No. 25-7651October Term 2025Before Arguments
Zenia Chavez, Petitioner v. United States
from the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit.
Case status
- Current stage
- Before Arguments
- Latest event
- Accepted by the Court
- Decision timing
- No window until argument is scheduled.
- What it's about
from the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit.
Question presented
Whether an appeal waiver, that waives “the right to appeal the . . . sentence on any ground, including . . . term of supervision and conditions,” bars a claim that a written judgment conflicts with a sentencing judge’s oral pronouncement of the sentence imposed.
- Case path
United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit / Accepted by the Court
- Area
Criminal Procedure
Timing
Expected by late June 2026, if argued this term
The Court granted review but has not yet scheduled oral argument. Once argued, the median case reaches a decision in 94 days. Nearly all cases are decided by the end of the term in which they are argued.
Briefing
What it's about
The petition asks whether an appeal waiver (a promise not to challenge a sentence on appeal) also blocks a claim that the written judgment does not match what the judge said in court. Chavez is asking the Supreme Court to review a Fifth Circuit decision.
Argument
A petition asking the Court to hear the case has been filed, and no argument is scheduled yet. The question presented is whether the waiver bars a claim that the written judgment conflicts with the oral sentence.
Impact
The answer could matter for defendants who agreed not to appeal their sentences. For example, it could affect whether someone can challenge supervision conditions listed in the written judgment if they say those terms do not match what the judge announced in court.
What is Chavez v. United States about?
It asks whether an appeal waiver blocks a claim that the written judgment conflicts with the sentence the judge announced in court.
Who is affected by the issue in Chavez?
People who agreed not to appeal their sentences could be affected if they later say the written judgment adds or changes supervision terms.
What happens next in Chavez v. United States?
The Supreme Court must decide whether to hear the petition. 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 17, 2026
- Method
- Methodology