List Of United States Supreme Court Decisions On Capital Punishment

U.S. Supreme Court The Supreme Court of the United States (SCOTUS) is the highest court in the federal judiciary of the United States. It has ultimate appellate jurisdiction over all U.S. federal court cases, and over state court cases that involve a point o ...

capital punishment Capital punishment, also known as the death penalty, is the state-sanctioned practice of deliberately killing a person as a punishment for an actual or supposed crime, usually following an authorized, rule-governed process to conclude that t ...

sodium thiopental Sodium thiopental, also known as Sodium Pentothal (a trademark of Abbott Laboratories), thiopental, thiopentone, or Trapanal (also a trademark), is a rapid-onset short-acting barbiturate general anesthetic. It is the thiobarbiturate analog of pe ...

Tison v. Arizona ''Tison v. Arizona'', 481 U.S. 137 (1987), is a United States Supreme Court case in which the Court qualified the rule it set forth in '' Enmund v. Florida'' (1982). Just as in ''Enmund'', in ''Tison'' the Court applied the proportionality princ ...

Sumner v. Shuman ''Sumner v. Shuman'', 483 U.S. 66 (1987), was a case in which the Supreme Court of the United States held that a mandatory death penalty for a prison inmate who is convicted of murder while serving a life sentence without possibility of parole i ...

Kennedy v. Louisiana ''Kennedy v. Louisiana'', 554 U.S. 407 (2008), is a landmark decision by the Supreme Court of the United States that held that the Eighth Amendment's Cruel and Unusual Punishments Clause prohibits imposing the death penalty for the rape of a chi ...

Ford v. Wainwright ''Ford v. Wainwright'', 477 U.S. 399 (1986), was a Lists of United States Supreme Court cases, landmark Supreme Court of the United States, U.S. Supreme Court case that upheld the common law rule that the insane cannot be Capital punishment in the ...

Stewart v. Martinez-Villareal ''Stewart v. Martinez-Villareal'', 523 U.S. 637 (1998), was a decision by the United States Supreme Court, which held that did not apply to a petition that raises only a competency to be executed claim and that respondent did not, therefore, nee ...

habeas corpus ''Habeas corpus'' (; from Medieval Latin, ) is a recourse in law through which a person can report an unlawful detention or imprisonment to a court and request that the court order the custodian of the person, usually a prison official, t ...

Hall v. Florida ''Hall v. Florida'', 572 U.S. 701 (2014), was a Supreme Court of the United States, United States Supreme Court case in which the Court held that a bright-line Intelligence quotient, IQ threshold requirement for determining whether someone has an ...

Spaziano v. Florida ''Spaziano v. Florida'' was two United States Supreme Court cases dealing with the imposition of the death penalty. In the first case, 454 U.S. 1037 (1981),. the Supreme Court, with two dissents, refused Spaziano's petition for certiorari. Howev ...

Furman v. Georgia ''Furman v. Georgia'', 408 U.S. 238 (1972), was a landmark criminal case in which the United States Supreme Court invalidated all then existing legal constructions for the death penalty in the United States. It was 5–4 decision, with each memb ...

Gregg v. Georgia ''Gregg v. Georgia'', ''Proffitt v. Florida'', ''Jurek v. Texas'', ''Woodson v. North Carolina'', and ''Roberts v. Louisiana'', 428 U.S. 153 (1976), is a landmark decision of the U.S. Supreme Court. It reaffirmed the Court's acceptance of the use ...

Proffitt v. Florida ''Gregg v. Georgia'', ''Proffitt v. Florida'', ''Jurek v. Texas'', ''Woodson v. North Carolina'', and ''Roberts v. Louisiana'', 428 U.S. 153 (1976), is a landmark decision of the U.S. Supreme Court. It reaffirmed the Court's acceptance of the us ...

Spaziano v. Florida ''Spaziano v. Florida'' was two United States Supreme Court cases dealing with the imposition of the death penalty. In the first case, 454 U.S. 1037 (1981),. the Supreme Court, with two dissents, refused Spaziano's petition for certiorari. Howev ...

