{"argument_date":"2012-02-22T00:00:00Z","arguments":[{"argument_date":"2012-02-22T00:00:00Z","heading":"What happened at the argument","official_detail_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcript/2011","official_transcript_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2011/10-1320.pdf","paragraphs":["the side that brought the case's counsel argued the foreperson's announcement had double jeopardy consequences.","The state's counsel argued jeopardy had not terminated because the jury could revisit its vote.","Justice Scalia questioned whether the jury could return to reconsider the vote after the announcement.","Justice Kennedy asked if Arkansas law allowed the jury to vote again before delivering a final verdict."],"reargument":false,"sequence":1,"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 28, lines 8-18","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2011/10-1320.pdf","page_label":"file page 28, lines 8-18"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 18-1","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2011/10-1320.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 18-1"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 8-16","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2011/10-1320.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 8-16"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 26-36","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2011/10-1320.pdf","page_label":"file page 4, lines 26-36"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 4-8","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2011/10-1320.pdf","page_label":"file page 4, lines 4-8"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 10-14","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2011/10-1320.pdf","page_label":"file page 5, lines 10-14"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 52-28","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2011/10-1320.pdf","page_label":"file page 5, lines 52-28"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 46-1","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2011/10-1320.pdf","page_label":"file page 6, lines 46-1"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 12-14","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2011/10-1320.pdf","page_label":"file page 7, lines 12-14"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 18-24","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2011/10-1320.pdf","page_label":"file page 7, lines 18-24"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 36-42","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2011/10-1320.pdf","page_label":"file page 7, lines 36-42"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 6-6","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2011/10-1320.pdf","page_label":"file page 7, lines 6-6"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 36-6","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2011/10-1320.pdf","page_label":"file page 8, lines 36-6"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 6-12","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2011/10-1320.pdf","page_label":"file page 8, lines 6-12"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 22-46","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2011/10-1320.pdf","page_label":"file page 9, lines 22-46"}]}],"caption":"Blueford v. Arkansas","case_history":[{"changed_at":"2026-08-29T20:06:35.415440Z","explanation":"An official oral-argument transcript was verified.","status":"argued"}],"case_status":"argued","dek":"The dispute centers on whether a foreperson's report of a unanimous not-guilty vote legally terminates jeopardy before the court accepts the final verdict.","dek_sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 28, lines 8-18","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2011/10-1320.pdf","page_label":"file page 28, lines 8-18"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 18-1","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2011/10-1320.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 18-1"}],"dispositions":[],"latest_court_document_date":"2012-02-22T00:00:00Z","maturity":"official_transcript","official_detail_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcript/2011","official_disposition_urls":[],"official_docket_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/docket/docketfiles/html/public/10-1320.html","primary_docket":"10-1320","revisions":[{"correction_note":"Rewritten to the concise citizen-facing editorial standard.","created_at":"2026-08-30T23:11:34.529087Z","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 examines the precise moment when double jeopardy protection attaches during jury deliberations. The core issue is whether a foreperson's oral report of a vote constitutes a final verdict or remains a tentative step in the deliberation process. The outcome hinges on the legal definition of a verdict under state law and federal constitutional standards."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 28, lines 8-18","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2011/10-1320.pdf","page_label":"file page 28, lines 8-18"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 18-1","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2011/10-1320.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 18-1"}]},{"heading":"How the case got here","paragraphs":["The Supreme Court heard oral argument in this case on February 22, 2012."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 8-16","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2011/10-1320.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 8-16"}]},{"heading":"What each side wants","paragraphs":["the side that brought the case seeks a ruling that the foreperson's vote announcement ended jeopardy, barring a new trial.","The state seeks a ruling that the announcement was not a final verdict, allowing the retrial to proceed."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 28, lines 8-18","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2011/10-1320.pdf","page_label":"file page 28, lines 8-18"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 18-1","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2011/10-1320.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 18-1"}]},{"heading":"What each side says","paragraphs":["the side that brought the case argues the unanimous not-guilty vote announcement legally terminated jeopardy under double jeopardy principles.","The state argues the jury retained the right to revisit its vote, so jeopardy never attached."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 28, lines 8-18","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2011/10-1320.pdf","page_label":"file page 28, lines 8-18"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 18-1","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2011/10-1320.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 18-1"}]},{"heading":"What the justices asked","paragraphs":["Justice Scalia asked if the jury could reconsider the vote after the foreperson's announcement.","Justice Kennedy asked if Arkansas law permits the jury to vote again before delivering a formal verdict."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 26-36","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2011/10-1320.pdf","page_label":"file page 4, lines 26-36"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 4-8","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2011/10-1320.pdf","page_label":"file page 4, lines 4-8"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 10-14","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2011/10-1320.pdf","page_label":"file page 5, lines 10-14"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 52-28","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2011/10-1320.pdf","page_label":"file page 5, lines 52-28"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 46-1","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2011/10-1320.pdf","page_label":"file page 6, lines 46-1"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 12-14","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2011/10-1320.pdf","page_label":"file page 7, lines 12-14"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 18-24","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2011/10-1320.pdf","page_label":"file page 7, lines 18-24"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 36-42","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2011/10-1320.pdf","page_label":"file page 7, lines 36-42"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 6-6","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2011/10-1320.pdf","page_label":"file page 7, lines 6-6"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 36-6","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2011/10-1320.pdf","page_label":"file page 8, lines 36-6"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 6-12","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2011/10-1320.pdf","page_label":"file page 8, lines 6-12"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 22-46","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2011/10-1320.pdf","page_label":"file page 9, lines 22-46"}]},{"heading":"Why it matters","paragraphs":["This case defines the exact moment a jury's decision becomes final. It clarifies when double jeopardy protections activate during deliberations. The ruling impacts the finality of criminal verdicts and the rights of defendants facing retrial."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 28, lines 8-18","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2011/10-1320.pdf","page_label":"file page 28, lines 8-18"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 18-1","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2011/10-1320.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 18-1"}]},{"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 8-16","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2011/10-1320.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 8-16"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 26-36","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2011/10-1320.pdf","page_label":"file page 4, lines 26-36"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 4-8","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2011/10-1320.pdf","page_label":"file page 4, lines 4-8"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 10-14","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2011/10-1320.pdf","page_label":"file page 5, lines 10-14"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 52-28","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2011/10-1320.pdf","page_label":"file page 5, lines 52-28"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 46-1","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2011/10-1320.pdf","page_label":"file page 6, lines 46-1"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 12-14","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2011/10-1320.pdf","page_label":"file page 7, lines 12-14"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 18-24","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2011/10-1320.pdf","page_label":"file page 7, lines 18-24"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 36-42","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2011/10-1320.pdf","page_label":"file page 7, lines 36-42"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 6-6","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2011/10-1320.pdf","page_label":"file page 7, lines 6-6"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 36-6","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2011/10-1320.pdf","page_label":"file page 8, lines 36-6"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 6-12","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2011/10-1320.pdf","page_label":"file page 8, lines 6-12"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 22-46","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2011/10-1320.pdf","page_label":"file page 9, lines 22-46"}]}],"slug":"2011-10-1320-blueford-v-arkansas","term":"2011","title":"Does a jury foreperson's preliminary vote announcement end double jeopardy protection?","title_sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 28, lines 8-18","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2011/10-1320.pdf","page_label":"file page 28, lines 8-18"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 18-1","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2011/10-1320.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 18-1"}],"topics":[],"undated_disposition_date_fallback":null,"updated_at":"2026-09-05T03:22:24Z"}