{"argument_date":"2008-11-10T00:00:00Z","arguments":[{"argument_date":"2008-11-10T00:00:00Z","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/2008/07-608.pdf","paragraphs":["Ms. Saharsky argued the statutory text supports the government's position.","She stated a contrary reading would defeat Congress's purposes.","Mr. Giatras argued the government described a statute Congress did not pass.","He stated the final law requires a domestic relationship element."],"reargument":false,"sequence":1,"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 10, lines 31-41","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/07-608.pdf","page_label":"file page 10, lines 31-41"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 11, lines 17-31","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/07-608.pdf","page_label":"file page 11, lines 17-31"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 12, lines 41-47","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/07-608.pdf","page_label":"file page 12, lines 41-47"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 26, lines 11-37","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/07-608.pdf","page_label":"file page 26, lines 11-37"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 17-9","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/07-608.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 17-9"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 7-15","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/07-608.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 7-15"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 11-21","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/07-608.pdf","page_label":"file page 4, lines 11-21"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 45-47","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/07-608.pdf","page_label":"file page 4, lines 45-47"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 13-17","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/07-608.pdf","page_label":"file page 5, lines 13-17"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 21-25","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/07-608.pdf","page_label":"file page 5, lines 21-25"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 27-43","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/07-608.pdf","page_label":"file page 7, lines 27-43"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 19-35","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/07-608.pdf","page_label":"file page 8, lines 19-35"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 3-9","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/07-608.pdf","page_label":"file page 8, lines 3-9"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 27-7","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/07-608.pdf","page_label":"file page 9, lines 27-7"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 5-5","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/07-608.pdf","page_label":"file page 9, lines 5-5"}]}],"caption":"United States v. Hayes","case_history":[{"changed_at":"2026-08-29T20:06:26.904421Z","explanation":"An official oral-argument transcript was verified.","status":"argued"}],"case_status":"argued","dek":"The dispute centers on whether a prior conviction qualifies as a misdemeanor crime of domestic violence under federal law.","dek_sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 26, lines 11-37","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/07-608.pdf","page_label":"file page 26, lines 11-37"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 17-9","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/07-608.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 17-9"}],"dispositions":[],"latest_court_document_date":"2008-11-10T00:00:00Z","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/07-608.html","primary_docket":"07-608","revisions":[{"correction_note":"Rewritten to the concise citizen-facing editorial standard.","created_at":"2026-08-31T03:08:57.034896Z","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 definition of a misdemeanor crime of domestic violence. The government argues the statute covers broad domestic offenses. the opposing side argues the law requires a specific domestic relationship element."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 26, lines 11-37","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/07-608.pdf","page_label":"file page 26, lines 11-37"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 17-9","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/07-608.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 17-9"}]},{"heading":"How the case got here","paragraphs":["The Supreme Court heard oral argument in this case on November 10, 2008."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 7-15","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/07-608.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 7-15"}]},{"heading":"What each side wants","paragraphs":["The government wants the conviction to count as a domestic violence crime.","the opposing side wants the conviction to fail the statutory definition."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 26, lines 11-37","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/07-608.pdf","page_label":"file page 26, lines 11-37"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 17-9","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/07-608.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 17-9"}]},{"heading":"What each side says","paragraphs":["The government argues the statutory text naturally supports their reading.","the opposing side argues Congress required a specific domestic relationship element."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 26, lines 11-37","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/07-608.pdf","page_label":"file page 26, lines 11-37"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 17-9","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/07-608.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 17-9"}]},{"heading":"What the justices asked","paragraphs":["Justice Scalia asked why the compromise did not include later language.","Justice Scalia noted some lawmakers wanted the statute to be a dead letter."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 10, lines 31-41","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/07-608.pdf","page_label":"file page 10, lines 31-41"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 11, lines 17-31","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/07-608.pdf","page_label":"file page 11, lines 17-31"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 12, lines 41-47","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/07-608.pdf","page_label":"file page 12, lines 41-47"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 11-21","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/07-608.pdf","page_label":"file page 4, lines 11-21"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 45-47","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/07-608.pdf","page_label":"file page 4, lines 45-47"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 13-17","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/07-608.pdf","page_label":"file page 5, lines 13-17"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 21-25","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/07-608.pdf","page_label":"file page 5, lines 21-25"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 27-43","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/07-608.pdf","page_label":"file page 7, lines 27-43"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 19-35","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/07-608.pdf","page_label":"file page 8, lines 19-35"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 3-9","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/07-608.pdf","page_label":"file page 8, lines 3-9"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 27-7","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/07-608.pdf","page_label":"file page 9, lines 27-7"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 5-5","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/07-608.pdf","page_label":"file page 9, lines 5-5"}]},{"heading":"Why it matters","paragraphs":["This definition determines federal sentencing enhancements for firearm possession. It clarifies the scope of domestic violence statutes. It affects how courts classify prior convictions."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 26, lines 11-37","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/07-608.pdf","page_label":"file page 26, lines 11-37"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 17-9","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/07-608.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 17-9"}]},{"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 31-41","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/07-608.pdf","page_label":"file page 10, lines 31-41"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 11, lines 17-31","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/07-608.pdf","page_label":"file page 11, lines 17-31"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 12, lines 41-47","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/07-608.pdf","page_label":"file page 12, lines 41-47"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 7-15","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/07-608.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 7-15"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 11-21","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/07-608.pdf","page_label":"file page 4, lines 11-21"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 45-47","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/07-608.pdf","page_label":"file page 4, lines 45-47"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 13-17","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/07-608.pdf","page_label":"file page 5, lines 13-17"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 21-25","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/07-608.pdf","page_label":"file page 5, lines 21-25"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 27-43","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/07-608.pdf","page_label":"file page 7, lines 27-43"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 19-35","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/07-608.pdf","page_label":"file page 8, lines 19-35"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 3-9","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/07-608.pdf","page_label":"file page 8, lines 3-9"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 27-7","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/07-608.pdf","page_label":"file page 9, lines 27-7"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 5-5","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/07-608.pdf","page_label":"file page 9, lines 5-5"}]}],"slug":"2008-07-608-united-states-v-hayes","term":"2008","title":"Does a domestic violence conviction require a specific statutory element?","title_sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 26, lines 11-37","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/07-608.pdf","page_label":"file page 26, lines 11-37"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 17-9","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/07-608.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 17-9"}],"topics":[],"undated_disposition_date_fallback":null,"updated_at":"2026-09-05T03:22:24Z"}