{"argument_date":"2009-03-04T00:00:00Z","arguments":[{"argument_date":"2009-03-04T00:00:00Z","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/2008/08-192.pdf","paragraphs":["the side that brought the case argued personal drug use is a misdemeanor.","The government argued the statute covers any felony act.","questions_asked_by_justices"],"reargument":false,"sequence":1,"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 27, lines 5-33","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/08-192.pdf","page_label":"file page 27, lines 5-33"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 17-3","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/08-192.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 17-3"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 7-15","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/08-192.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 7-15"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 27-35","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/08-192.pdf","page_label":"file page 4, lines 27-35"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 39-47","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/08-192.pdf","page_label":"file page 4, lines 39-47"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 5-9","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/08-192.pdf","page_label":"file page 4, lines 5-9"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 17-21","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/08-192.pdf","page_label":"file page 5, lines 17-21"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 23-29","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/08-192.pdf","page_label":"file page 5, lines 23-29"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 57, lines 15-19","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/08-192.pdf","page_label":"file page 57, lines 15-19"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 57, lines 21-45","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/08-192.pdf","page_label":"file page 57, lines 21-45"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 57, lines 47-49","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/08-192.pdf","page_label":"file page 57, lines 47-49"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 29-33","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/08-192.pdf","page_label":"file page 6, lines 29-33"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 7-19","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/08-192.pdf","page_label":"file page 6, lines 7-19"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 13-17","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/08-192.pdf","page_label":"file page 7, lines 13-17"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 21-51","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/08-192.pdf","page_label":"file page 7, lines 21-51"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 19-21","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/08-192.pdf","page_label":"file page 8, lines 19-21"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 27-43","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/08-192.pdf","page_label":"file page 8, lines 27-43"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 39-3","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/08-192.pdf","page_label":"file page 9, lines 39-3"}]}],"caption":"Abuelhawa v. United States","case_history":[{"changed_at":"2026-08-29T20:06:26.592241Z","explanation":"An official oral-argument transcript was verified.","status":"argued"},{"changed_at":"2026-08-29T20:06:26.616075Z","explanation":"An official oral-argument transcript was verified.","status":"argued"}],"case_status":"argued","dek":"The dispute centers on whether buying drugs for personal use triggers federal felony charges.","dek_sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 27, lines 5-33","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/08-192.pdf","page_label":"file page 27, lines 5-33"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 17-3","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/08-192.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 17-3"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 57, lines 21-45","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/08-192.pdf","page_label":"file page 57, lines 21-45"}],"dispositions":[],"latest_court_document_date":"2009-03-04T00:00:00Z","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/08-192.html","primary_docket":"08-192","revisions":[{"correction_note":"Rewritten to the concise citizen-facing editorial standard.","created_at":"2026-08-31T02:26:51.683517Z","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 scope of a federal statute on communication facilities."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 27, lines 5-33","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/08-192.pdf","page_label":"file page 27, lines 5-33"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 17-3","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/08-192.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 17-3"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 57, lines 21-45","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/08-192.pdf","page_label":"file page 57, lines 21-45"}]},{"heading":"How the case got here","paragraphs":["The Supreme Court heard oral argument in this case on March 4, 2009."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 7-15","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/08-192.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 7-15"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 57, lines 47-49","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/08-192.pdf","page_label":"file page 57, lines 47-49"}]},{"heading":"What each side wants","paragraphs":["the side that brought the case wants the purchase treated as a misdemeanor.","The government wants the purchase treated as a felony."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 27, lines 5-33","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/08-192.pdf","page_label":"file page 27, lines 5-33"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 17-3","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/08-192.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 17-3"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 57, lines 21-45","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/08-192.pdf","page_label":"file page 57, lines 21-45"}]},{"heading":"What each side says","paragraphs":["the side that brought the case argues personal drug use is not a felony.","The government argues the statute covers any felony under the Act."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 27, lines 5-33","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/08-192.pdf","page_label":"file page 27, lines 5-33"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 17-3","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/08-192.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 17-3"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 57, lines 21-45","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/08-192.pdf","page_label":"file page 57, lines 21-45"}]},{"heading":"What the justices asked","paragraphs":["Justice Ginsburg asked who the statute targets in the real world.","Justice Scalia asked if the language is a jurisdictional hook."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 27-35","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/08-192.pdf","page_label":"file page 4, lines 27-35"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 39-47","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/08-192.pdf","page_label":"file page 4, lines 39-47"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 5-9","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/08-192.pdf","page_label":"file page 4, lines 5-9"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 17-21","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/08-192.pdf","page_label":"file page 5, lines 17-21"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 23-29","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/08-192.pdf","page_label":"file page 5, lines 23-29"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 57, lines 15-19","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/08-192.pdf","page_label":"file page 57, lines 15-19"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 57, lines 47-49","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/08-192.pdf","page_label":"file page 57, lines 47-49"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 29-33","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/08-192.pdf","page_label":"file page 6, lines 29-33"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 7-19","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/08-192.pdf","page_label":"file page 6, lines 7-19"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 13-17","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/08-192.pdf","page_label":"file page 7, lines 13-17"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 21-51","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/08-192.pdf","page_label":"file page 7, lines 21-51"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 19-21","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/08-192.pdf","page_label":"file page 8, lines 19-21"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 27-43","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/08-192.pdf","page_label":"file page 8, lines 27-43"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 39-3","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/08-192.pdf","page_label":"file page 9, lines 39-3"}]},{"heading":"Why it matters","paragraphs":["The outcome defines the scope of federal drug laws for individuals."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 27, lines 5-33","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/08-192.pdf","page_label":"file page 27, lines 5-33"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 17-3","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/08-192.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 17-3"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 57, lines 21-45","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/08-192.pdf","page_label":"file page 57, lines 21-45"}]},{"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/2008/08-192.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 7-15"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 27-35","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/08-192.pdf","page_label":"file page 4, lines 27-35"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 39-47","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/08-192.pdf","page_label":"file page 4, lines 39-47"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 5-9","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/08-192.pdf","page_label":"file page 4, lines 5-9"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 17-21","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/08-192.pdf","page_label":"file page 5, lines 17-21"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 23-29","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/08-192.pdf","page_label":"file page 5, lines 23-29"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 57, lines 15-19","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/08-192.pdf","page_label":"file page 57, lines 15-19"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 57, lines 47-49","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/08-192.pdf","page_label":"file page 57, lines 47-49"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 29-33","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/08-192.pdf","page_label":"file page 6, lines 29-33"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 7-19","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/08-192.pdf","page_label":"file page 6, lines 7-19"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 13-17","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/08-192.pdf","page_label":"file page 7, lines 13-17"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 21-51","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/08-192.pdf","page_label":"file page 7, lines 21-51"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 19-21","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/08-192.pdf","page_label":"file page 8, lines 19-21"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 27-43","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/08-192.pdf","page_label":"file page 8, lines 27-43"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 39-3","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/08-192.pdf","page_label":"file page 9, lines 39-3"}]}],"slug":"2008-08-192-abuelhawa-v-united-states","term":"2008","title":"Does a drug purchase for personal use count as a felony?","title_sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 27, lines 5-33","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/08-192.pdf","page_label":"file page 27, lines 5-33"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 17-3","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/08-192.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 17-3"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 57, lines 21-45","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/08-192.pdf","page_label":"file page 57, lines 21-45"}],"topics":[],"undated_disposition_date_fallback":null,"updated_at":"2026-09-05T03:22:24Z"}