{"argument_date":"2011-03-29T00:00:00Z","arguments":[{"argument_date":"2011-03-29T00:00:00Z","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/2010/10-5443.pdf","paragraphs":["the side that brought the case argued the statute must be construed clearly and narrowly.","The government argued Congress sought to protect the integrity of federal investigations.","Justices questioned whether the defendant must know the victim would report to a federal officer."],"reargument":false,"sequence":1,"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 23, lines 51-35","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2010/10-5443.pdf","page_label":"file page 23, lines 51-35"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 19-41","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2010/10-5443.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 19-41"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 43-43","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2010/10-5443.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 43-43"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 7-17","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2010/10-5443.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 7-17"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 9-15","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2010/10-5443.pdf","page_label":"file page 4, lines 9-15"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 13-33","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2010/10-5443.pdf","page_label":"file page 5, lines 13-33"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 11-39","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2010/10-5443.pdf","page_label":"file page 6, lines 11-39"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 49-51","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2010/10-5443.pdf","page_label":"file page 6, lines 49-51"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 25-25","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2010/10-5443.pdf","page_label":"file page 7, lines 25-25"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 27-31","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2010/10-5443.pdf","page_label":"file page 7, lines 27-31"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 43-51","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2010/10-5443.pdf","page_label":"file page 7, lines 43-51"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 9-17","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2010/10-5443.pdf","page_label":"file page 7, lines 9-17"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 19-19","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2010/10-5443.pdf","page_label":"file page 8, lines 19-19"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 37-45","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2010/10-5443.pdf","page_label":"file page 8, lines 37-45"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 5-15","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2010/10-5443.pdf","page_label":"file page 8, lines 5-15"}]}],"caption":"Fowler v. United States","case_history":[{"changed_at":"2026-08-29T20:06:35.809694Z","explanation":"An official oral-argument transcript was verified.","status":"argued"}],"case_status":"argued","dek":"The dispute centers on whether the government must prove a defendant intended to prevent a witness from reporting a federal crime to a federal officer.","dek_sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 23, lines 51-35","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2010/10-5443.pdf","page_label":"file page 23, lines 51-35"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 19-41","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2010/10-5443.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 19-41"}],"dispositions":[],"latest_court_document_date":"2011-03-29T00:00:00Z","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/10-5443.html","primary_docket":"10-5443","revisions":[{"correction_note":"Rewritten to the concise citizen-facing editorial standard.","created_at":"2026-08-31T00:02:08.902752Z","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 a federal witness-protection law. The core issue is the required mental state for a conviction."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 23, lines 51-35","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2010/10-5443.pdf","page_label":"file page 23, lines 51-35"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 19-41","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2010/10-5443.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 19-41"}]},{"heading":"How the case got here","paragraphs":["The Supreme Court heard oral argument in this case on March 29, 2011."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 7-17","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2010/10-5443.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 7-17"}]},{"heading":"What each side wants","paragraphs":["the side that brought the case wants the Court to require proof that the killer specifically intended to stop a federal report.","The government wants the Court to accept that the killer only needed to know the victim would report a federal crime."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 23, lines 51-35","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2010/10-5443.pdf","page_label":"file page 23, lines 51-35"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 19-41","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2010/10-5443.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 19-41"}]},{"heading":"What each side says","paragraphs":["the side that brought the case argues the statute demands a specific intent to prevent communication with a federal officer.","The government argues the statute protects federal investigations by punishing acts that hinder witness cooperation."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 23, lines 51-35","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2010/10-5443.pdf","page_label":"file page 23, lines 51-35"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 19-41","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2010/10-5443.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 19-41"}]},{"heading":"What the justices asked","paragraphs":["Justice Scalia asked if realistic likelihood of reporting proves the killer's intent to prevent that report.","Justice Alito asked if the statute focuses solely on the defendant's intent to prevent communication."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 43-43","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2010/10-5443.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 43-43"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 9-15","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2010/10-5443.pdf","page_label":"file page 4, lines 9-15"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 13-33","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2010/10-5443.pdf","page_label":"file page 5, lines 13-33"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 11-39","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2010/10-5443.pdf","page_label":"file page 6, lines 11-39"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 49-51","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2010/10-5443.pdf","page_label":"file page 6, lines 49-51"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 25-25","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2010/10-5443.pdf","page_label":"file page 7, lines 25-25"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 27-31","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2010/10-5443.pdf","page_label":"file page 7, lines 27-31"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 43-51","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2010/10-5443.pdf","page_label":"file page 7, lines 43-51"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 9-17","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2010/10-5443.pdf","page_label":"file page 7, lines 9-17"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 19-19","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2010/10-5443.pdf","page_label":"file page 8, lines 19-19"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 37-45","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2010/10-5443.pdf","page_label":"file page 8, lines 37-45"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 5-15","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2010/10-5443.pdf","page_label":"file page 8, lines 5-15"}]},{"heading":"Why it matters","paragraphs":["This case defines the mental state required for federal witness-protection charges. It clarifies the boundary between general criminal intent and specific federal intent. The outcome shapes how prosecutors prove intent in witness-interference cases. It impacts the scope of federal criminal jurisdiction over witness killings."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 23, lines 51-35","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2010/10-5443.pdf","page_label":"file page 23, lines 51-35"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 19-41","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2010/10-5443.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 19-41"}]},{"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 43-43","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2010/10-5443.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 43-43"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 7-17","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2010/10-5443.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 7-17"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 9-15","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2010/10-5443.pdf","page_label":"file page 4, lines 9-15"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 13-33","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2010/10-5443.pdf","page_label":"file page 5, lines 13-33"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 11-39","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2010/10-5443.pdf","page_label":"file page 6, lines 11-39"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 49-51","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2010/10-5443.pdf","page_label":"file page 6, lines 49-51"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 25-25","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2010/10-5443.pdf","page_label":"file page 7, lines 25-25"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 27-31","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2010/10-5443.pdf","page_label":"file page 7, lines 27-31"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 43-51","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2010/10-5443.pdf","page_label":"file page 7, lines 43-51"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 9-17","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2010/10-5443.pdf","page_label":"file page 7, lines 9-17"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 19-19","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2010/10-5443.pdf","page_label":"file page 8, lines 19-19"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 37-45","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2010/10-5443.pdf","page_label":"file page 8, lines 37-45"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 5-15","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2010/10-5443.pdf","page_label":"file page 8, lines 5-15"}]}],"slug":"2010-10-5443-fowler-v-united-states","term":"2010","title":"Does a witness-killing statute require proof the killer intended to stop a specific federal report?","title_sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 23, lines 51-35","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2010/10-5443.pdf","page_label":"file page 23, lines 51-35"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 19-41","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2010/10-5443.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 19-41"}],"topics":[],"undated_disposition_date_fallback":null,"updated_at":"2026-09-05T03:22:24Z"}