No. 25-7231October Term 2025Dismissed
Albert Glass, Petitioner v. Office of Chief Medical Examiner
Albert Glass filed a petition asking the Supreme Court to review a Fourth Circuit case involving allegations that a state medical examiner took organs from a deceased person without permission from the person or next of kin.
Case status
- Current stage
- Dismissed
- Latest event
- Dismissed
- Decision timing
- No window until argument is scheduled.
- What it's about
Albert Glass filed a petition asking the Supreme Court to review a Fourth Circuit case involving allegations that a state medical examiner took organs from a deceased person without permission from the person or next of kin. The case was dismissed, so the Court did not issue a ruling on those claims.
Question presented
1. Is the taking of a deceased person ’ s organs by a state agency without pre authorization of said person or next-of-kin a violation of the Constitutional and legal rights of said person and next'of kin? 2. Also, without authorization is it a violation of this person ’ s next-of-kin ’ s constitutional and legal rights to give organs to research facilities?
- Case path
United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit / Dismissed
- Area
Dismissed Supreme Court case
Briefing
What it's about
Albert Glass asked the Supreme Court to review claims that a state medical examiner took a deceased person's organs without permission from the person or next of kin. He also challenged the alleged transfer of organs to research facilities without authorization.
Argument
The petition was dismissed. No substantive justice or advocate reactions are available yet.
Impact
The case concerns whether families have constitutional or legal rights over organs taken after a relative's death. It could affect next of kin when a state agency removes organs or sends them for research.
What is at stake in Glass v. Office of Chief Medical Examiner?
The case asks whether a state agency may take a deceased person's organs without prior permission from that person or next of kin.
Who could be affected by the organ-removal dispute?
Next of kin could be affected when a state medical examiner removes organs from a deceased relative or gives them to research facilities.
What happens next in Glass v. Office of Chief Medical Examiner?
The petition was dismissed, and no decision window is set. Any further Court scheduling move would be the next development.
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
- Sep 3, 2026
- Method
- Methodology