This educational guide is based on the linked primary sources. It is not a Court publication, is not affiliated with the Court, and is not legal advice.
In brief
Overview
The Supreme Court granted certiorari in Hamm v. Smith.
The Court vacated the Eleventh Circuit’s judgment and remanded the case for further consideration consistent with this opinion.
Smith’s full‑scale IQ scores ranged from 72 to 78, and his claim of intellectual disability depended on whether his IQ is 70 or below.
The District Court vacated Smith’s death sentence after concluding that he is intellectually disabled.
Background and question before the Court
The District Court vacated Smith’s death sentence after concluding that he is intellectually disabled.
The Eleventh Circuit’s opinion on the case can be read in two ways.
What each side argues
What happened at oral argument
What the Court decided
The Court granted the petition for certiorari.
The Court vacated the Eleventh Circuit’s judgment.
The Court remanded the case for further consideration consistent with this opinion.
Why it matters
Terms to know
No glossary terms are available for this guide.
Primary sources
Read the source materials on the official site or open the immutable repository copy used for this guide.
- 604us1r01_2dq3.pdfopinion
Guide generated September 27, 2026. Automated validation accepted this version.