{"argument_date":"2008-04-22T00:00:00Z","arguments":[{"argument_date":"2008-04-22T00:00:00Z","heading":"What happened at the argument","official_detail_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcript/2007","official_transcript_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2007/07-6053.pdf","paragraphs":["Ms. Burkhardt argued the Court must look to the common law at the time of the framing.","Mr. De Nicola argued the common law never required intent to tamper as a prerequisite."],"reargument":false,"sequence":1,"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 25, lines 33-49","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2007/07-6053.pdf","page_label":"file page 25, lines 33-49"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 17-11","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2007/07-6053.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 17-11"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 7-15","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2007/07-6053.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 7-15"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 13-23","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2007/07-6053.pdf","page_label":"file page 4, lines 13-23"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 31-35","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2007/07-6053.pdf","page_label":"file page 4, lines 31-35"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 39-49","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2007/07-6053.pdf","page_label":"file page 4, lines 39-49"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 11-15","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2007/07-6053.pdf","page_label":"file page 5, lines 11-15"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 25-33","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2007/07-6053.pdf","page_label":"file page 5, lines 25-33"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 17-25","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2007/07-6053.pdf","page_label":"file page 6, lines 17-25"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 29-31","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2007/07-6053.pdf","page_label":"file page 6, lines 29-31"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 37-43","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2007/07-6053.pdf","page_label":"file page 6, lines 37-43"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 17-23","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2007/07-6053.pdf","page_label":"file page 7, lines 17-23"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 27-49","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2007/07-6053.pdf","page_label":"file page 7, lines 27-49"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 5-15","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2007/07-6053.pdf","page_label":"file page 7, lines 5-15"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 9-41","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2007/07-6053.pdf","page_label":"file page 8, lines 9-41"}]}],"caption":"Giles v. California","case_history":[{"changed_at":"2026-08-29T20:06:27.170080Z","explanation":"An official oral-argument transcript was verified.","status":"argued"}],"case_status":"argued","dek":"The dispute centers on whether a defendant's intent to prevent a witness from testifying justifies admitting that witness's prior statements.","dek_sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 25, lines 33-49","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2007/07-6053.pdf","page_label":"file page 25, lines 33-49"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 17-11","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2007/07-6053.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 17-11"}],"dispositions":[],"latest_court_document_date":"2008-04-22T00:00:00Z","maturity":"official_transcript","official_detail_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcript/2007","official_disposition_urls":[],"official_docket_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/docket/docketfiles/html/public/07-6053.html","primary_docket":"07-6053","revisions":[{"correction_note":"Rewritten to the concise citizen-facing editorial standard.","created_at":"2026-08-31T21:31:19.063420Z","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 examines the Confrontation Clause. It limits the use of out-of-court statements. The clause requires witnesses to face the accused. An exception exists for witness unavailability. The exception is called forfeiture by wrongdoing. The core question is the scope of this exception. Specifically, it asks if intent to silence is required."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 25, lines 33-49","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2007/07-6053.pdf","page_label":"file page 25, lines 33-49"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 17-11","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2007/07-6053.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 17-11"}]},{"heading":"How the case got here","paragraphs":["The Supreme Court heard oral argument in this case on April 22, 2008."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 7-15","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2007/07-6053.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 7-15"}]},{"heading":"What each side wants","paragraphs":["the side that brought the case wants the lower court's admission of evidence overturned.","The state wants the lower court's admission of evidence maintained."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 25, lines 33-49","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2007/07-6053.pdf","page_label":"file page 25, lines 33-49"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 17-11","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2007/07-6053.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 17-11"}]},{"heading":"What each side says","paragraphs":["the side that brought the case argues the common law requires intent to silence the witness.","The state argues the common law does not require specific intent to silence."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 25, lines 33-49","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2007/07-6053.pdf","page_label":"file page 25, lines 33-49"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 17-11","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2007/07-6053.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 17-11"}]},{"heading":"What the justices asked","paragraphs":["Justice Kennedy asked if the witness gave notice of testifying in California.","Justice Breyer asked how much the Court should follow eighteenth-century common law rules."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 13-23","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2007/07-6053.pdf","page_label":"file page 4, lines 13-23"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 31-35","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2007/07-6053.pdf","page_label":"file page 4, lines 31-35"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 39-49","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2007/07-6053.pdf","page_label":"file page 4, lines 39-49"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 11-15","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2007/07-6053.pdf","page_label":"file page 5, lines 11-15"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 25-33","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2007/07-6053.pdf","page_label":"file page 5, lines 25-33"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 17-25","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2007/07-6053.pdf","page_label":"file page 6, lines 17-25"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 29-31","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2007/07-6053.pdf","page_label":"file page 6, lines 29-31"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 37-43","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2007/07-6053.pdf","page_label":"file page 6, lines 37-43"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 17-23","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2007/07-6053.pdf","page_label":"file page 7, lines 17-23"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 27-49","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2007/07-6053.pdf","page_label":"file page 7, lines 27-49"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 5-15","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2007/07-6053.pdf","page_label":"file page 7, lines 5-15"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 9-41","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2007/07-6053.pdf","page_label":"file page 8, lines 9-41"}]},{"heading":"Why it matters","paragraphs":["This case defines the limits of the Confrontation Clause. It determines when out-of-court statements are admissible. It affects criminal trials involving unavailable witnesses. It clarifies the forfeiture by wrongdoing exception. It impacts the rights of the accused. It shapes the rules for admitting hearsay evidence."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 25, lines 33-49","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2007/07-6053.pdf","page_label":"file page 25, lines 33-49"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 17-11","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2007/07-6053.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 17-11"}]},{"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 7-15","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2007/07-6053.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 7-15"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 13-23","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2007/07-6053.pdf","page_label":"file page 4, lines 13-23"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 31-35","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2007/07-6053.pdf","page_label":"file page 4, lines 31-35"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 39-49","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2007/07-6053.pdf","page_label":"file page 4, lines 39-49"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 11-15","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2007/07-6053.pdf","page_label":"file page 5, lines 11-15"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 25-33","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2007/07-6053.pdf","page_label":"file page 5, lines 25-33"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 17-25","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2007/07-6053.pdf","page_label":"file page 6, lines 17-25"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 29-31","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2007/07-6053.pdf","page_label":"file page 6, lines 29-31"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 37-43","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2007/07-6053.pdf","page_label":"file page 6, lines 37-43"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 17-23","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2007/07-6053.pdf","page_label":"file page 7, lines 17-23"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 27-49","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2007/07-6053.pdf","page_label":"file page 7, lines 27-49"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 5-15","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2007/07-6053.pdf","page_label":"file page 7, lines 5-15"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 9-41","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2007/07-6053.pdf","page_label":"file page 8, lines 9-41"}]}],"slug":"2007-07-6053-giles-v-california","term":"2007","title":"Does a defendant's intent to silence a witness allow their out-of-court statements into evidence?","title_sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 25, lines 33-49","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2007/07-6053.pdf","page_label":"file page 25, lines 33-49"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 17-11","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2007/07-6053.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 17-11"}],"topics":[],"undated_disposition_date_fallback":null,"updated_at":"2026-09-05T03:22:24Z"}