{"argument_date":"2010-10-04T00:00:00Z","arguments":[{"argument_date":"2010-10-04T00:00:00Z","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/2010/09-479.pdf","paragraphs":["Mr. Horan argued the interpretation gives meaning to every word in the statute.","Mr. Mcleese addressed the district court judge's role in sentencing.","Mr. Ryan focused on whether other firearms offenses fall within the exception clause."],"reargument":false,"sequence":1,"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 10, lines 15-17","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2010/09-479.pdf","page_label":"file page 10, lines 15-17"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 10, lines 31-39","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2010/09-479.pdf","page_label":"file page 10, lines 31-39"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 17, lines 27-43","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2010/09-479.pdf","page_label":"file page 17, lines 27-43"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 27, lines 11-15","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2010/09-479.pdf","page_label":"file page 27, lines 11-15"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 19-21","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2010/09-479.pdf","page_label":"file page 4, lines 19-21"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 7-17","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2010/09-479.pdf","page_label":"file page 4, lines 7-17"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 23-27","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2010/09-479.pdf","page_label":"file page 5, lines 23-27"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 35-37","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2010/09-479.pdf","page_label":"file page 5, lines 35-37"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 47-21","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2010/09-479.pdf","page_label":"file page 5, lines 47-21"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 51-13","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2010/09-479.pdf","page_label":"file page 6, lines 51-13"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 27-37","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2010/09-479.pdf","page_label":"file page 7, lines 27-37"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 43-1","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2010/09-479.pdf","page_label":"file page 7, lines 43-1"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 43-45","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2010/09-479.pdf","page_label":"file page 8, lines 43-45"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 5-9","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2010/09-479.pdf","page_label":"file page 8, lines 5-9"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 21-37","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2010/09-479.pdf","page_label":"file page 9, lines 21-37"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 5-11","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2010/09-479.pdf","page_label":"file page 9, lines 5-11"}]}],"caption":"Abbott v. United States","case_history":[{"changed_at":"2026-08-29T20:06:35.875366Z","explanation":"An official oral-argument transcript was verified.","status":"argued"}],"case_status":"argued","dek":"the sides that brought the case argue the mandatory minimum applies only to offenses in the indictment. The government argues it applies to all firearm offenses.","dek_sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 17, lines 27-43","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2010/09-479.pdf","page_label":"file page 17, lines 27-43"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 27, lines 11-15","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2010/09-479.pdf","page_label":"file page 27, lines 11-15"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 19-21","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2010/09-479.pdf","page_label":"file page 4, lines 19-21"}],"dispositions":[],"latest_court_document_date":"2010-10-04T00:00:00Z","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/09-479.html","primary_docket":"09-479","revisions":[{"correction_note":"Rewritten to the concise citizen-facing editorial standard.","created_at":"2026-08-31T01:06:29.210398Z","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 concerns the scope of a federal sentencing statute. the sides that brought the case seek a lower sentence. The government seeks a higher mandatory sentence."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 17, lines 27-43","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2010/09-479.pdf","page_label":"file page 17, lines 27-43"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 27, lines 11-15","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2010/09-479.pdf","page_label":"file page 27, lines 11-15"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 19-21","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2010/09-479.pdf","page_label":"file page 4, lines 19-21"}]},{"heading":"How the case got here","paragraphs":["The Supreme Court heard oral argument in this case on October 4, 2010."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 7-17","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2010/09-479.pdf","page_label":"file page 4, lines 7-17"}]},{"heading":"What each side wants","paragraphs":["the sides that brought the case want the mandatory minimum to apply only to indicted offenses.","The government wants the mandatory minimum to apply to all firearm offenses."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 17, lines 27-43","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2010/09-479.pdf","page_label":"file page 17, lines 27-43"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 27, lines 11-15","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2010/09-479.pdf","page_label":"file page 27, lines 11-15"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 19-21","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2010/09-479.pdf","page_label":"file page 4, lines 19-21"}]},{"heading":"What each side says","paragraphs":["the sides that brought the case argue the statute limits the minimum to specific convicted counts.","The government argues the statute covers any other provision of law broadly."