{"argument_date":"2001-01-08T00:00:00Z","arguments":[{"argument_date":"2001-01-08T00:00:00Z","heading":"What happened at the argument","official_detail_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcript/2000","official_transcript_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2000/99-9136.pdf","paragraphs":["Mr. Tanaka argued the prior conviction is invalid.","Mr. Dreeben argued prior convictions are final under precedent.","The Court questioned the limits of this finality rule."],"reargument":false,"sequence":1,"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 21, lines 35-1","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2000/99-9136.pdf","page_label":"file page 21, lines 35-1"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 15-47","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2000/99-9136.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 15-47"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 5-13","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2000/99-9136.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 5-13"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 52, lines 9-19","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2000/99-9136.pdf","page_label":"file page 52, lines 9-19"}]}],"caption":"Daniels v. United States","case_history":[{"changed_at":"2026-08-29T20:06:33.472609Z","explanation":"An official oral-argument transcript was verified.","status":"argued"}],"case_status":"argued","dek":"The dispute centers on whether a defendant may attack the validity of a prior conviction used to enhance a federal sentence.","dek_sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 21, lines 35-1","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2000/99-9136.pdf","page_label":"file page 21, lines 35-1"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 15-47","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2000/99-9136.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 15-47"}],"dispositions":[],"latest_court_document_date":"2001-01-08T00:00:00Z","maturity":"official_transcript","official_detail_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcript/2000","official_disposition_urls":[],"official_docket_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/docket/docketfiles/html/public/99-9136.html","primary_docket":"99-9136","revisions":[{"correction_note":"Rewritten to the concise citizen-facing editorial standard.","created_at":"2026-08-31T18:14:41.788819Z","maturity":"official_transcript","revision_number":1},{"correction_note":"Migrated to the dated official Court activity contract without model use.","created_at":"2026-09-05T03:22:24Z","maturity":"official_transcript","revision_number":2}],"schema_version":"1.1","sections":[{"heading":"What this case is about","paragraphs":["The case involves a defendant convicted of possessing a firearm as a felon. The government seeks a life sentence based on three prior felonies. The defendant wants to challenge one of those prior convictions. The government argues the prior conviction is final and cannot be attacked."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 21, lines 35-1","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2000/99-9136.pdf","page_label":"file page 21, lines 35-1"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 15-47","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2000/99-9136.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 15-47"}]},{"heading":"How the case got here","paragraphs":["The Supreme Court heard oral argument in this case on January 8, 2001."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 5-13","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2000/99-9136.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 5-13"}]},{"heading":"What each side wants","paragraphs":["the side that brought the case wants to invalidate a prior conviction to reduce the current sentence.","The government wants to uphold the prior conviction to maintain the enhanced sentence."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 21, lines 35-1","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2000/99-9136.pdf","page_label":"file page 21, lines 35-1"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 15-47","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2000/99-9136.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 15-47"}]},{"heading":"What each side says","paragraphs":["the side that brought the case argues the prior conviction is constitutionally invalid and should not count.","The government argues prior convictions are final and cannot be challenged during sentencing."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 21, lines 35-1","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2000/99-9136.pdf","page_label":"file page 21, lines 35-1"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 15-47","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2000/99-9136.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 15-47"}]},{"heading":"What the justices asked","paragraphs":["Chief Justice Rehnquist asked if the government can declare the prior conviction final.","The Court questioned the scope of exceptions to the finality rule."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 52, lines 9-19","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2000/99-9136.pdf","page_label":"file page 52, lines 9-19"}]},{"heading":"Why it matters","paragraphs":["This case defines the finality of prior convictions in federal sentencing. It determines whether defendants can relitigate old cases. It impacts the stability of criminal records. It affects the consistency of mandatory minimum sentences."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 21, lines 35-1","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2000/99-9136.pdf","page_label":"file page 21, lines 35-1"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 15-47","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2000/99-9136.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 15-47"}]},{"heading":"What happens next","paragraphs":["This article currently covers the argument record. Use the official docket link for later case activity."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 5-13","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2000/99-9136.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 5-13"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 52, lines 9-19","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2000/99-9136.pdf","page_label":"file page 52, lines 9-19"}]}],"slug":"2000-99-9136-daniels-v-united-states","term":"2000","title":"Can a defendant challenge a prior conviction during federal sentencing?","title_sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 21, lines 35-1","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2000/99-9136.pdf","page_label":"file page 21, lines 35-1"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 15-47","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2000/99-9136.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 15-47"}],"topics":[],"undated_disposition_date_fallback":null,"updated_at":"2026-09-05T03:22:24Z"}