No. 24-7351 *** CAPITAL CASE ***
 
Title: Terry Pitchford, Petitioner
v.
Burl Cain, Commissioner, Mississippi Department of Corrections, et al.
Docketed: June 3, 2025
Linked with: 24A1022
Lower Ct: United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit
   Case Numbers: (23-70009)
   Decision Date: January 17, 2025
   Rehearing Denied: January 28, 2025
Questions Presented
 
Proceedings and Orders
Apr 18 2025 Application (24A1022) to extend the time to file a petition for a writ of certiorari from April 28, 2025 to June 27, 2025, submitted to Justice Alito.
Main Document Lower Court Orders/Opinions Lower Court Orders/Opinions Proof of Service
Apr 23 2025 Application (24A1022) granted by Justice Alito extending the time to file until May 28, 2025.
May 28 2025 Petition for a writ of certiorari and motion for leave to proceed in forma pauperis filed. (Response due July 3, 2025)
Motion for Leave to Proceed in Forma Pauperis Petition Appendix Proof of Service
Jun 16 2025 Motion to extend the time to file a response from July 3, 2025 to August 4, 2025, submitted to The Clerk.
Main Document
Jun 18 2025 Motion to extend the time to file a response is granted and the time is extended to and including August 4, 2025.
Jul 03 2025 Brief amici curiae of Linda Lee, et al. filed.
Main Document Proof of Service Certificate of Word Count
Jul 03 2025 Brief amici curiae of Current and Former Elected Prosecutors, et al. filed.
Main Document Certificate of Word Count Proof of Service
Jul 03 2025 Brief amicus curiae of Mississippi Legislative Black Caucus filed.
Main Document Certificate of Word Count Proof of Service
Aug 01 2025 Brief of respondent Burl Cain, Commissioner, Mississippi Department of Corrections, et al. in opposition filed.
Main Document Proof of Service
Aug 15 2025 Reply of petitioner Terry Pitchford filed.
Main Document Proof of Service
Aug 21 2025 DISTRIBUTED for Conference of 9/29/2025.
Oct 06 2025 DISTRIBUTED for Conference of 10/10/2025.
Oct 14 2025 DISTRIBUTED for Conference of 10/17/2025.
Nov 03 2025 DISTRIBUTED for Conference of 11/7/2025.
Nov 10 2025 DISTRIBUTED for Conference of 11/14/2025.
Nov 17 2025 DISTRIBUTED for Conference of 11/21/2025.
Dec 01 2025 DISTRIBUTED for Conference of 12/5/2025.
Dec 08 2025 DISTRIBUTED for Conference of 12/12/2025.
Dec 15 2025 Motion to proceed in forma pauperis granted. Petition for a writ of certiorari GRANTED limited to the following question: Whether, under the standards set forth in AEDPA, 28 U. S. C. ยง2254(d), the Mississippi Supreme Court unreasonably determined that petitioner waived his right to rebut the prosecutor's asserted race-neutral reasons for exercising peremptory strikes against four black jurors.
Jan 28 2026 Brief of petitioner Terry Pitchford filed.
Main Document Certificate of Word Count Proof of Service
Jan 28 2026 Joint appendix Volumes 1, 2, 3 and 4 filed. (Statement of costs filed)
Main Document Main Document Main Document Main Document Proof of Service
Jan 30 2026 SET FOR ARGUMENT on Tuesday, March 31, 2026.
Feb 04 2026 Brief amici curiae of Constitutional Accountability Center, et al. filed.
Main Document Proof of Service Certificate of Word Count
Feb 04 2026 Brief amicus curiae of Mississippi Legislative Black Caucus filed.
Main Document Proof of Service Certificate of Word Count
Feb 04 2026 Brief amici curiae of American Civil Liberties Union Foundation, et al. filed.
Main Document Proof of Service Certificate of Word Count
Feb 04 2026 Brief amici curiae of Linda Lee, et al. filed.
Main Document Proof of Service Certificate of Word Count
Feb 04 2026 Brief amicus curiae of NAACP Legal Defense & Educational Fund, Inc. filed.
Main Document Proof of Service Certificate of Word Count
Feb 04 2026 Brief amici curiae of Fair and Just Prosecution, et al. filed.
Main Document Proof of Service Certificate of Word Count
Feb 04 2026 Brief amici curiae of Habeas Corpus Scholars filed.
Main Document Proof of Service Certificate of Word Count
Feb 10 2026 Record requested from the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit.
Attorneys
Attorneys for Petitioner
Joseph John Perkovich
Counsel of Record
Phillips Black, Inc.
PO Box 3547
New York, NY 10008

