{"argument_date":"2003-11-10T00:00:00Z","arguments":[{"argument_date":"2003-11-10T00:00:00Z","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/2003/02-9410.pdf","paragraphs":["Mr. Fisher argued against retaining the reliability prong of the Roberts framework.","Mr. Dreeben stated the clause should limit testimonial statements but not bar them absolutely.","Mr. Sherman asked the Court to retain the reliability framework of Ohio v. Roberts."],"reargument":false,"sequence":1,"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 23, lines 23-43","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2003/02-9410.pdf","page_label":"file page 23, lines 23-43"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 15-39","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2003/02-9410.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 15-39"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 5-13","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2003/02-9410.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 5-13"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 36, lines 21-9","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2003/02-9410.pdf","page_label":"file page 36, lines 21-9"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 51, lines 23-17","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2003/02-9410.pdf","page_label":"file page 51, lines 23-17"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 54, lines 17-29","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2003/02-9410.pdf","page_label":"file page 54, lines 17-29"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 56, lines 31-33","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2003/02-9410.pdf","page_label":"file page 56, lines 31-33"}]}],"caption":"Crawford v. Washington","case_history":[{"changed_at":"2026-08-29T20:06:30.901225Z","explanation":"An official oral-argument transcript was verified.","status":"argued"},{"changed_at":"2026-08-29T20:06:30.929870Z","explanation":"An official oral-argument transcript was verified.","status":"argued"}],"case_status":"argued","dek":"The dispute centers on whether the Confrontation Clause bars admitting testimonial statements when the witness is unavailable.","dek_sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 23, lines 23-43","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2003/02-9410.pdf","page_label":"file page 23, lines 23-43"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 15-39","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2003/02-9410.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 15-39"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 36, lines 21-9","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2003/02-9410.pdf","page_label":"file page 36, lines 21-9"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 51, lines 23-17","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2003/02-9410.pdf","page_label":"file page 51, lines 23-17"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 54, lines 17-29","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2003/02-9410.pdf","page_label":"file page 54, lines 17-29"}],"dispositions":[],"latest_court_document_date":"2003-11-10T00:00:00Z","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/02-9410.html","primary_docket":"02-9410","revisions":[{"correction_note":"Rewritten to the concise citizen-facing editorial standard.","created_at":"2026-08-31T16:06:47.426048Z","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 the Sixth Amendment right to confront witnesses."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 23, lines 23-43","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2003/02-9410.pdf","page_label":"file page 23, lines 23-43"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 15-39","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2003/02-9410.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 15-39"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 36, lines 21-9","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2003/02-9410.pdf","page_label":"file page 36, lines 21-9"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 51, lines 23-17","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2003/02-9410.pdf","page_label":"file page 51, lines 23-17"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 54, lines 17-29","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2003/02-9410.pdf","page_label":"file page 54, lines 17-29"}]},{"heading":"How the case got here","paragraphs":["The Supreme Court heard oral argument in this case on November 10, 2003."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 5-13","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2003/02-9410.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 5-13"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 56, lines 31-33","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2003/02-9410.pdf","page_label":"file page 56, lines 31-33"}]},{"heading":"What each side wants","paragraphs":["Washington seeks to keep the existing reliability test for admitting statements.","Crawford seeks to limit the clause to testimonial statements only."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 23, lines 23-43","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2003/02-9410.pdf","page_label":"file page 23, lines 23-43"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 15-39","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2003/02-9410.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 15-39"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 36, lines 21-9","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2003/02-9410.pdf","page_label":"file page 36, lines 21-9"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 51, lines 23-17","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2003/02-9410.pdf","page_label":"file page 51, lines 23-17"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 54, lines 17-29","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2003/02-9410.pdf","page_label":"file page 54, lines 17-29"}]},{"heading":"What each side says","paragraphs":["Washington argues the reliability framework from Ohio v. Roberts remains valid.","Crawford argues the clause should not be an absolute bar to admissibility."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 23, lines 23-43","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2003/02-9410.pdf","page_label":"file page 23, lines 23-43"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 15-39","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2003/02-9410.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 15-39"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 36, lines 21-9","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2003/02-9410.pdf","page_label":"file page 36, lines 21-9"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 51, lines 23-17","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2003/02-9410.pdf","page_label":"file page 51, lines 23-17"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 54, lines 17-29","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2003/02-9410.pdf","page_label":"file page 54, lines 17-29"}]},{"heading":"What the justices asked","paragraphs":["Chief Justice Rehnquist asked if the Court should retain the reliability prong."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 56, lines 31-33","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2003/02-9410.pdf","page_label":"file page 56, lines 31-33"}]},{"heading":"Why it matters","paragraphs":["This issue determines how courts handle witness statements in criminal trials."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 23, lines 23-43","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2003/02-9410.pdf","page_label":"file page 23, lines 23-43"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 15-39","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2003/02-9410.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 15-39"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 36, lines 21-9","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2003/02-9410.pdf","page_label":"file page 36, lines 21-9"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 51, lines 23-17","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2003/02-9410.pdf","page_label":"file page 51, lines 23-17"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 54, lines 17-29","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2003/02-9410.pdf","page_label":"file page 54, lines 17-29"}]},{"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/2003/02-9410.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 5-13"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 56, lines 31-33","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2003/02-9410.pdf","page_label":"file page 56, lines 31-33"}]}],"slug":"2003-02-9410-crawford-v-washington","term":"2003","title":"Should courts admit out-of-court statements if the witness cannot cross-examine them?","title_sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 23, lines 23-43","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2003/02-9410.pdf","page_label":"file page 23, lines 23-43"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 15-39","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2003/02-9410.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 15-39"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 36, lines 21-9","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2003/02-9410.pdf","page_label":"file page 36, lines 21-9"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 51, lines 23-17","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2003/02-9410.pdf","page_label":"file page 51, lines 23-17"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 54, lines 17-29","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2003/02-9410.pdf","page_label":"file page 54, lines 17-29"}],"topics":[],"undated_disposition_date_fallback":null,"updated_at":"2026-09-05T03:22:24Z"}