On June 21, 2018, the U.S. Supreme Court made a decision (Pereira v. Sessions) that may have major implications for those currently or previously in immigration court proceedings.

When non-US citizens are first placed in immigration proceedings, they receive a document called a “Notice to Appear” (NTA), which instructs them to appear before an immigration judge on a certain date. Many such NTAs often do not include the date or time of the hearing. In an 8-1 decision, the Court decided that NTAs without date and time information were invalid.

Because of this ruling, non-citizens who have received NTAs without time and date information may now have the opportunity to reopen their removal orders, in order to either apply for relief from removal or terminate the removal order, or to dismiss illegal reentry charges.

If you have received a Notice to Appear that lacks date and time information, this ruling may affect your immigration options. Please call us for a consultation at 206-774-8758.