{"argument_date":"2004-11-03T00:00:00Z","arguments":[{"argument_date":"2004-11-03T00:00:00Z","heading":"What happened at the argument","official_detail_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcript/2004","official_transcript_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2004/03-750.pdf","paragraphs":["Mr. Boas argued the Court should view the statute as a whole.","He contended focusing on two words ignores the regulatory scheme.","Ms. Millett addressed the meaning of the word any in the statute.","She noted Congress stopped funding an administrative mechanism in 1992."],"reargument":false,"sequence":1,"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 10, lines 35-43","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2004/03-750.pdf","page_label":"file page 10, lines 35-43"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 28, lines 1-13","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2004/03-750.pdf","page_label":"file page 28, lines 1-13"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 13-21","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2004/03-750.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 13-21"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 5-11","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2004/03-750.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 5-11"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 23-29","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2004/03-750.pdf","page_label":"file page 4, lines 23-29"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 53, lines 23-37","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2004/03-750.pdf","page_label":"file page 53, lines 23-37"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 53, lines 39-39","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2004/03-750.pdf","page_label":"file page 53, lines 39-39"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 53, lines 43-54","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2004/03-750.pdf","page_label":"file page 53, lines 43-54"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 55, lines 25-31","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2004/03-750.pdf","page_label":"file page 55, lines 25-31"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 55, lines 47-54","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2004/03-750.pdf","page_label":"file page 55, lines 47-54"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 33-35","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2004/03-750.pdf","page_label":"file page 6, lines 33-35"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 39-54","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2004/03-750.pdf","page_label":"file page 6, lines 39-54"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 21-25","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2004/03-750.pdf","page_label":"file page 7, lines 21-25"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 3-17","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2004/03-750.pdf","page_label":"file page 7, lines 3-17"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 33-33","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2004/03-750.pdf","page_label":"file page 7, lines 33-33"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 41-45","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2004/03-750.pdf","page_label":"file page 7, lines 41-45"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 1-9","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2004/03-750.pdf","page_label":"file page 8, lines 1-9"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 13-23","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2004/03-750.pdf","page_label":"file page 8, lines 13-23"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 33-43","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2004/03-750.pdf","page_label":"file page 8, lines 33-43"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 9-17","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2004/03-750.pdf","page_label":"file page 9, lines 9-17"}]}],"caption":"Small v. United States","case_history":[{"changed_at":"2026-08-29T20:06:29.951725Z","explanation":"An official oral-argument transcript was verified.","status":"argued"},{"changed_at":"2026-08-29T20:06:29.981671Z","explanation":"An official oral-argument transcript was verified.","status":"argued"}],"case_status":"argued","dek":"the sides that brought the case argue the phrase any court excludes federal courts. The government argues it includes them.","dek_sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 28, lines 1-13","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2004/03-750.pdf","page_label":"file page 28, lines 1-13"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 13-21","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2004/03-750.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 13-21"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 53, lines 23-37","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2004/03-750.pdf","page_label":"file page 53, lines 23-37"}],"dispositions":[],"latest_court_document_date":"2004-11-03T00:00:00Z","maturity":"official_transcript","official_detail_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcript/2004","official_disposition_urls":[],"official_docket_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/docket/docketfiles/html/public/03-750.html","primary_docket":"03-750","revisions":[{"correction_note":"Rewritten to the concise citizen-facing editorial standard.","created_at":"2026-08-31T15:24:31.075335Z","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 a federal firearms statute. The phrase any court appears in the law. the sides that brought the case claim this phrase excludes federal courts. The government claims it includes federal courts. The Court must interpret the statutory text."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 28, lines 1-13","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2004/03-750.pdf","page_label":"file page 28, lines 1-13"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 13-21","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2004/03-750.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 13-21"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 53, lines 23-37","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2004/03-750.pdf","page_label":"file page 53, lines 23-37"}]},{"heading":"How the case got here","paragraphs":["The Supreme Court heard oral argument in this case on November 3, 2004."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 5-11","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2004/03-750.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 5-11"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 55, lines 47-54","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2004/03-750.pdf","page_label":"file page 55, lines 47-54"}]},{"heading":"What each side wants","paragraphs":["the sides that brought the case want the Court to read any court as excluding federal courts.","The government wants the Court to read any court as including federal courts."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 28, lines 1-13","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2004/03-750.pdf","page_label":"file page 28, lines 1-13"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 13-21","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2004/03-750.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 13-21"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 53, lines 23-37","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2004/03-750.pdf","page_label":"file page 53, lines 23-37"}]},{"heading":"What each side says","paragraphs":["the sides that brought the case argue the statute forms a coherent regulatory scheme.","The government argues the text plainly includes federal courts."