Hitchcock v. Dugger Sir Alfred Joseph Hitchcock (13 August 1899 – 29 April 1980) was an English filmmaker. He is widely regarded as one of the most influential figures in the history of cinema. In a career spanning six decades, he directed over 50 featur ...

Sumner v. Shuman ''Sumner v. Shuman'', 483 U.S. 66 (1987), was a case in which the Supreme Court of the United States held that a mandatory death penalty for a prison inmate who is convicted of murder while serving a life sentence without possibility of parole i ...

South Carolina v. Gathers ''South Carolina v. Gathers'', 490 U.S. 805 (1989), was a United States Supreme Court case which held that testimony in the form of a victim impact statement is admissible during the sentencing phase of a trial only if it directly relates to the ...

Payne v. Tennessee ''Payne v. Tennessee'', 501 U.S. 808 (1991), was a United States Supreme Court case which held that testimony in the form of a victim impact statement is admissible during the sentencing phase of a trial and, in death penalty cases, does not viola ...

Victim impact statement A victim impact statement is a written or oral statement made as part of the judicial legal process, which allows crime victims the opportunity to speak during the sentencing of the convicted person or at subsequent parole hearings. Overview One ...

Johnson v. Texas Johnson is a surname of Anglo-Norman origin meaning "Son of John". It is the second most common in the United States and 154th most common in the world. As a common family name in Scotland, Johnson is occasionally a variation of ''Johnston'', a ...

Harris v. Alabama ''Harris v. Alabama'', 513 U.S. 504 (1995), was a case in which the Supreme Court of the United States held that allowing the judge to impose a death sentence and making the jury recommendation non-binding even when it calls for life imprisonment i ...

Louisiana ex rel. Francis v. Resweber __NOTOC__ ''Louisiana ex rel. Francis v. Resweber'', 329 U.S. 459 (1947), is a case in which the U.S. Supreme Court was asked whether imposing capital punishment (the electric chair) a second time, after it failed in an attempt to execute Willie F ...

double jeopardy In jurisprudence, double jeopardy is a procedural defence (primarily in common law jurisdictions) that prevents an accused person from being tried again on the same (or similar) charges following an acquittal or conviction and in rare case ...

Louisiana ex rel. Francis v. Resweber __NOTOC__ ''Louisiana ex rel. Francis v. Resweber'', 329 U.S. 459 (1947), is a case in which the U.S. Supreme Court was asked whether imposing capital punishment (the electric chair) a second time, after it failed in an attempt to execute Willie F ...

Green v. United States Green is the color between cyan and yellow on the visible spectrum. It is evoked by light which has a dominant wavelength of roughly 495570 nm. In subtractive color systems, used in painting and color printing, it is created by a combina ...

Arizona v. Rumsey Arizona ( ; nv, Hoozdo Hahoodzo ; ood, Alĭ ṣonak ) is a U.S. state, state in the Southwestern United States. It is the list of U.S. states and territories by area, 6th largest and the list of U.S. states and territories by population, 14 ...

Spaziano v. Florida ''Spaziano v. Florida'' was two United States Supreme Court cases dealing with the imposition of the death penalty. In the first case, 454 U.S. 1037 (1981),. the Supreme Court, with two dissents, refused Spaziano's petition for certiorari. Howev ...

Davis v. Georgia Davis may refer to: Places Antarctica * Mount Davis (Antarctica) * Davis Island (Palmer Archipelago) * Davis Valley, Queen Elizabeth Land Canada * Davis, Saskatchewan, an unincorporated community * Davis Strait, between Nunavut and Gree ...

Spaziano v. Florida ''Spaziano v. Florida'' was two United States Supreme Court cases dealing with the imposition of the death penalty. In the first case, 454 U.S. 1037 (1981),. the Supreme Court, with two dissents, refused Spaziano's petition for certiorari. Howev ...

