{"argument_date":"2009-01-13T00:00:00Z","arguments":[{"argument_date":"2009-01-13T00:00:00Z","heading":"What happened at the argument","official_detail_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcript/2008","official_transcript_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/07-1315.pdf","paragraphs":["Mr. Mercer argued the state court decision was reasonable.","Mr. Sevilla challenged the existence of a specific legal rule.","Justice Kennedy questioned the weight of the state court's findings."],"reargument":false,"sequence":1,"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 26, lines 3-29","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/07-1315.pdf","page_label":"file page 26, lines 3-29"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 19-51","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/07-1315.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 19-51"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 7-17","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/07-1315.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 7-17"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 3-11","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/07-1315.pdf","page_label":"file page 4, lines 3-11"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 35-47","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/07-1315.pdf","page_label":"file page 4, lines 35-47"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 23-35","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/07-1315.pdf","page_label":"file page 5, lines 23-35"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 3-5","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/07-1315.pdf","page_label":"file page 5, lines 3-5"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 47-9","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/07-1315.pdf","page_label":"file page 5, lines 47-9"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 15-27","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/07-1315.pdf","page_label":"file page 6, lines 15-27"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 43-47","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/07-1315.pdf","page_label":"file page 6, lines 43-47"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 3-5","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/07-1315.pdf","page_label":"file page 7, lines 3-5"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 37-47","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/07-1315.pdf","page_label":"file page 7, lines 37-47"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 51-7","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/07-1315.pdf","page_label":"file page 7, lines 51-7"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 15-25","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/07-1315.pdf","page_label":"file page 8, lines 15-25"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 29-31","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/07-1315.pdf","page_label":"file page 8, lines 29-31"}]}],"caption":"Knowles v. Mirzayance","case_history":[{"changed_at":"2026-08-29T20:06:26.677499Z","explanation":"An official oral-argument transcript was verified.","status":"argued"}],"case_status":"argued","dek":"The dispute centers on whether federal judges must re-examine state court evidence when reviewing habeas petitions.","dek_sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 26, lines 3-29","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/07-1315.pdf","page_label":"file page 26, lines 3-29"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 19-51","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/07-1315.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 19-51"}],"dispositions":[],"latest_court_document_date":"2009-01-13T00:00:00Z","maturity":"official_transcript","official_detail_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcript/2008","official_disposition_urls":[],"official_docket_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/docket/docketfiles/html/public/07-1315.html","primary_docket":"07-1315","revisions":[{"correction_note":"Rewritten to the concise citizen-facing editorial standard.","created_at":"2026-08-31T21:20:30.246075Z","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 limits of federal review over state court decisions."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 26, lines 3-29","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/07-1315.pdf","page_label":"file page 26, lines 3-29"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 19-51","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/07-1315.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 19-51"}]},{"heading":"How the case got here","paragraphs":["The Supreme Court heard oral argument in this case on January 13, 2009."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 7-17","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/07-1315.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 7-17"}]},{"heading":"What each side wants","paragraphs":["the side that brought the case wants the federal court to deny relief.","the opposing side wants the federal court to grant relief."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 26, lines 3-29","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/07-1315.pdf","page_label":"file page 26, lines 3-29"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 19-51","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/07-1315.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 19-51"}]},{"heading":"What each side says","paragraphs":["the side that brought the case argues the state court decision was reasonable.","the opposing side argues the state court decision was unreasonable."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 26, lines 3-29","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/07-1315.pdf","page_label":"file page 26, lines 3-29"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 19-51","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/07-1315.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 19-51"}]},{"heading":"What the justices asked","paragraphs":["Justice Souter asked if a federal hearing is needed without a state rule.","Justice Kennedy asked how to weigh the state court's factfinding."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 3-11","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/07-1315.pdf","page_label":"file page 4, lines 3-11"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 35-47","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/07-1315.pdf","page_label":"file page 4, lines 35-47"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 23-35","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/07-1315.pdf","page_label":"file page 5, lines 23-35"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 3-5","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/07-1315.pdf","page_label":"file page 5, lines 3-5"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 47-9","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/07-1315.pdf","page_label":"file page 5, lines 47-9"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 15-27","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/07-1315.pdf","page_label":"file page 6, lines 15-27"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 43-47","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/07-1315.pdf","page_label":"file page 6, lines 43-47"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 3-5","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/07-1315.pdf","page_label":"file page 7, lines 3-5"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 37-47","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/07-1315.pdf","page_label":"file page 7, lines 37-47"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 51-7","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/07-1315.pdf","page_label":"file page 7, lines 51-7"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 15-25","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/07-1315.pdf","page_label":"file page 8, lines 15-25"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 29-31","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/07-1315.pdf","page_label":"file page 8, lines 29-31"}]},{"heading":"Why it matters","paragraphs":["This case defines the power of federal courts to review state evidence."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 26, lines 3-29","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/07-1315.pdf","page_label":"file page 26, lines 3-29"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 19-51","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/07-1315.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 19-51"}]},{"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/2008/07-1315.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 7-17"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 3-11","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/07-1315.pdf","page_label":"file page 4, lines 3-11"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 35-47","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/07-1315.pdf","page_label":"file page 4, lines 35-47"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 23-35","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/07-1315.pdf","page_label":"file page 5, lines 23-35"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 3-5","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/07-1315.pdf","page_label":"file page 5, lines 3-5"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 47-9","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/07-1315.pdf","page_label":"file page 5, lines 47-9"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 15-27","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/07-1315.pdf","page_label":"file page 6, lines 15-27"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 43-47","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/07-1315.pdf","page_label":"file page 6, lines 43-47"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 3-5","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/07-1315.pdf","page_label":"file page 7, lines 3-5"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 37-47","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/07-1315.pdf","page_label":"file page 7, lines 37-47"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 51-7","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/07-1315.pdf","page_label":"file page 7, lines 51-7"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 15-25","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/07-1315.pdf","page_label":"file page 8, lines 15-25"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 29-31","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/07-1315.pdf","page_label":"file page 8, lines 29-31"}]}],"slug":"2008-07-1315-knowles-v-mirzayance","term":"2008","title":"Should federal courts retry state court evidence claims?","title_sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 26, lines 3-29","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/07-1315.pdf","page_label":"file page 26, lines 3-29"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 19-51","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/07-1315.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 19-51"}],"topics":[],"undated_disposition_date_fallback":null,"updated_at":"2026-09-05T03:22:24Z"}