Supreme Court Will Consider Jan. 6 Defendant’s Appeal on Sept. 30

The Supreme Court announced July 11 that on Sept. 30 it will formally consider whether to hear Jan. 6 defendant Russell Dean Alford’s appeal. Mr. Alford, of Hokes Bluff, Alabama, argues that he should not have been convicted of two counts of federal disorderly conduct because he remained passive during the brief time he was inside the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021. The Capitol breach prevented Congress from certifying the 2020 presidential election for several hours. Two weeks later, President Joe Biden was inaugurated. More than 1,200 people have been charged at the federal level in connection with their Jan. 6-related activities. At the judicial conference that will take place behind closed doors 11 weeks from now, the justices are expected to vote in the appeal known as Alford v. United States. At least four of the nine justices must vote to grant Mr. Alford’s petition for certiorari, or review, for it to move forward to the oral argument stage....