Emergency application
Pausing an appeals court ruling
James Koutoulas v. Eric De Ford
What did the Court do?
The Court denied the request on August 19, 2026: the lower court's ruling stays in effect while the appeal continues.
Emergency rulings are temporary and do not decide the underlying case.
What's being asked
James Koutoulas, a private party, asks the Supreme Court to temporarily pause a ruling by the Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals. The record does not say what the ruling or underlying dispute concerns.
What the Court did
Justice Thomas refused to pause the Eleventh Circuit's ruling and denied the application (turned down the request). The order does not decide who wins the underlying case, and the Court did not publish how the justices voted.
What it means
This emergency ruling addresses only a temporary pause; it does not decide who wins the underlying case. The Eleventh Circuit's ruling remains in place, and the record lists no related Supreme Court case or argument.
Sources
Facts on this page come from the Supreme Court docket, orders, and opinions for No. 26A171. The answers restate that record in plain words; explainer copy is written from the record and the filings only.