{"argument_date":"2009-11-04T00:00:00Z","arguments":[{"argument_date":"2009-11-04T00:00:00Z","heading":"What happened at the argument","official_detail_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcript/2009","official_transcript_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2009/08-9156.pdf","paragraphs":["Kerry Scanlon argued Wood's lawyers failed to investigate mental health evidence.","He stated this failure deprived the jury of critical sentencing information.","The state argued counsel made an intelligent decision to limit evidence.","They claimed presenting more evidence might have hurt the defendant's case."],"reargument":false,"sequence":1,"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 13, lines 11-15","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2009/08-9156.pdf","page_label":"file page 13, lines 11-15"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 25, lines 21-43","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2009/08-9156.pdf","page_label":"file page 25, lines 21-43"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 17-41","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2009/08-9156.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 17-41"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 43-49","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2009/08-9156.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 43-49"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 7-15","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2009/08-9156.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 7-15"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 3-13","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2009/08-9156.pdf","page_label":"file page 5, lines 3-13"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 35-3","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2009/08-9156.pdf","page_label":"file page 5, lines 35-3"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 13-15","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2009/08-9156.pdf","page_label":"file page 6, lines 13-15"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 19-23","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2009/08-9156.pdf","page_label":"file page 6, lines 19-23"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 45-49","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2009/08-9156.pdf","page_label":"file page 6, lines 45-49"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 29-35","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2009/08-9156.pdf","page_label":"file page 7, lines 29-35"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 5-7","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2009/08-9156.pdf","page_label":"file page 7, lines 5-7"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 51-9","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2009/08-9156.pdf","page_label":"file page 7, lines 51-9"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 13-29","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2009/08-9156.pdf","page_label":"file page 8, lines 13-29"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 33-43","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2009/08-9156.pdf","page_label":"file page 8, lines 33-43"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 47-9","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2009/08-9156.pdf","page_label":"file page 8, lines 47-9"}]}],"caption":"Wood v. Allen","case_history":[{"changed_at":"2026-08-29T20:06:26.095901Z","explanation":"An official oral-argument transcript was verified.","status":"argued"}],"case_status":"argued","dek":"Holly Wood argues his lawyers ignored mental health evidence. The state says they made a smart strategic choice.","dek_sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 13, lines 11-15","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2009/08-9156.pdf","page_label":"file page 13, lines 11-15"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 25, lines 21-43","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2009/08-9156.pdf","page_label":"file page 25, lines 21-43"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 17-41","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2009/08-9156.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 17-41"}],"dispositions":[],"latest_court_document_date":"2009-11-04T00:00:00Z","maturity":"official_transcript","official_detail_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcript/2009","official_disposition_urls":[],"official_docket_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/docket/docketfiles/html/public/08-9156.html","primary_docket":"08-9156","revisions":[{"correction_note":"Rewritten to the concise citizen-facing editorial standard.","created_at":"2026-08-31T01:56:20.638159Z","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":["Wood v. Allen"],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 13, lines 11-15","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2009/08-9156.pdf","page_label":"file page 13, lines 11-15"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 25, lines 21-43","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2009/08-9156.pdf","page_label":"file page 25, lines 21-43"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 17-41","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2009/08-9156.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 17-41"}]},{"heading":"How the case got here","paragraphs":["The Supreme Court heard oral argument in this case on November 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/2009/08-9156.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 7-15"}]},{"heading":"What each side wants","paragraphs":["Wood wants the Court to find his lawyers failed to investigate key evidence.","The state wants the Court to uphold the lower court's rejection of his claim."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 13, lines 11-15","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2009/08-9156.pdf","page_label":"file page 13, lines 11-15"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 25, lines 21-43","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2009/08-9156.pdf","page_label":"file page 25, lines 21-43"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 17-41","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2009/08-9156.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 17-41"}]},{"heading":"What each side says","paragraphs":["Wood argues his lawyers ignored undisputed mental deficiencies during sentencing.","The state argues counsel made an intelligent decision to avoid harmful evidence."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 13, lines 11-15","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2009/08-9156.pdf","page_label":"file page 13, lines 11-15"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 25, lines 21-43","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2009/08-9156.pdf","page_label":"file page 25, lines 21-43"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 17-41","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2009/08-9156.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 17-41"}]},{"heading":"What the justices asked","paragraphs":["Chief Justice Roberts asked if the state court ruled on prejudice under Strickland.","Justice Sotomayor asked if the case involves a strategic decision or performance issue."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 43-49","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2009/08-9156.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 43-49"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 3-13","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2009/08-9156.pdf","page_label":"file page 5, lines 3-13"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 35-3","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2009/08-9156.pdf","page_label":"file page 5, lines 35-3"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 13-15","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2009/08-9156.pdf","page_label":"file page 6, lines 13-15"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 19-23","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2009/08-9156.pdf","page_label":"file page 6, lines 19-23"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 45-49","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2009/08-9156.pdf","page_label":"file page 6, lines 45-49"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 29-35","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2009/08-9156.pdf","page_label":"file page 7, lines 29-35"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 5-7","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2009/08-9156.pdf","page_label":"file page 7, lines 5-7"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 51-9","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2009/08-9156.pdf","page_label":"file page 7, lines 51-9"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 13-29","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2009/08-9156.pdf","page_label":"file page 8, lines 13-29"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 33-43","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2009/08-9156.pdf","page_label":"file page 8, lines 33-43"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 47-9","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2009/08-9156.pdf","page_label":"file page 8, lines 47-9"}]},{"heading":"Why it matters","paragraphs":["This case defines how courts judge lawyer performance in death penalty trials. It clarifies when failing to investigate evidence violates constitutional rights. The outcome shapes future standards for evaluating defense counsel's strategic choices."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 13, lines 11-15","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2009/08-9156.pdf","page_label":"file page 13, lines 11-15"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 25, lines 21-43","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2009/08-9156.pdf","page_label":"file page 25, lines 21-43"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 17-41","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2009/08-9156.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 17-41"}]},{"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 43-49","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2009/08-9156.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 43-49"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 7-15","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2009/08-9156.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 7-15"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 3-13","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2009/08-9156.pdf","page_label":"file page 5, lines 3-13"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 35-3","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2009/08-9156.pdf","page_label":"file page 5, lines 35-3"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 13-15","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2009/08-9156.pdf","page_label":"file page 6, lines 13-15"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 19-23","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2009/08-9156.pdf","page_label":"file page 6, lines 19-23"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 45-49","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2009/08-9156.pdf","page_label":"file page 6, lines 45-49"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 29-35","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2009/08-9156.pdf","page_label":"file page 7, lines 29-35"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 5-7","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2009/08-9156.pdf","page_label":"file page 7, lines 5-7"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 51-9","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2009/08-9156.pdf","page_label":"file page 7, lines 51-9"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 13-29","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2009/08-9156.pdf","page_label":"file page 8, lines 13-29"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 33-43","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2009/08-9156.pdf","page_label":"file page 8, lines 33-43"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 47-9","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2009/08-9156.pdf","page_label":"file page 8, lines 47-9"}]}],"slug":"2009-08-9156-wood-v-allen","term":"2009","title":"Did the state court wrongly reject a claim that defense counsel failed to investigate mental health evidence?","title_sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 13, lines 11-15","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2009/08-9156.pdf","page_label":"file page 13, lines 11-15"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 25, lines 21-43","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2009/08-9156.pdf","page_label":"file page 25, lines 21-43"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 17-41","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2009/08-9156.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 17-41"}],"topics":[],"undated_disposition_date_fallback":null,"updated_at":"2026-09-05T03:22:24Z"}