{"argument_date":"2003-11-03T00:00:00Z","arguments":[{"argument_date":"2003-11-03T00:00:00Z","heading":"What happened at the argument","official_detail_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcript/2003","official_transcript_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2003/02-809.pdf","paragraphs":["Gary Bair argued that the officer found drugs and cash in the car.","Bair stated that these items supported the arrest of the passenger.","Chief Justice Rehnquist noted the case was submitted after the opening.","Ms. Forster argued that the case involved highly unusual facts."],"reargument":false,"sequence":1,"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 20, lines 41-17","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2003/02-809.pdf","page_label":"file page 20, lines 41-17"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 15-29","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2003/02-809.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 15-29"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 5-13","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2003/02-809.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 5-13"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 31, lines 11-33","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2003/02-809.pdf","page_label":"file page 31, lines 11-33"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 51, lines 39-41","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2003/02-809.pdf","page_label":"file page 51, lines 39-41"}]}],"caption":"Maryland v. Pringle","case_history":[{"changed_at":"2026-08-29T20:06:30.841798Z","explanation":"An official oral-argument transcript was verified.","status":"argued"}],"case_status":"argued","dek":"Maryland argues that finding drugs in a car creates probable cause to arrest any passenger. Pringle argues that specific evidence must link the passenger to the drugs.","dek_sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 20, lines 41-17","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2003/02-809.pdf","page_label":"file page 20, lines 41-17"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 15-29","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2003/02-809.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 15-29"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 31, lines 11-33","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2003/02-809.pdf","page_label":"file page 31, lines 11-33"}],"dispositions":[],"latest_court_document_date":"2003-11-03T00:00:00Z","maturity":"official_transcript","official_detail_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcript/2003","official_disposition_urls":[],"official_docket_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/docket/docketfiles/html/public/02-809.html","primary_docket":"02-809","revisions":[{"correction_note":"Rewritten to the concise citizen-facing editorial standard.","created_at":"2026-08-31T16:09:28.583303Z","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 scope of probable cause in vehicle stops. The dispute centers on whether police need individualized evidence to arrest a passenger."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 20, lines 41-17","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2003/02-809.pdf","page_label":"file page 20, lines 41-17"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 15-29","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2003/02-809.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 15-29"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 31, lines 11-33","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2003/02-809.pdf","page_label":"file page 31, lines 11-33"}]},{"heading":"How the case got here","paragraphs":["The Supreme Court heard oral argument in this case on November 3, 2003."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 5-13","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2003/02-809.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 5-13"}]},{"heading":"What each side wants","paragraphs":["Maryland wants the Court to uphold the passenger arrest based on the drugs found in the car.","Pringle wants the Court to reverse the arrest because no evidence linked him to the drugs."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 20, lines 41-17","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2003/02-809.pdf","page_label":"file page 20, lines 41-17"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 15-29","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2003/02-809.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 15-29"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 31, lines 11-33","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2003/02-809.pdf","page_label":"file page 31, lines 11-33"}]},{"heading":"What each side says","paragraphs":["Maryland argues that drugs in a car create probable cause to arrest any occupant.","Pringle argues that the officer lacked specific facts connecting the passenger to the drugs."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 20, lines 41-17","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2003/02-809.pdf","page_label":"file page 20, lines 41-17"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 15-29","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2003/02-809.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 15-29"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 31, lines 11-33","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2003/02-809.pdf","page_label":"file page 31, lines 11-33"}]},{"heading":"What the justices asked","paragraphs":["Chief Justice Rehnquist asked if the case was submitted after the opening statement."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 51, lines 39-41","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2003/02-809.pdf","page_label":"file page 51, lines 39-41"}]},{"heading":"Why it matters","paragraphs":["This case defines the limits of police power during traffic stops. It determines when officers can arrest passengers without individualized proof. The outcome shapes future searches and arrests in vehicles."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 20, lines 41-17","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2003/02-809.pdf","page_label":"file page 20, lines 41-17"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 15-29","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2003/02-809.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 15-29"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 31, lines 11-33","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2003/02-809.pdf","page_label":"file page 31, lines 11-33"}]},{"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/2003/02-809.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 5-13"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 51, lines 39-41","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2003/02-809.pdf","page_label":"file page 51, lines 39-41"}]}],"slug":"2003-02-809-maryland-v-pringle","term":"2003","title":"Does a car passenger have probable cause for arrest when drugs are found in the vehicle?","title_sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 20, lines 41-17","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2003/02-809.pdf","page_label":"file page 20, lines 41-17"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 15-29","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2003/02-809.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 15-29"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 31, lines 11-33","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2003/02-809.pdf","page_label":"file page 31, lines 11-33"}],"topics":[],"undated_disposition_date_fallback":null,"updated_at":"2026-09-05T03:22:24Z"}