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 28, lines 1-13","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2004/03-750.pdf","page_label":"file page 28, lines 1-13"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 13-21","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2004/03-750.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 13-21"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 53, lines 23-37","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2004/03-750.pdf","page_label":"file page 53, lines 23-37"}]},{"heading":"What the justices asked","paragraphs":["Justice Breyer asked how anomalous the side that brought the case's interpretation is.","Justice O'Connor asked if Congress meant to define terms broadly in similar statutes."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 10, lines 35-43","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2004/03-750.pdf","page_label":"file page 10, lines 35-43"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 23-29","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2004/03-750.pdf","page_label":"file page 4, lines 23-29"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 53, lines 39-39","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2004/03-750.pdf","page_label":"file page 53, lines 39-39"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 53, lines 43-54","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2004/03-750.pdf","page_label":"file page 53, lines 43-54"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 55, lines 25-31","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2004/03-750.pdf","page_label":"file page 55, lines 25-31"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 55, lines 47-54","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2004/03-750.pdf","page_label":"file page 55, lines 47-54"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 33-35","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2004/03-750.pdf","page_label":"file page 6, lines 33-35"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 39-54","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2004/03-750.pdf","page_label":"file page 6, lines 39-54"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 21-25","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2004/03-750.pdf","page_label":"file page 7, lines 21-25"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 3-17","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2004/03-750.pdf","page_label":"file page 7, lines 3-17"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 33-33","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2004/03-750.pdf","page_label":"file page 7, lines 33-33"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 41-45","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2004/03-750.pdf","page_label":"file page 7, lines 41-45"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 1-9","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2004/03-750.pdf","page_label":"file page 8, lines 1-9"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 13-23","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2004/03-750.pdf","page_label":"file page 8, lines 13-23"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 33-43","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2004/03-750.pdf","page_label":"file page 8, lines 33-43"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 9-17","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2004/03-750.pdf","page_label":"file page 9, lines 9-17"}]},{"heading":"Why it matters","paragraphs":["The interpretation determines which convictions trigger federal firearms restrictions. It affects the scope of federal criminal jurisdiction. It shapes how courts apply statutory text to real-world conduct."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 28, lines 1-13","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2004/03-750.pdf","page_label":"file page 28, lines 1-13"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 13-21","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2004/03-750.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 13-21"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 53, lines 23-37","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2004/03-750.pdf","page_label":"file page 53, lines 23-37"}]},{"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 10, lines 35-43","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2004/03-750.pdf","page_label":"file page 10, lines 35-43"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 5-11","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2004/03-750.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 5-11"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 23-29","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2004/03-750.pdf","page_label":"file page 4, lines 23-29"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 53, lines 39-39","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2004/03-750.pdf","page_label":"file page 53, lines 39-39"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 53, lines 43-54","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2004/03-750.pdf","page_label":"file page 53, lines 43-54"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 55, lines 25-31","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2004/03-750.pdf","page_label":"file page 55, lines 25-31"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 55, lines 47-54","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2004/03-750.pdf","page_label":"file page 55, lines 47-54"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 33-35","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2004/03-750.pdf","page_label":"file page 6, lines 33-35"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 39-54","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2004/03-750.pdf","page_label":"file page 6, lines 39-54"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 21-25","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2004/03-750.pdf","page_label":"file page 7, lines 21-25"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 3-17","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2004/03-750.pdf","page_label":"file page 7, lines 3-17"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 33-33","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2004/03-750.pdf","page_label":"file page 7, lines 33-33"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 41-45","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2004/03-750.pdf","page_label":"file page 7, lines 41-45"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 1-9","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2004/03-750.pdf","page_label":"file page 8, lines 1-9"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 13-23","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2004/03-750.pdf","page_label":"file page 8, lines 13-23"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 33-43","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2004/03-750.pdf","page_label":"file page 8, lines 33-43"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 9-17","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2004/03-750.pdf","page_label":"file page 9, lines 9-17"}]}],"slug":"2004-03-750-small-v-united-states","term":"2004","title":"Does the phrase any court include federal courts in federal firearms statutes?","title_sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 28, lines 1-13","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2004/03-750.pdf","page_label":"file page 28, lines 1-13"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 13-21","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2004/03-750.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 13-21"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 53, lines 23-37","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2004/03-750.pdf","page_label":"file page 53, lines 23-37"}],"topics":[],"undated_disposition_date_fallback":null,"updated_at":"2026-09-05T03:22:24Z"}