{"argument_date":"2009-01-21T00:00:00Z","arguments":[{"argument_date":"2009-01-21T00:00:00Z","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/2008/07-1356.pdf","paragraphs":["Ms. Saharsky argued the Court allows voluntary statements for impeachment.","Mr. McAllister argued voluntary statements may be used for impeachment.","Mr. Edge raised problems with the State's position."],"reargument":false,"sequence":1,"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 10, lines 15-19","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/07-1356.pdf","page_label":"file page 10, lines 15-19"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 14, lines 37-25","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/07-1356.pdf","page_label":"file page 14, lines 37-25"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 15, lines 27-43","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/07-1356.pdf","page_label":"file page 15, lines 27-43"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 16, lines 13-23","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/07-1356.pdf","page_label":"file page 16, lines 13-23"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 16, lines 45-51","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/07-1356.pdf","page_label":"file page 16, lines 45-51"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 24, lines 45-23","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/07-1356.pdf","page_label":"file page 24, lines 45-23"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 17-25","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/07-1356.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 17-25"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 7-15","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/07-1356.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 7-15"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 27-29","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/07-1356.pdf","page_label":"file page 4, lines 27-29"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 51-5","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/07-1356.pdf","page_label":"file page 4, lines 51-5"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 23-41","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/07-1356.pdf","page_label":"file page 6, lines 23-41"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 35-41","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/07-1356.pdf","page_label":"file page 7, lines 35-41"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 29-31","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/07-1356.pdf","page_label":"file page 8, lines 29-31"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 41-49","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/07-1356.pdf","page_label":"file page 8, lines 41-49"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 5-13","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/07-1356.pdf","page_label":"file page 8, lines 5-13"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 27-31","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/07-1356.pdf","page_label":"file page 9, lines 27-31"}]}],"caption":"Kansas v. Ventris","case_history":[{"changed_at":"2026-08-29T20:06:26.711873Z","explanation":"An official oral-argument transcript was verified.","status":"argued"}],"case_status":"argued","dek":"Kansas seeks to admit jailhouse snitch testimony to impeach a defendant. The defendant argues this violates constitutional rights.","dek_sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 14, lines 37-25","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/07-1356.pdf","page_label":"file page 14, lines 37-25"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 24, lines 45-23","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/07-1356.pdf","page_label":"file page 24, lines 45-23"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 17-25","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/07-1356.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 17-25"}],"dispositions":[],"latest_court_document_date":"2009-01-21T00:00:00Z","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/07-1356.html","primary_docket":"07-1356","revisions":[{"correction_note":"Rewritten to the concise citizen-facing editorial standard.","created_at":"2026-08-31T02:40:20.319885Z","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":["Kansas wants to use jailhouse snitch testimony to impeach a defendant. The defendant argues this violates constitutional rights."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 14, lines 37-25","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/07-1356.pdf","page_label":"file page 14, lines 37-25"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 24, lines 45-23","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/07-1356.pdf","page_label":"file page 24, lines 45-23"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 17-25","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/07-1356.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 17-25"}]},{"heading":"How the case got here","paragraphs":["The Supreme Court heard oral argument in this case on January 21, 2009."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 7-15","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/07-1356.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 7-15"}]},{"heading":"What each side wants","paragraphs":["Kansas wants to admit the jailhouse snitch testimony to impeach the defendant.","The defendant wants the court to exclude the jailhouse snitch testimony."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 14, lines 37-25","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/07-1356.pdf","page_label":"file page 14, lines 37-25"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 24, lines 45-23","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/07-1356.pdf","page_label":"file page 24, lines 45-23"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 17-25","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/07-1356.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 17-25"}]},{"heading":"What each side says","paragraphs":["Kansas argues voluntary statements obtained in violation of constitutional standards may be used for impeachment.","The defendant argues the police actively elicited the testimony, violating constitutional protections."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 14, lines 37-25","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/07-1356.pdf","page_label":"file page 14, lines 37-25"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 24, lines 45-23","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/07-1356.pdf","page_label":"file page 24, lines 45-23"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 17-25","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/07-1356.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 17-25"}]},{"heading":"What the justices asked","paragraphs":["Justice Ginsburg asked if internal police discipline is verifiable.","Justice Scalia asked if other constitutional violations allow impeachment testimony."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 10, lines 15-19","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/07-1356.pdf","page_label":"file page 10, lines 15-19"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 15, lines 27-43","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/07-1356.pdf","page_label":"file page 15, lines 27-43"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 16, lines 13-23","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/07-1356.pdf","page_label":"file page 16, lines 13-23"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 16, lines 45-51","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/07-1356.pdf","page_label":"file page 16, lines 45-51"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 27-29","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/07-1356.pdf","page_label":"file page 4, lines 27-29"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 51-5","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/07-1356.pdf","page_label":"file page 4, lines 51-5"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 23-41","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/07-1356.pdf","page_label":"file page 6, lines 23-41"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 35-41","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/07-1356.pdf","page_label":"file page 7, lines 35-41"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 29-31","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/07-1356.pdf","page_label":"file page 8, lines 29-31"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 41-49","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/07-1356.pdf","page_label":"file page 8, lines 41-49"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 5-13","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/07-1356.pdf","page_label":"file page 8, lines 5-13"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 27-31","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/07-1356.pdf","page_label":"file page 9, lines 27-31"}]},{"heading":"Why it matters","paragraphs":["This case determines whether police can use jailhouse snitches to impeach defendants. It affects the balance between truth-seeking and constitutional rights."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 14, lines 37-25","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/07-1356.pdf","page_label":"file page 14, lines 37-25"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 24, lines 45-23","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/07-1356.pdf","page_label":"file page 24, lines 45-23"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 17-25","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/07-1356.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 17-25"}]},{"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 15-19","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/07-1356.pdf","page_label":"file page 10, lines 15-19"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 15, lines 27-43","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/07-1356.pdf","page_label":"file page 15, lines 27-43"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 16, lines 13-23","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/07-1356.pdf","page_label":"file page 16, lines 13-23"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 16, lines 45-51","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/07-1356.pdf","page_label":"file page 16, lines 45-51"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 7-15","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/07-1356.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 7-15"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 27-29","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/07-1356.pdf","page_label":"file page 4, lines 27-29"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 51-5","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/07-1356.pdf","page_label":"file page 4, lines 51-5"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 23-41","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/07-1356.pdf","page_label":"file page 6, lines 23-41"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 35-41","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/07-1356.pdf","page_label":"file page 7, lines 35-41"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 29-31","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/07-1356.pdf","page_label":"file page 8, lines 29-31"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 41-49","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/07-1356.pdf","page_label":"file page 8, lines 41-49"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 5-13","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/07-1356.pdf","page_label":"file page 8, lines 5-13"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 27-31","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/07-1356.pdf","page_label":"file page 9, lines 27-31"}]}],"slug":"2008-07-1356-kansas-v-ventris","term":"2008","title":"Can police use jailhouse snitches to impeach defendants?","title_sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 14, lines 37-25","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/07-1356.pdf","page_label":"file page 14, lines 37-25"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 24, lines 45-23","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/07-1356.pdf","page_label":"file page 24, lines 45-23"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 17-25","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/07-1356.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 17-25"}],"topics":[],"undated_disposition_date_fallback":null,"updated_at":"2026-09-05T03:22:24Z"}