{"argument_date":"2010-11-09T00:00:00Z","arguments":[{"argument_date":"2010-11-09T00:00:00Z","heading":"What happened at the argument","official_detail_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcript/2010","official_transcript_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2010/09-1088.pdf","paragraphs":["Mr. Bilderback argued that federal habeas relief is unavailable unless the state court decision was unreasonable.","Justice Sotomayor questioned whether the defense attorney’s lack of preparation was the only new fact.","Justice Sotomayor asked if the attorney’s trial statement proved he did not expect a mitigation hearing."],"reargument":false,"sequence":1,"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 24, lines 51-39","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2010/09-1088.pdf","page_label":"file page 24, lines 51-39"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 17-1","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2010/09-1088.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 17-1"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 7-15","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2010/09-1088.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 7-15"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 17-25","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2010/09-1088.pdf","page_label":"file page 4, lines 17-25"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 3-13","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2010/09-1088.pdf","page_label":"file page 4, lines 3-13"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 31-33","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2010/09-1088.pdf","page_label":"file page 4, lines 31-33"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 39-41","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2010/09-1088.pdf","page_label":"file page 4, lines 39-41"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 49-1","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2010/09-1088.pdf","page_label":"file page 4, lines 49-1"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 15-21","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2010/09-1088.pdf","page_label":"file page 5, lines 15-21"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 15-29","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2010/09-1088.pdf","page_label":"file page 6, lines 15-29"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 45-5","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2010/09-1088.pdf","page_label":"file page 6, lines 45-5"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 39-39","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2010/09-1088.pdf","page_label":"file page 7, lines 39-39"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 11-17","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2010/09-1088.pdf","page_label":"file page 8, lines 11-17"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 21-29","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2010/09-1088.pdf","page_label":"file page 8, lines 21-29"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 15-35","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2010/09-1088.pdf","page_label":"file page 9, lines 15-35"}]}],"caption":"Cullen v. Pinholster","case_history":[{"changed_at":"2026-08-29T20:06:35.848097Z","explanation":"An official oral-argument transcript was verified.","status":"argued"}],"case_status":"argued","dek":"The dispute centers on whether federal judges must independently assess evidence or defer to state court findings in habeas cases.","dek_sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 24, lines 51-39","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2010/09-1088.pdf","page_label":"file page 24, lines 51-39"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 17-1","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2010/09-1088.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 17-1"}],"dispositions":[],"latest_court_document_date":"2010-11-09T00:00:00Z","maturity":"official_transcript","official_detail_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcript/2010","official_disposition_urls":[],"official_docket_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/docket/docketfiles/html/public/09-1088.html","primary_docket":"09-1088","revisions":[{"correction_note":"Rewritten to the concise citizen-facing editorial standard.","created_at":"2026-08-31T00:50:36.175053Z","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 scope of federal habeas review. It asks if federal courts must reweigh evidence or accept state court conclusions."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 24, lines 51-39","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2010/09-1088.pdf","page_label":"file page 24, lines 51-39"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 17-1","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2010/09-1088.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 17-1"}]},{"heading":"How the case got here","paragraphs":["The Supreme Court heard oral argument in this case on November 9, 2010."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 7-15","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2010/09-1088.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 7-15"}]},{"heading":"What each side wants","paragraphs":["the side that brought the case wants federal courts to reweigh evidence and grant habeas relief.","the opposing side wants federal courts to defer to state court findings and deny relief."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 24, lines 51-39","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2010/09-1088.pdf","page_label":"file page 24, lines 51-39"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 17-1","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2010/09-1088.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 17-1"}]},{"heading":"What each side says","paragraphs":["the side that brought the case argues federal law requires independent assessment of state court evidence.","the opposing side argues federal law mandates deference to state court factual findings."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 24, lines 51-39","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2010/09-1088.pdf","page_label":"file page 24, lines 51-39"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 17-1","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2010/09-1088.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 17-1"}]},{"heading":"What the justices asked","paragraphs":["Justice Sotomayor asked if billing records were the only new underlying facts in the opinion.","Justice Sotomayor asked if counsel’s trial statement proved a lack of mitigation preparation."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 17-25","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2010/09-1088.pdf","page_label":"file page 4, lines 17-25"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 3-13","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2010/09-1088.pdf","page_label":"file page 4, lines 3-13"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 31-33","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2010/09-1088.pdf","page_label":"file page 4, lines 31-33"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 39-41","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2010/09-1088.pdf","page_label":"file page 4, lines 39-41"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 49-1","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2010/09-1088.pdf","page_label":"file page 4, lines 49-1"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 15-21","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2010/09-1088.pdf","page_label":"file page 5, lines 15-21"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 15-29","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2010/09-1088.pdf","page_label":"file page 6, lines 15-29"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 45-5","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2010/09-1088.pdf","page_label":"file page 6, lines 45-5"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 39-39","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2010/09-1088.pdf","page_label":"file page 7, lines 39-39"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 11-17","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2010/09-1088.pdf","page_label":"file page 8, lines 11-17"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 21-29","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2010/09-1088.pdf","page_label":"file page 8, lines 21-29"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 15-35","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2010/09-1088.pdf","page_label":"file page 9, lines 15-35"}]},{"heading":"Why it matters","paragraphs":["This case defines the power of federal courts to review state criminal convictions. It determines how much weight federal judges give to state court evidence. The outcome shapes the balance between federal oversight and state judicial authority."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 24, lines 51-39","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2010/09-1088.pdf","page_label":"file page 24, lines 51-39"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 17-1","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2010/09-1088.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 17-1"}]},{"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/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2010/09-1088.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 7-15"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 17-25","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2010/09-1088.pdf","page_label":"file page 4, lines 17-25"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 3-13","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2010/09-1088.pdf","page_label":"file page 4, lines 3-13"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 31-33","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2010/09-1088.pdf","page_label":"file page 4, lines 31-33"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 39-41","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2010/09-1088.pdf","page_label":"file page 4, lines 39-41"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 49-1","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2010/09-1088.pdf","page_label":"file page 4, lines 49-1"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 15-21","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2010/09-1088.pdf","page_label":"file page 5, lines 15-21"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 15-29","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2010/09-1088.pdf","page_label":"file page 6, lines 15-29"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 45-5","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2010/09-1088.pdf","page_label":"file page 6, lines 45-5"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 39-39","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2010/09-1088.pdf","page_label":"file page 7, lines 39-39"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 11-17","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2010/09-1088.pdf","page_label":"file page 8, lines 11-17"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 21-29","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2010/09-1088.pdf","page_label":"file page 8, lines 21-29"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 15-35","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2010/09-1088.pdf","page_label":"file page 9, lines 15-35"}]}],"slug":"2010-09-1088-cullen-v-pinholster","term":"2010","title":"Does federal law require courts to reweigh evidence when reviewing state habeas claims?","title_sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 24, lines 51-39","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2010/09-1088.pdf","page_label":"file page 24, lines 51-39"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 17-1","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2010/09-1088.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 17-1"}],"topics":[],"undated_disposition_date_fallback":null,"updated_at":"2026-09-05T03:22:24Z"}