{"argument_date":"2003-02-25T00:00:00Z","arguments":[{"argument_date":"2003-02-25T00:00:00Z","heading":"What happened at the argument","official_detail_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcript/2002","official_transcript_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2002/01-1559.pdf","paragraphs":["Mr. Fahringer represented the side that brought the case during the oral argument.","Mr. Srinivasan argued that collateral review suits most ineffective assistance claims.","The Solicitor General's Office supported the government's procedural preference."],"reargument":false,"sequence":1,"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 17, lines 11-41","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2002/01-1559.pdf","page_label":"file page 17, lines 11-41"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 17-39","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2002/01-1559.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 17-39"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 5-15","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2002/01-1559.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 5-15"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 41, lines 39-41","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2002/01-1559.pdf","page_label":"file page 41, lines 39-41"}]}],"caption":"Massaro v. United States","case_history":[{"changed_at":"2026-08-29T20:06:31.319387Z","explanation":"An official oral-argument transcript was verified.","status":"argued"}],"case_status":"argued","dek":"The dispute centers on whether courts should resolve ineffective assistance claims during direct appeal or wait for collateral review.","dek_sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 17, lines 11-41","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2002/01-1559.pdf","page_label":"file page 17, lines 11-41"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 17-39","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2002/01-1559.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 17-39"}],"dispositions":[],"latest_court_document_date":"2003-02-25T00:00:00Z","maturity":"official_transcript","official_detail_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcript/2002","official_disposition_urls":[],"official_docket_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/docket/docketfiles/html/public/01-1559.html","primary_docket":"01-1559","revisions":[{"correction_note":"Rewritten to the concise citizen-facing editorial standard.","created_at":"2026-08-31T22:32:38.714671Z","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":["This case tests the proper timing for resolving claims that a lawyer failed to provide effective representation."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 17, lines 11-41","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2002/01-1559.pdf","page_label":"file page 17, lines 11-41"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 17-39","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2002/01-1559.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 17-39"}]},{"heading":"How the case got here","paragraphs":["The Supreme Court heard oral argument in this case on February 25, 2003."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 5-15","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2002/01-1559.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 5-15"}]},{"heading":"What each side wants","paragraphs":["the side that brought the case wants to resolve ineffective counsel claims during the direct appeal process.","The government wants to resolve these claims during collateral review proceedings."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 17, lines 11-41","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2002/01-1559.pdf","page_label":"file page 17, lines 11-41"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 17-39","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2002/01-1559.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 17-39"}]},{"heading":"What each side says","paragraphs":["the side that brought the case argues that direct appeal offers the best forum for these claims.","The government argues that collateral review better resolves most ineffective assistance claims."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 17, lines 11-41","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2002/01-1559.pdf","page_label":"file page 17, lines 11-41"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 17-39","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2002/01-1559.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 17-39"}]},{"heading":"What the justices asked","paragraphs":["Chief Justice Rehnquist asked the advocate to conclude the argument."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 41, lines 39-41","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2002/01-1559.pdf","page_label":"file page 41, lines 39-41"}]},{"heading":"Why it matters","paragraphs":["This issue determines when defendants can challenge their lawyer's performance. It affects the speed and scope of post-conviction remedies. It shapes the procedural path for correcting legal errors."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 17, lines 11-41","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2002/01-1559.pdf","page_label":"file page 17, lines 11-41"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 17-39","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2002/01-1559.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 17-39"}]},{"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 5-15","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2002/01-1559.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 5-15"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 41, lines 39-41","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2002/01-1559.pdf","page_label":"file page 41, lines 39-41"}]}],"slug":"2002-01-1559-massaro-v-united-states","term":"2002","title":"Should ineffective counsel claims wait for collateral review?","title_sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 17, lines 11-41","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2002/01-1559.pdf","page_label":"file page 17, lines 11-41"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 17-39","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2002/01-1559.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 17-39"}],"topics":[],"undated_disposition_date_fallback":null,"updated_at":"2026-09-05T03:22:24Z"}