No. 25-7538October Term 2025Petition Pending
Elta Gelin Lannis, Petitioner v. Florida
Elta Gelin Lannis asks the Supreme Court to review a Florida appellate decision and to overturn Williams v.
Case status
- Current stage
- Petition Pending
- Latest event
- Petition pending
- Decision timing
- No decision timeline until the Court agrees to hear the case.
- What it's about
Elta Gelin Lannis asks the Supreme Court to review a Florida appellate decision and to overturn Williams v. Florida, a precedent permitting six-person juries in state criminal trials. The case is pending, and the Court has not yet decided whether to hear it.
Question presented
Whether Williams v. Florida, 399 U.S. 78 (1970), should be overturned?
- Case path
District Court of Appeal of Florida, Fourth District / Petition pending
- Area
Petition for review pending
Briefing
What it's about
Elta Gelin Lannis asks the Supreme Court to review a Florida appellate decision and overturn Williams v. Florida, which permits six-person juries in state criminal trials. The Court has not yet decided whether to hear the case.
Argument
The petition has been filed, and oral argument is not yet scheduled. The Court must decide whether to grant certiorari (agree to hear the case).
Impact
The case could affect defendants and prosecutors in Florida and other states that use six-person juries in criminal cases. For example, a person facing a state criminal trial could be tried before a differently sized jury if the Court revisits its earlier precedent.
What is at stake in Lannis v. Florida?
The case asks whether the Court should overturn Williams v. Florida, which permits six-person juries in state criminal trials.
Who could be affected by Lannis v. Florida?
Defendants, prosecutors, judges, and potential jurors in states using six-person criminal juries could be affected. Florida is directly involved in this petition.
What happens next in Lannis v. Florida?
The Supreme Court will decide whether to hear the case. Oral argument has not been scheduled.
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