The Key Briefs & Materials Page provides a listing of key judicial materials and briefs on the Melendez-Diaz v. Massachusetts case. The linked materials on the case are organized by (1) Supreme Court Documents, (2) Merit Briefs, (3) Amicus Curiae Briefs, (4) Certiorari Petition Briefs; and (5) additional articles on the case. Other information on the Melendez-Diaz v. Massachusetts Resource Page, includes Overview; Key Cases; and coverage in the Federal Evidence Blog.
Key Supreme Court Briefs And Materials Luis E. Melendez-Diaz v. Massachusetts
| Date | Document |
|---|---|
| Court Documents | |
| June 25, 2009 | Supreme Court holds that certificates of forensic analysis are “testimonial” and “the Sixth Amendment does not permit the prosecution to prove its case via ex parte out-of-court affidavits.” Melendez-Diaz v. Massachusetts, 557 U.S. __, 129 S. Ct. 2527, 2542 (2009) (No. 07–591). |
| 2007 — Present | Docket Sheet |
| Nov. 10, 2008 | Oral Argument Transcript |
| Nov. 3, 2008 | Hearing List |
| March 17, 2008 | Certiorari Granted |
| July 31, 2007 | Case Under Review from the Commonwealth Of Massachusetts Appeals Court: Commonwealth v. Luis E. Melendez-Diaz, 69 Mass. App. Ct. 1114, 870 N.E.2d 676 (Mass. App. 2007) (No. 05-P-1213) |
| Merit Briefs | |
| June 16, 2008 | Brief for Petitioner |
| Sept. 2, 2008 | Brief for Respondent |
| Oct. 2, 2008 | Reply of Petitioner |
| Amicus Curiae Briefs | |
| June 23, 2008 | Brief Of Amici Curiae National Association Of Criminal Defense Lawyers, National Association Of Federal Defenders, And National College For Dui Defense In Support Of Petitioner |
| June 23, 2008 | Brief Of Law Professors As Amici Curiae In Support Of Petitioner |
| June 23, 2008 | Brief Of Professor Richard D. Friedman, As Amicus Curiae In Support Of Petitioner |
| June 23, 2008 | Brief of Amicus Curiae National Innocence Network in Support of Petitioner |
| Sept. 9, 2008 | Brief for the United States as Amicus Curiae Supporting Respondent |
| Sept. 9, 2008 | Brief of the 35 States and the District of Columbia as Amici Curiae in Support of Respondent |
| Sept. 9, 2008 | Brief Of Amici Curiae The National District Attorneys Association, And District, Prosecuting, And County Attorneys In Support Of Respondent |
| Certiorari Petition Briefs | |
| Oct. 26, 2007 | Petition For A Writ Of Certiorari |
| Feb. 5, 2008 | Brief Of Respondent Massachusetts In Opposition |
| Feb. 19, 2008 | Reply Of Petitioner Luis E. Melendez-Diaz |
| March 17, 2008 | Certiorari Granted |
| Dec. 3, 2007 | Motion For Leave To File Brief And Brief Of Richard D. Friedman As Amicus Curiae In Support Of Petition For Certiorari |
| Dec. 3, 2007 | Motion For Leave To File Brief As Amici Curiae And Brief Of Amici Curiae By Professors Pamela R. Metzger, Jennifer L. Mnookin, And Andrew E. Taslitz, The National Association Of Criminal Defense Lawyers, The Innocence Project, The National College For Dui Defense, The Committee For Public Counsel Services, And The Massachusetts Association Of Criminal Defense Lawyers In Support Of Petition For Certiorari |
Additional Background Materials
| Item | Date | Source/Link | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Metzger, Cheating the Constitution | Mar. 2006 | 59 Vand. L. Rev. 475 (2006) | Cited in the Petition For A Writ Of Certiorari |
| Court weighs use of MA crime lab reports at trial | Nov. 10, 2008 | Associated Press | Summarizing U.S. Supreme Court oral argument |
| Adam Liptak, Court Weighs How Juries Should Hear Lab Evidence | Nov. 11, 2008 | New York Times | Summarizing U.S. Supreme Court oral argument |
| Laurel Newby, Supreme Court Argument Report: Lawyers as “Repeat Players” | Nov. 12, 2008 | Law.com | Summarizing U.S. Supreme Court oral argument |
| Attorney for Petitioner | 2008 | Associate Stanford Law Professor Jeffrey L. Fisher | Also argued the Crawford v. Washington case |
| Attorney for Respondent | 2008 | Martha Coakley | Massachusetts Attorney General |
