FBI v. Fikre
View Official PDFBelow are plain-language sections to help you understand what the Court decided in FBI v. Fikre and why it matters. Quotes are taken from the syllabus (the Court’s short summary at the start of the opinion).
Summary
A short, plain-English overview of FBI v. Fikre.
In FBI v. Fikre, the Supreme Court addressed whether the government's voluntary removal of Yonas Fikre from the No Fly List rendered his case moot. Fikre alleged violations of procedural due process and equal protection, claiming he was placed on the list for impermissible reasons. The Court affirmed the Ninth Circuit's decision, finding the government failed to demonstrate the case was moot.
Holding
The single most important “bottom line” of what the Court decided in FBI v. Fikre.
The Court held that the government has failed to demonstrate that this case is moot. The government's assurances were insufficient to prove that the challenged conduct cannot reasonably be expected to recur.
Constitutional Concepts
These are the Constitution-related themes that appear in FBI v. Fikre. Click a concept to see other cases that involve the same idea.
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Why Procedural Due Process is relevant to FBI v. Fikre
The case involves allegations that the government failed to provide meaningful notice or a way to secure redress, which are core aspects of procedural due process.
Syllabus excerpt (verbatim)Mr. Fikre sought, among other things, an injunction prohibiting the government from keeping him on the No Fly List and a declaratory judgment confirming the government had violated his rights to procedural due process by failing to provide either meaningful notice of his addition to the No Fly List or any appropriate way to secure redress.
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Why Standing is relevant to FBI v. Fikre
The Court's analysis focuses on whether the case is moot, which directly relates to the standing and the requirement for a live controversy.
Syllabus excerpt (verbatim)A court with jurisdiction has a 'virtually unfagging obligation' to hear and resolve questions properly before it. ... But the converse is also true as a federal court must dismiss a case that is moot.
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Why Equal Protection is relevant to FBI v. Fikre
The case involves allegations of discrimination based on race, national origin, and religious beliefs, which are central to equal protection claims.
Syllabus excerpt (verbatim)He further alleged that the government had placed him on the list for constitutionally impermissible reasons related to his race, national origin, and religious beliefs.
Key Quotes
Short excerpts from the syllabus in FBI v. Fikre that support the summary and concepts above.
The government has failed to demonstrate that this case is moot.
A defendant's speculation about a plaintiff's actions cannot make up for a lack of assurance about its own.
This standard holds for governmental defendants no less than for private ones.
