No. 25-7625October Term 2025Petition Pending
In Re Stephen J. Williams, Petitioner
Stephen J.
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
Stephen J. Williams asks the Supreme Court to issue a writ of mandamus vacating appellate-panel orders because two panel judges were defendants in his separate civil suit and therefore, he argues, were required to step aside. He contends that the resulting lack of a lawful quorum—and the alleged disqualification of all active Second Circuit judges—left no court within the circuit able to provide relief.
Question presented
1. Whether mandamus is mandated to vacate orders issued by a panel that lacked statutory authority to act under 28 U.S.C. § 455(b)(5)(i), where the participation of the disqualified judges is itself the complete defect, the quorum failure independently confirms that no lawful tribunal existed, and — because the entire active bench of the circuit is subject to the same disqualification — no forum within the circuit is capable of providing relief? 2. Whether this Court ’ s constitutional responsibility to ensure that the judicial power of the United States is exercised only by lawfully constituted courts requires it to act when orders issued by a panel lacking statutory authority stand unremedied as purported exercises of that power?
- Case path
Petition pending
- Area
Petition for review pending
Briefing
What it's about
Stephen J. Williams asks the Supreme Court to erase appellate-panel orders. He says two judges on the three-judge panel were defendants in his separate civil lawsuit and therefore had to step aside.
Argument
The case has not been scheduled for oral argument. Williams argues that the panel lacked a lawful quorum and that all active Second Circuit judges were disqualified from providing relief.
Impact
The case could clarify what happens when judges who may be disqualified take part in a case. For example, a litigant could seek to undo a panel’s action if panel members were parties to that litigant’s separate lawsuit.
What is at stake in In Re Stephen J. Williams?
Williams seeks to void panel orders because he says two judges were defendants in his separate civil case and could not participate.
Who could be affected by the Williams case?
Litigants who claim judges in their cases were disqualified could be affected. The case also concerns courts unable to assemble enough eligible judges.
What happens next in In Re Stephen J. Williams?
The Court may take another scheduling step or set oral argument. No argument date or decision window has been set.
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