Hurst v. Florida ''Hurst v. Florida'', 577 U.S. 92 (2016), was a United States Supreme Court case in which the Court, in an 8–1 ruling, applied the rule of ''Ring v. Arizona''. to the Florida capital sentencing scheme, holding that the Sixth Amendment requires ...

Holmes v. South Carolina ''Holmes v. South Carolina'', 547 U.S. 319 (2006), was a decision by the United States Supreme Court involving the right of a criminal defendant to present evidence that a third party instead committed the crime. The Court vacated the rape and m ...

McCoy v. Louisiana ''McCoy v. Louisiana'', 584 U.S. ___ (2018), was a Supreme Court of the United States, United States Supreme Court case in which the Court held the Sixth Amendment to the United States Constitution, Sixth Amendment guarantees a defendant the righ ...

United States v. Tsarnaev Dzhokhar "Jahar" Anzorovich Tsarnaev born July 22, 1993)russian: Джоха́р Анзо́рович Царна́ев, link=no ; ce, Царнаев Анзор-кIант ДжовхӀар o; ( Kyrgyz language, Kyrgyz: Жохар Анзор уу� ...

Irvin v. Dowd ''Irvin v. Dowd'', 359 U.S. 394 (1959), was a United States Supreme Court case.. It involved an escaped convict's ( Leslie Irvin) denial of appeal. The convict sought a federal writ of habeas corpus. ''Irvin v. Dowd'' was one of the first of many ...

Furman v. Georgia ''Furman v. Georgia'', 408 U.S. 238 (1972), was a landmark criminal case in which the United States Supreme Court invalidated all then existing legal constructions for the death penalty in the United States. It was 5–4 decision, with each memb ...

Gregg v. Georgia ''Gregg v. Georgia'', ''Proffitt v. Florida'', ''Jurek v. Texas'', ''Woodson v. North Carolina'', and ''Roberts v. Louisiana'', 428 U.S. 153 (1976), is a landmark decision of the U.S. Supreme Court. It reaffirmed the Court's acceptance of the use ...

Proffitt v. Florida ''Gregg v. Georgia'', ''Proffitt v. Florida'', ''Jurek v. Texas'', ''Woodson v. North Carolina'', and ''Roberts v. Louisiana'', 428 U.S. 153 (1976), is a landmark decision of the U.S. Supreme Court. It reaffirmed the Court's acceptance of the us ...

Davis v. Georgia Davis may refer to: Places Antarctica * Mount Davis (Antarctica) * Davis Island (Palmer Archipelago) * Davis Valley, Queen Elizabeth Land Canada * Davis, Saskatchewan, an unincorporated community * Davis Strait, between Nunavut and Gree ...

Spaziano v. Florida ''Spaziano v. Florida'' was two United States Supreme Court cases dealing with the imposition of the death penalty. In the first case, 454 U.S. 1037 (1981),. the Supreme Court, with two dissents, refused Spaziano's petition for certiorari. Howev ...

Ake v. Oklahoma ''Ake v. Oklahoma'', 470 U.S. 68 (1985), was a case in which the Supreme Court of the United States held that the Due Process Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment required the state to provide a psychiatric evaluation to be used on behalf of an in ...

Hitchcock v. Dugger Sir Alfred Joseph Hitchcock (13 August 1899 – 29 April 1980) was an English filmmaker. He is widely regarded as one of the most influential figures in the history of cinema. In a career spanning six decades, he directed over 50 featur ...

Sumner v. Shuman ''Sumner v. Shuman'', 483 U.S. 66 (1987), was a case in which the Supreme Court of the United States held that a mandatory death penalty for a prison inmate who is convicted of murder while serving a life sentence without possibility of parole i ...

Johnson v. Texas Johnson is a surname of Anglo-Norman origin meaning "Son of John". It is the second most common in the United States and 154th most common in the world. As a common family name in Scotland, Johnson is occasionally a variation of ''Johnston'', a ...

