a judge’s control over how evidence is presented.
Case file
- Docket
- 25-7182
- Status
- Petition Pending
- From
- United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit
- Documents
- 1
Documents
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AI analysis generated: Case Briefing
Brief added: Petition
More questions
- What is at stake in Johnson v. United States?
- The case concerns whether jurors may receive an expert’s interpretive exhibit during deliberations when it does not satisfy Rule 1006.
- How could Johnson affect federal trials?
- It could determine whether lawyers may place argumentative teaching charts into evidence under Rule 611(a). That may affect what jurors can review while deciding a case.
- When does Johnson v. United States move next?
- The Court may take a scheduling action or decide whether to hear the petition. Oral argument has not been scheduled.
Sources
Primary materials plus reporting. Best-effort analysis: this explainer relies on a mix of primary materials and trusted secondary sources. Official filings and opinions remain authoritative.