Keathley v. Buddy Ayers Construction, Inc.

Decided June 11, 2026. Ketanji Brown Jackson delivered the opinion of the Court.

Docket 25-6 · 608 U.S. ___ (2026)

To determine whether an omission of a claim in the bankruptcy context was inadvertent or mistaken for purposes of the judicial estoppel doctrine, courts should look to the totality of the circumstances surrounding the omission; the Fifth Circuit erred in narrowing its inquiry in this case to whether the debtor had knowledge of the underlying facts or a potential motive to conceal the claim.

The Court’s statement of the holding, from the opinion’s syllabus. The syllabus is prepared by the Reporter of Decisions and is not part of the opinion of the Court — read the official opinion for authority.

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Ketanji Brown Jackson’s profile · All opinions since October Term 2017 · The Supreme Court

Source: Supreme Court of the United States, slip opinions (2026). Data last verified 2026-07-02. Informational only; verify against the primary source before relying. Not a consumer report (FCRA).