Simmons v. South Carolina ''Simmons v. South Carolina'', 512 U.S. 154 (1994), is a United States Supreme Court case holding that, where a capital defendant's future dangerousness is at issue, and the only alternative sentence available is life imprisonment without the po ...

Holmes v. South Carolina ''Holmes v. South Carolina'', 547 U.S. 319 (2006), was a decision by the United States Supreme Court involving the right of a criminal defendant to present evidence that a third party instead committed the crime. The Court vacated the rape and m ...

Williams v. Pennsylvania ''Williams v. Pennsylvania'', 579 U.S. ___ (2016), was a United States Supreme Court case in which the Court held that a prosecutor involved in seeking the death penalty for a defendant should recuse himself if asked to judge an appeal in the ca ...

Brady v. Maryland ''Brady v. Maryland'', 373 U.S. 83 (1963), was a landmark United States Supreme Court case that established that the prosecution must turn over all evidence that might exonerate the defendant ( exculpatory evidence) to the defense.

Louisiana ex rel. Francis v. Resweber __NOTOC__ ''Louisiana ex rel. Francis v. Resweber'', 329 U.S. 459 (1947), is a case in which the U.S. Supreme Court was asked whether imposing capital punishment (the electric chair) a second time, after it failed in an attempt to execute Willie F ...

Miller-El v. Dretke ''Miller-El v. Dretke'', 545 U.S. 231 (2005), is a United States Supreme Court case that clarified the constitutional limitations on the use by prosecutors of peremptory challenges and of the Texas procedure termed the "jury shuffle." Backgrou ...

Irvin v. Dowd ''Irvin v. Dowd'', 359 U.S. 394 (1959), was a United States Supreme Court case.. It involved an escaped convict's ( Leslie Irvin) denial of appeal. The convict sought a federal writ of habeas corpus. ''Irvin v. Dowd'' was one of the first of many ...

Wainwright v. Goode Wainwright may refer to: * Wainwright (occupation), a tradesperson skilled in the making and repairing of carts or wagons * Wainwright (surname), including the list of people Places Canada * Wainwright, Alberta, a town in Alberta ** Wainwrig ...

Hitchcock v. Dugger Sir Alfred Joseph Hitchcock (13 August 1899 – 29 April 1980) was an English filmmaker. He is widely regarded as one of the most influential figures in the history of cinema. In a career spanning six decades, he directed over 50 featur ...

Sumner v. Shuman ''Sumner v. Shuman'', 483 U.S. 66 (1987), was a case in which the Supreme Court of the United States held that a mandatory death penalty for a prison inmate who is convicted of murder while serving a life sentence without possibility of parole i ...

Butler v. McKellar A butler is a person who works in a house serving and is a domestic worker in a large household. In great houses, the household is sometimes divided into departments with the butler in charge of the dining room, wine cellar, and pantry. Some als ...

Graham v. Collins Graham and Graeme may refer to: People * Graham (given name), an English-language given name * Graham (surname), an English-language surname * Graeme (surname), an English-language surname * Graham (musician) (born 1979), Burmese singer * Clan Gr ...

Stewart v. Martinez-Villareal ''Stewart v. Martinez-Villareal'', 523 U.S. 637 (1998), was a decision by the United States Supreme Court, which held that did not apply to a petition that raises only a competency to be executed claim and that respondent did not, therefore, nee ...

Penry v. Johnson ''Penry v. Johnson'', 532 U.S. 782 (2001), is a United States Supreme Court case which concerned whether instructions given to a Texas jury were constitutionally adequate to emphasize the mitigating factors in sentencing of defendants who are int ...

Bell v. Cone ''Bell v. Cone'', 535 U.S. 685 (2002), was a Supreme Court of the United States case that upheld a death sentence despite the defendant's argument that he should not be sentenced to death because he was suffering from drug-induced psychosis when ...

