{"argument_date":"2007-02-20T00:00:00Z","arguments":[{"argument_date":"2007-02-20T00:00:00Z","heading":"What happened at the argument","official_detail_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcript/2006","official_transcript_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2006/06-5754.pdf","paragraphs":["The government advocate argued the appellate court correctly applied a presumption of reasonableness.","the side that brought the case advocate argued judges are no longer bound by the specific guideline range.","Justice Breyer questioned whether a judge must provide more than a simple guideline citation.","Justice Scalia asked how to reconcile conflicting statutory language regarding sentencing reasons."],"reargument":false,"sequence":1,"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 24, lines 47-21","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2006/06-5754.pdf","page_label":"file page 24, lines 47-21"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 19-19","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2006/06-5754.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 19-19"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 7-17","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2006/06-5754.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 7-17"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 32, lines 3-7","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2006/06-5754.pdf","page_label":"file page 32, lines 3-7"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 21-33","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2006/06-5754.pdf","page_label":"file page 4, lines 21-33"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 51-21","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2006/06-5754.pdf","page_label":"file page 4, lines 51-21"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 47-51","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2006/06-5754.pdf","page_label":"file page 5, lines 47-51"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 29-31","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2006/06-5754.pdf","page_label":"file page 6, lines 29-31"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 39-41","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2006/06-5754.pdf","page_label":"file page 6, lines 39-41"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 45-47","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2006/06-5754.pdf","page_label":"file page 6, lines 45-47"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 5-19","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2006/06-5754.pdf","page_label":"file page 6, lines 5-19"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 15-21","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2006/06-5754.pdf","page_label":"file page 7, lines 15-21"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 35-41","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2006/06-5754.pdf","page_label":"file page 7, lines 35-41"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 45-7","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2006/06-5754.pdf","page_label":"file page 7, lines 45-7"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 21-31","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2006/06-5754.pdf","page_label":"file page 8, lines 21-31"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 51-19","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2006/06-5754.pdf","page_label":"file page 8, lines 51-19"}]}],"caption":"Rita v. United States","case_history":[{"changed_at":"2026-08-29T20:06:27.988166Z","explanation":"An official oral-argument transcript was verified.","status":"argued"}],"case_status":"argued","dek":"The dispute centers on whether appellate courts must treat district court sentences as reasonable by default.","dek_sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 24, lines 47-21","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2006/06-5754.pdf","page_label":"file page 24, lines 47-21"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 19-19","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2006/06-5754.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 19-19"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 32, lines 3-7","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2006/06-5754.pdf","page_label":"file page 32, lines 3-7"}],"dispositions":[],"latest_court_document_date":"2007-02-20T00:00:00Z","maturity":"official_transcript","official_detail_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcript/2006","official_disposition_urls":[],"official_docket_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/docket/docketfiles/html/public/06-5754.html","primary_docket":"06-5754","revisions":[{"correction_note":"Rewritten to the concise citizen-facing editorial standard.","created_at":"2026-08-31T12:44:35.931250Z","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 standard of review for federal sentencing decisions."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 24, lines 47-21","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2006/06-5754.pdf","page_label":"file page 24, lines 47-21"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 19-19","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2006/06-5754.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 19-19"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 32, lines 3-7","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2006/06-5754.pdf","page_label":"file page 32, lines 3-7"}]},{"heading":"How the case got here","paragraphs":["The Supreme Court heard oral argument in this case on February 20, 2007."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 7-17","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2006/06-5754.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 7-17"}]},{"heading":"What each side wants","paragraphs":["The government wants the appellate court to presume the sentence is reasonable.","the side that brought the case wants the appellate court to review the sentence without a presumption."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 24, lines 47-21","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2006/06-5754.pdf","page_label":"file page 24, lines 47-21"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 19-19","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2006/06-5754.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 19-19"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 32, lines 3-7","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2006/06-5754.pdf","page_label":"file page 32, lines 3-7"}]},{"heading":"What each side says","paragraphs":["The government argues the appellate court applied the correct presumption of reasonableness.","the side that brought the case argues judges are no longer tied to the specific sentencing range."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 24, lines 47-21","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2006/06-5754.pdf","page_label":"file page 24, lines 47-21"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 19-19","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2006/06-5754.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 19-19"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 32, lines 3-7","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2006/06-5754.pdf","page_label":"file page 32, lines 3-7"}]},{"heading":"What the justices asked","paragraphs":["Justice Kennedy asked if the statute requires the court to consider specific factors.","Justice Breyer asked if simply citing the guideline sentence is sufficient reasoning."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 21-33","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2006/06-5754.pdf","page_label":"file page 4, lines 21-33"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 51-21","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2006/06-5754.pdf","page_label":"file page 4, lines 51-21"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 47-51","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2006/06-5754.pdf","page_label":"file page 5, lines 47-51"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 29-31","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2006/06-5754.pdf","page_label":"file page 6, lines 29-31"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 39-41","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2006/06-5754.pdf","page_label":"file page 6, lines 39-41"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 45-47","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2006/06-5754.pdf","page_label":"file page 6, lines 45-47"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 5-19","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2006/06-5754.pdf","page_label":"file page 6, lines 5-19"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 15-21","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2006/06-5754.pdf","page_label":"file page 7, lines 15-21"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 35-41","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2006/06-5754.pdf","page_label":"file page 7, lines 35-41"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 45-7","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2006/06-5754.pdf","page_label":"file page 7, lines 45-7"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 21-31","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2006/06-5754.pdf","page_label":"file page 8, lines 21-31"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 51-19","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2006/06-5754.pdf","page_label":"file page 8, lines 51-19"}]},{"heading":"Why it matters","paragraphs":["This standard determines how much deference appellate courts give to district judges."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 24, lines 47-21","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2006/06-5754.pdf","page_label":"file page 24, lines 47-21"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 19-19","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2006/06-5754.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 19-19"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 32, lines 3-7","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2006/06-5754.pdf","page_label":"file page 32, lines 3-7"}]},{"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 7-17","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2006/06-5754.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 7-17"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 21-33","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2006/06-5754.pdf","page_label":"file page 4, lines 21-33"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 51-21","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2006/06-5754.pdf","page_label":"file page 4, lines 51-21"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 47-51","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2006/06-5754.pdf","page_label":"file page 5, lines 47-51"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 29-31","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2006/06-5754.pdf","page_label":"file page 6, lines 29-31"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 39-41","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2006/06-5754.pdf","page_label":"file page 6, lines 39-41"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 45-47","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2006/06-5754.pdf","page_label":"file page 6, lines 45-47"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 5-19","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2006/06-5754.pdf","page_label":"file page 6, lines 5-19"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 15-21","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2006/06-5754.pdf","page_label":"file page 7, lines 15-21"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 35-41","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2006/06-5754.pdf","page_label":"file page 7, lines 35-41"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 45-7","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2006/06-5754.pdf","page_label":"file page 7, lines 45-7"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 21-31","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2006/06-5754.pdf","page_label":"file page 8, lines 21-31"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 51-19","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2006/06-5754.pdf","page_label":"file page 8, lines 51-19"}]}],"slug":"2006-06-5754-rita-v-united-states","term":"2006","title":"Must appellate courts presume district court sentences are reasonable?","title_sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 24, lines 47-21","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2006/06-5754.pdf","page_label":"file page 24, lines 47-21"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 19-19","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2006/06-5754.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 19-19"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 32, lines 3-7","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2006/06-5754.pdf","page_label":"file page 32, lines 3-7"}],"topics":[],"undated_disposition_date_fallback":null,"updated_at":"2026-09-05T03:22:24Z"}