A Mistake’s a Mistake, Justices Not Parsing Legal Meaning (1)

The U.S. Supreme Court seemed unlikely to agree with the government or the criminal defendant in a case about when a party can seek relief from a final judgment due to a judge’s error.

Instead, the justices at Tuesday’s oral argument on a procedural question appeared likely to ultimately say the ordinary meaning of the term “mistake” applies when determining the appropriate deadline under Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 60(b). That provision provides narrow opportunities to reopen rulings that judges wrongly decide.

It is natural to say that “the judge made a mistake here,” Justice Clarence Thomas said.

And Justice ...