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 17, lines 27-43","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2010/09-479.pdf","page_label":"file page 17, lines 27-43"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 27, lines 11-15","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2010/09-479.pdf","page_label":"file page 27, lines 11-15"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 19-21","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2010/09-479.pdf","page_label":"file page 4, lines 19-21"}]},{"heading":"What the justices asked","paragraphs":["Justice Sotomayor asked if the interpretation limits the clause to conviction counts.","Justice Ginsburg asked if the judge has discretion over gun possession sentencing."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 10, lines 15-17","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2010/09-479.pdf","page_label":"file page 10, lines 15-17"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 10, lines 31-39","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2010/09-479.pdf","page_label":"file page 10, lines 31-39"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 23-27","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2010/09-479.pdf","page_label":"file page 5, lines 23-27"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 35-37","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2010/09-479.pdf","page_label":"file page 5, lines 35-37"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 47-21","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2010/09-479.pdf","page_label":"file page 5, lines 47-21"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 51-13","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2010/09-479.pdf","page_label":"file page 6, lines 51-13"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 27-37","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2010/09-479.pdf","page_label":"file page 7, lines 27-37"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 43-1","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2010/09-479.pdf","page_label":"file page 7, lines 43-1"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 43-45","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2010/09-479.pdf","page_label":"file page 8, lines 43-45"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 5-9","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2010/09-479.pdf","page_label":"file page 8, lines 5-9"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 21-37","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2010/09-479.pdf","page_label":"file page 9, lines 21-37"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 5-11","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2010/09-479.pdf","page_label":"file page 9, lines 5-11"}]},{"heading":"Why it matters","paragraphs":["This dispute determines the length of prison sentences for firearm crimes. It affects how judges calculate mandatory minimums. It impacts the consistency of federal sentencing laws."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 17, lines 27-43","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2010/09-479.pdf","page_label":"file page 17, lines 27-43"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 27, lines 11-15","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2010/09-479.pdf","page_label":"file page 27, lines 11-15"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 19-21","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2010/09-479.pdf","page_label":"file page 4, lines 19-21"}]},{"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 15-17","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2010/09-479.pdf","page_label":"file page 10, lines 15-17"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 10, lines 31-39","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2010/09-479.pdf","page_label":"file page 10, lines 31-39"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 7-17","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2010/09-479.pdf","page_label":"file page 4, lines 7-17"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 23-27","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2010/09-479.pdf","page_label":"file page 5, lines 23-27"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 35-37","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2010/09-479.pdf","page_label":"file page 5, lines 35-37"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 47-21","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2010/09-479.pdf","page_label":"file page 5, lines 47-21"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 51-13","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2010/09-479.pdf","page_label":"file page 6, lines 51-13"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 27-37","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2010/09-479.pdf","page_label":"file page 7, lines 27-37"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 43-1","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2010/09-479.pdf","page_label":"file page 7, lines 43-1"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 43-45","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2010/09-479.pdf","page_label":"file page 8, lines 43-45"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 5-9","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2010/09-479.pdf","page_label":"file page 8, lines 5-9"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 21-37","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2010/09-479.pdf","page_label":"file page 9, lines 21-37"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 5-11","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2010/09-479.pdf","page_label":"file page 9, lines 5-11"}]}],"slug":"2010-09-479-abbott-v-united-states","term":"2010","title":"Does the mandatory minimum sentence apply to all firearm offenses or only those in the indictment?","title_sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 17, lines 27-43","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2010/09-479.pdf","page_label":"file page 17, lines 27-43"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 27, lines 11-15","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2010/09-479.pdf","page_label":"file page 27, lines 11-15"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 19-21","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2010/09-479.pdf","page_label":"file page 4, lines 19-21"}],"topics":[],"undated_disposition_date_fallback":null,"updated_at":"2026-09-05T03:22:24Z"}