{"argument_date":"2004-03-29T00:00:00Z","arguments":[{"argument_date":"2004-03-29T00:00:00Z","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/2003/03-6821.pdf","paragraphs":["Bryan Stevenson argued for Nelson. He stated no state remedy exists for Nelson. He rejected the state claim that state options remain open.","Donal Campbell argued for the state. He claimed Nelson can still seek a new death warrant. He noted the previous warrant expired after a stay.","chief_justice_rehnquist"],"reargument":false,"sequence":1,"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 26, lines 11-7","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2003/03-6821.pdf","page_label":"file page 26, lines 11-7"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 15-47","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2003/03-6821.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/2003/03-6821.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 5-13"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 52, lines 17-35","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2003/03-6821.pdf","page_label":"file page 52, lines 17-35"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 56, lines 21-39","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2003/03-6821.pdf","page_label":"file page 56, lines 21-39"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 61, lines 43-47","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2003/03-6821.pdf","page_label":"file page 61, lines 43-47"}]}],"caption":"Nelson v. Campbell","case_history":[{"changed_at":"2026-08-29T20:06:30.330583Z","explanation":"An official oral-argument transcript was verified.","status":"argued"},{"changed_at":"2026-08-29T20:06:30.350809Z","explanation":"An official oral-argument transcript was verified.","status":"argued"}],"case_status":"argued","dek":"David Nelson seeks federal review of his Alabama death sentence. The state argues he must exhaust state options first.","dek_sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 26, lines 11-7","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2003/03-6821.pdf","page_label":"file page 26, lines 11-7"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 15-47","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2003/03-6821.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 15-47"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 52, lines 17-35","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2003/03-6821.pdf","page_label":"file page 52, lines 17-35"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 56, lines 21-39","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2003/03-6821.pdf","page_label":"file page 56, lines 21-39"}],"dispositions":[],"latest_court_document_date":"2004-03-29T00:00:00Z","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/03-6821.html","primary_docket":"03-6821","revisions":[{"correction_note":"Rewritten to the concise citizen-facing editorial standard.","created_at":"2026-08-31T15:46:52.754274Z","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":["David Nelson faces execution in Alabama. He claims his state court process violated his rights. The state insists he must finish state appeals before federal courts can act."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 26, lines 11-7","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2003/03-6821.pdf","page_label":"file page 26, lines 11-7"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 15-47","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2003/03-6821.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 15-47"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 52, lines 17-35","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2003/03-6821.pdf","page_label":"file page 52, lines 17-35"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 56, lines 21-39","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2003/03-6821.pdf","page_label":"file page 56, lines 21-39"}]},{"heading":"How the case got here","paragraphs":["The Supreme Court heard oral argument in this case on March 29, 2004."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 5-13","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2003/03-6821.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 5-13"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 61, lines 43-47","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2003/03-6821.pdf","page_label":"file page 61, lines 43-47"}]},{"heading":"What each side wants","paragraphs":["Nelson wants federal courts to review his death sentence now.","Campbell wants Nelson to finish all state appeals first."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 26, lines 11-7","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2003/03-6821.pdf","page_label":"file page 26, lines 11-7"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 15-47","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2003/03-6821.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 15-47"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 52, lines 17-35","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2003/03-6821.pdf","page_label":"file page 52, lines 17-35"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 56, lines 21-39","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2003/03-6821.pdf","page_label":"file page 56, lines 21-39"}]},{"heading":"What each side says","paragraphs":["Nelson argues state remedies are currently unavailable to him.","Campbell argues Nelson can still seek a new death warrant in state court."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 26, lines 11-7","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2003/03-6821.pdf","page_label":"file page 26, lines 11-7"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 15-47","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2003/03-6821.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 15-47"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 52, lines 17-35","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2003/03-6821.pdf","page_label":"file page 52, lines 17-35"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 56, lines 21-39","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2003/03-6821.pdf","page_label":"file page 56, lines 21-39"}]},{"heading":"What the justices asked","paragraphs":["Does Nelson have any remaining state court options?","Can federal courts intervene before state appeals conclude?"],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 61, lines 43-47","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2003/03-6821.pdf","page_label":"file page 61, lines 43-47"}]},{"heading":"Why it matters","paragraphs":["This case defines when federal courts can review state death sentences. It shapes the balance between state and federal judicial power. It affects how prisoners access federal protections."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 26, lines 11-7","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2003/03-6821.pdf","page_label":"file page 26, lines 11-7"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 15-47","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2003/03-6821.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 15-47"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 52, lines 17-35","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2003/03-6821.pdf","page_label":"file page 52, lines 17-35"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 56, lines 21-39","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2003/03-6821.pdf","page_label":"file page 56, lines 21-39"}]},{"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 5-13","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2003/03-6821.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 5-13"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 61, lines 43-47","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2003/03-6821.pdf","page_label":"file page 61, lines 43-47"}]}],"slug":"2003-03-6821-nelson-v-campbell","term":"2003","title":"Can a prisoner use federal court to challenge a state death sentence after state remedies fail?","title_sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 26, lines 11-7","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2003/03-6821.pdf","page_label":"file page 26, lines 11-7"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 15-47","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2003/03-6821.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 15-47"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 52, lines 17-35","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2003/03-6821.pdf","page_label":"file page 52, lines 17-35"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 56, lines 21-39","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2003/03-6821.pdf","page_label":"file page 56, lines 21-39"}],"topics":[],"undated_disposition_date_fallback":null,"updated_at":"2026-09-05T03:22:24Z"}