J.PERKOVICH@PHILLIPSBLACK.ORG
Ph: 212 400 1660
Party name: Terry Pitchford


Attorneys for Respondents
Scott Grant Stewart
Counsel of Record
Mississippi Attorney General's Office
P.O. Box 220
Jackson, MS 39205-0220

SCOTT.STEWART@AGO.MS.GOV
Ph: (601) 359-5563
Party name: Cain, Comm'r, MS DOC, et al.


Other Attorneys
Kimberly Joanne Broecker
Counsel of Record
Williams & Connolly LLP
680 Maine Avenue, S.W.
Washington, DC 20024

kbroecker@wc.com
Ph: (202) 434-5000
Party name: The Mississippi Legislative Black Caucus


Ashley Michelle Burrell
Counsel of Record
NAACP Legal Defense & Educational Fund, Inc.
40 Rector Street, 5th Floor
New York, NY 10006

ABURRELL@NAACPLDF.ORG
Ph: (212) 965-2200
Party name: NAACP Legal Defense & Educational Fund, Inc.


William Tucker Carrington
University of Mississippi School of Law
481 Chucky Mullins Drive
University, MS 38677

wtc4@ms-ip.org
Ph: 202-492-1755
Party name: Mississippi Legislative Black Caucus


Brianne Jenna Gorod
Counsel of Record
Constitutional Accountability Center
1730 Rhode Island Ave. NW
Suite 1200
Washington, DC 20036

BRIANNE@THEUSCONSTITUTION.ORG
Ph: 202 296 6889
Party name: Constitutional Accountability Center and National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers


Katherine Lindsay Pringle
Counsel of Record
Friedman Kaplan, et al.
7 Times Square
New York, NY 10036

kpringle@fklaw.com
Ph: 212-833-1100
Party name: American Civil Liberties Union Foundation, American Civil Liberties Union of Mississippi, and Fred T. Korematsu Center For Law and Equality


Geoffrey Cameron Shaw
Counsel of Record
Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe LLP
355 S. Grand Ave., Suite 2700
Los Angeles, CA 90071

geoffreyshaw@orrick.com
Ph: 2136292020
Party name: Habeas Corpus Scholars


Amy Rebekah Upshaw
Counsel of Record
King & Spalding LLP
1700 Pennsylvania Avenue NW
Suite 900
Washington, DC 20006

aupshaw@kslaw.com
Ph: 202-737-0500
Party name: Linda Lee, Patricia Tidwell Hubbard, and Carlos Ward


Daniel Hirotsu Woofter
Counsel of Record
Russell & Woofter LLC
1701 Pennsylvania Ave NW
Suite 200
Washington, DC 20006

dw@russellwoofter.com
Ph: 202-240-8433
Party name: Current and Former Elected Prosecutors, Former Attorney General and Federal and State Judges, and Fair and Just Prosecution


Daniel Hirotsu Woofter
Counsel of Record
Russell & Woofter LLC
1701 Pennsylvania Ave NW
Suite 200
Washington, DC 20006

dw@russellwoofter.com
Ph: 202-240-8433
Party name: Fair and Just Prosecution, the Law Enforcement Action Partnership, and 40 Current and Former Prosecutors, Law Enforcement Officials, and Former Judges