SUPREME COURT

SUPREME COURT 2
Case
Roper v. Simmons
 Citation 
543 U.S. 551, 125 S. Ct. 1183, 161 L. Ed. 2d 1, 2005 U.S. LEXIS 2200, 73 U.S.L.W. 4153, 18
Fla. L. Weekly Fed. S 131 (U.S. Mar. 1, 2005)
Year of decision
2005
Why the case was chosen
The Roper v. Simons case is considered one of the primary cases that defined the limits of the
death penalty on offenders below the age of 18. The case was essential in setting aside the
position held in Stanford v. Kentucky that had initially seen the Court permit death sentences to
those at least 16 years old when the commission of their offenses. Ideally, the discourse on
juvenile and adult punishment has centered on the degree to which the individual is deemed to
understand the gravity and culpability of their offenses. The discourse has been subject to legal
and societal interpretations, with courts taking judicial notice of what most society feels about
the issue. For instance, in making the decision, the Supreme Court noted a “consensus around the
country” about the issue. The choice of the case law is premised on the need to examine how
courts have interpreted the Eighth Amendment using intrinsic and extrinsic aids. 
Issue before Court
Whether the Eighth and Fourteenth Amendments permitted the execution of a juvenile older than
15 years but younger than 18 years as of the time of the commission of the offense. 
The rule of law

SUPREME COURT 3
The Supreme Court ruled that the Fourteenth and Eighth Amendments did not permit death to
minors. 
Impact of the decision on juvenile incarceration facilities
The decision by the Supreme Court led to a distinction between adult and juvenile offenders. The
decision furthered the primary role of juvenile facilities as institutions that hold accountable
minors with insufficient culpability. Through the decision, the Supreme Court noted that the
gravity of punishments should be reserved in accordance with the age of the offender. 

SUPREME COURT 4

References

Roper v. Simmons 543 U.S. 551, 125 S. Ct. 1183, 161 L. Ed. 2d 1, 2005 U.S. LEXIS 2200, 73
U.S.L.W. 4153, 18 Fla. L. Weekly Fed. S 131 (U.S. Mar. 1, 2005)