{"argument_date":"2004-04-19T00:00:00Z","arguments":[{"argument_date":"2004-04-19T00:00:00Z","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/2003/03-526.pdf","paragraphs":["Mr. Todd argued Ring only changed who decides.","Mr. Todd stated Ring did not decriminalize conduct.","Mr. Todd claimed no defendant became ineligible for death.","The Chief Justice noted the case was submitted."],"reargument":false,"sequence":1,"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 15, lines 29-31","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2003/03-526.pdf","page_label":"file page 15, lines 29-31"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 23, lines 2-42","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2003/03-526.pdf","page_label":"file page 23, lines 2-42"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 16-21","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2003/03-526.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 16-21"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 4-14","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2003/03-526.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 4-14"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 43, lines 1-1","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2003/03-526.pdf","page_label":"file page 43, lines 1-1"}]}],"caption":"Schriro v. Summerlin","case_history":[{"changed_at":"2026-08-29T20:06:30.119199Z","explanation":"An official oral-argument transcript was verified.","status":"argued"}],"case_status":"argued","dek":"The dispute centers on whether a judge or jury must determine eligibility for capital punishment.","dek_sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 15, lines 29-31","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2003/03-526.pdf","page_label":"file page 15, lines 29-31"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 23, lines 2-42","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2003/03-526.pdf","page_label":"file page 23, lines 2-42"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 16-21","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2003/03-526.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 16-21"}],"dispositions":[],"latest_court_document_date":"2004-04-19T00:00:00Z","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/03-526.html","primary_docket":"03-526","revisions":[{"correction_note":"Rewritten to the concise citizen-facing editorial standard.","created_at":"2026-08-31T15:38:57.365898Z","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 tests the scope of the Ring decision regarding capital sentencing."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 15, lines 29-31","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2003/03-526.pdf","page_label":"file page 15, lines 29-31"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 23, lines 2-42","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2003/03-526.pdf","page_label":"file page 23, lines 2-42"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 16-21","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2003/03-526.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 16-21"}]},{"heading":"How the case got here","paragraphs":["The Supreme Court heard oral argument in this case on April 19, 2004."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 4-14","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2003/03-526.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 4-14"}]},{"heading":"What each side wants","paragraphs":["the side that brought the case seeks a jury decision on death penalty eligibility.","the opposing side seeks a judge decision on death penalty eligibility."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 15, lines 29-31","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2003/03-526.pdf","page_label":"file page 15, lines 29-31"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 23, lines 2-42","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2003/03-526.pdf","page_label":"file page 23, lines 2-42"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 16-21","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2003/03-526.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 16-21"}]},{"heading":"What each side says","paragraphs":["the side that brought the case argues Ring changed who decides, not what is decided.","the opposing side argues Ring did not decriminalize any conduct."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 15, lines 29-31","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2003/03-526.pdf","page_label":"file page 15, lines 29-31"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 23, lines 2-42","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2003/03-526.pdf","page_label":"file page 23, lines 2-42"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 16-21","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2003/03-526.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 16-21"}]},{"heading":"What the justices asked","paragraphs":["The Chief Justice asked if the case was submitted."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 43, lines 1-1","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2003/03-526.pdf","page_label":"file page 43, lines 1-1"}]},{"heading":"Why it matters","paragraphs":["This case defines the role of juries in capital sentencing."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 15, lines 29-31","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2003/03-526.pdf","page_label":"file page 15, lines 29-31"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 23, lines 2-42","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2003/03-526.pdf","page_label":"file page 23, lines 2-42"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 16-21","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2003/03-526.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 16-21"}]},{"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 4-14","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2003/03-526.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 4-14"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 43, lines 1-1","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2003/03-526.pdf","page_label":"file page 43, lines 1-1"}]}],"slug":"2003-03-526-schriro-v-summerlin","term":"2003","title":"Who decides if a defendant faces the death penalty?","title_sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 15, lines 29-31","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2003/03-526.pdf","page_label":"file page 15, lines 29-31"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 23, lines 2-42","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2003/03-526.pdf","page_label":"file page 23, lines 2-42"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 16-21","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2003/03-526.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 16-21"}],"topics":[],"undated_disposition_date_fallback":null,"updated_at":"2026-09-05T03:22:24Z"}