Horn v. Banks The Supreme Court of the United States handed down nine ''per curiam'' opinions during its 2001 term, which began October 1, 2001, and concluded October 6, 2002.The descriptions of two opinions have been omitted: Because ''per curiam'' decision ...

Woodford v. Visciotti The Supreme Court of the United States handed down twelve ''per curiam'' opinions during its 2002 term, which began October 7, 2002 and concluded October 5, 2003.The descriptions of three opinions have been omitted: Because ''per curiam'' decisi ...

Beard v. Banks ''Beard v. Banks'', 548 U.S. 521 (2006), was a case decided by the Supreme Court of the United States, United States Supreme Court in which the petitioner, Ronald Banks, challenged the constitutionality of the Pennsylvania Department of Correctio ...

Bell v. Cone ''Bell v. Cone'', 535 U.S. 685 (2002), was a Supreme Court of the United States case that upheld a death sentence despite the defendant's argument that he should not be sentenced to death because he was suffering from drug-induced psychosis when ...

Brown v. Payton Brown is a color. It can be considered a composite color, but it is mainly a darker shade of orange. In the CMYK color model used in printing or painting, brown is usually made by combining the colors orange and black. In the RGB color model use ...

Miller-El v. Dretke ''Miller-El v. Dretke'', 545 U.S. 231 (2005), is a United States Supreme Court case that clarified the constitutional limitations on the use by prosecutors of peremptory challenges and of the Texas procedure termed the "jury shuffle." Backgrou ...

Bradshaw v. Richey The Supreme Court of the United States handed down sixteen ''per curiam'' opinions during its 2005 term, which lasted from October 3, 2005, until October 1, 2006.The descriptions of two opinions have been omitted: Because ''per curiam'' decision ...

Bobby v. Van Hook The Supreme Court of the United States handed down nineteen ''per curiam'' opinions during its 2009 term, which began on October 5, 2009, and concluded October 3, 2010.The descriptions of four opinions have been omitted: Because ''per curiam'' d ...

Wellons v. Hall The Supreme Court of the United States handed down nineteen ''per curiam'' opinions during its 2009 term, which began on October 5, 2009, and concluded October 3, 2010.The descriptions of four opinions have been omitted: Because ''per curiam'' d ...

Holland v. Florida ''Holland v. Florida'', 560 U.S. 631 (2010), was a Supreme Court of the United States, United States Supreme Court case in which the Court held that the statute of limitations under the Antiterrorism and Effective Death Penalty Act is subject to ...

Maples v. Thomas ''Maples v. Thomas'', 565 U.S. 266 (2012), is a United States Supreme Court ruling in which the Court ruled 7–2 that Cory R. Maples, who had been convicted of murdering two people and faced a possible death sentence, should get another opportun ...

Ryan v. Valencia Gonzales ''Ryan v. Valencia Gonzales'', 568 U.S. 57 (2013), was a case in which the Supreme Court of the United States held that a defendant on death row did not need to be held competent during federal habeas corpus proceedings.. Background Ernest Vale ...

Ryan v. Schad The Supreme Court of the United States handed down six ''per curiam'' opinions during its 2012 term, which began October 1, 2012 and concluded October 6, 2013. Because ''per curiam'' decisions are issued from the Court as an institution, these o ...

Wearry v. Cain The Supreme Court of the United States handed down eighteen ''per curiam'' opinions during its 2015 term, which began October 5, 2015 and concluded October 2, 2016.The descriptions of five opinions have been omitted: Because ''per curiam'' decis ...

Williams v. Pennsylvania ''Williams v. Pennsylvania'', 579 U.S. ___ (2016), was a United States Supreme Court case in which the Court held that a prosecutor involved in seeking the death penalty for a defendant should recuse himself if asked to judge an appeal in the ca ...

Andrus v. Texas The Supreme Court of the United States handed down ten ''per curiam'' opinions during its 2019 term, which began October 7, 2019 and concluded October 4, 2020.The descriptions of two opinions have been omitted: Because ''per curiam'' decisions a ...