{"argument_date":"2012-03-21T00:00:00Z","arguments":[{"argument_date":"2012-03-21T00:00:00Z","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/2011/11-199.pdf","paragraphs":["Mr. Yang asserted the inquiry turns on whether a rational jury would convict.","Mr. Brindley addressed the government's reliance on prior precedent.","questions_asked_by_justices"],"reargument":false,"sequence":1,"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 10, lines 14-28","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2011/11-199.pdf","page_label":"file page 10, lines 14-28"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 28, lines 36-48","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2011/11-199.pdf","page_label":"file page 28, lines 36-48"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 20-1","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2011/11-199.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 20-1"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 8-18","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2011/11-199.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 8-18"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 8-36","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2011/11-199.pdf","page_label":"file page 4, lines 8-36"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 14-42","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2011/11-199.pdf","page_label":"file page 5, lines 14-42"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 57, lines 4-12","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2011/11-199.pdf","page_label":"file page 57, lines 4-12"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 59, lines 14-22","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2011/11-199.pdf","page_label":"file page 59, lines 14-22"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 59, lines 36-40","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2011/11-199.pdf","page_label":"file page 59, lines 36-40"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 44-46","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2011/11-199.pdf","page_label":"file page 6, lines 44-46"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 52-4","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2011/11-199.pdf","page_label":"file page 6, lines 52-4"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 60, lines 8-14","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2011/11-199.pdf","page_label":"file page 60, lines 8-14"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 38-40","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2011/11-199.pdf","page_label":"file page 7, lines 38-40"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 8-16","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2011/11-199.pdf","page_label":"file page 7, lines 8-16"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 22-30","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2011/11-199.pdf","page_label":"file page 8, lines 22-30"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 22-22","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2011/11-199.pdf","page_label":"file page 9, lines 22-22"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 4-18","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2011/11-199.pdf","page_label":"file page 9, lines 4-18"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 40-40","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2011/11-199.pdf","page_label":"file page 9, lines 40-40"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 44-50","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2011/11-199.pdf","page_label":"file page 9, lines 44-50"}]}],"caption":"Vasquez v. United States","case_history":[{"changed_at":"2026-08-29T20:06:35.272341Z","explanation":"An official oral-argument transcript was verified.","status":"argued"},{"changed_at":"2026-08-29T20:06:35.304938Z","explanation":"An official oral-argument transcript was verified.","status":"argued"}],"case_status":"argued","dek":"The dispute centers on which jury standard applies when courts review trial errors.","dek_sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 28, lines 36-48","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2011/11-199.pdf","page_label":"file page 28, lines 36-48"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 20-1","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2011/11-199.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 20-1"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 57, lines 4-12","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2011/11-199.pdf","page_label":"file page 57, lines 4-12"}],"dispositions":[],"latest_court_document_date":"2012-03-21T00:00:00Z","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/11-199.html","primary_docket":"11-199","revisions":[{"correction_note":"Rewritten to the concise citizen-facing editorial standard.","created_at":"2026-08-30T23:03:26.313830Z","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 asks how courts should evaluate trial errors. The government argues for a rational jury standard. the side that brought the case argues for the actual jury standard."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 28, lines 36-48","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2011/11-199.pdf","page_label":"file page 28, lines 36-48"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 20-1","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2011/11-199.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 20-1"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 57, lines 4-12","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2011/11-199.pdf","page_label":"file page 57, lines 4-12"}]},{"heading":"How the case got here","paragraphs":["The Supreme Court heard oral argument in this case on March 21, 2012."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 8-18","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2011/11-199.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 8-18"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 59, lines 14-22","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2011/11-199.pdf","page_label":"file page 59, lines 14-22"}]},{"heading":"What each side wants","paragraphs":["the side that brought the case wants the Court to apply the actual jury standard.","The government wants the Court to apply the rational jury standard."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 28, lines 36-48","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2011/11-199.pdf","page_label":"file page 28, lines 36-48"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 20-1","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2011/11-199.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 20-1"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 57, lines 4-12","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2011/11-199.pdf","page_label":"file page 57, lines 4-12"}]},{"heading":"What each side says","paragraphs":["the side that brought the case argues the focus must be on the specific jury that heard the case.","The government argues the focus should be on a hypothetical rational jury."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 28, lines 36-48","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2011/11-199.pdf","page_label":"file page 28, lines 36-48"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 20-1","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2011/11-199.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 20-1"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 57, lines 4-12","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2011/11-199.pdf","page_label":"file page 57, lines 4-12"}]},{"heading":"What the justices asked","paragraphs":["Justice Alito asked if the difference is between a rational jury and this particular jury.","Justice Roberts asked where the government brief supports the rational jury test."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 10, lines 14-28","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2011/11-199.pdf","page_label":"file page 10, lines 14-28"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 8-36","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2011/11-199.pdf","page_label":"file page 4, lines 8-36"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 14-42","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2011/11-199.pdf","page_label":"file page 5, lines 14-42"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 59, lines 14-22","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2011/11-199.pdf","page_label":"file page 59, lines 14-22"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 59, lines 36-40","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2011/11-199.pdf","page_label":"file page 59, lines 36-40"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 44-46","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2011/11-199.pdf","page_label":"file page 6, lines 44-46"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 52-4","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2011/11-199.pdf","page_label":"file page 6, lines 52-4"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 60, lines 8-14","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2011/11-199.pdf","page_label":"file page 60, lines 8-14"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 38-40","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2011/11-199.pdf","page_label":"file page 7, lines 38-40"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 8-16","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2011/11-199.pdf","page_label":"file page 7, lines 8-16"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 22-30","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2011/11-199.pdf","page_label":"file page 8, lines 22-30"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 22-22","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2011/11-199.pdf","page_label":"file page 9, lines 22-22"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 4-18","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2011/11-199.pdf","page_label":"file page 9, lines 4-18"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 40-40","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2011/11-199.pdf","page_label":"file page 9, lines 40-40"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 44-50","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2011/11-199.pdf","page_label":"file page 9, lines 44-50"}]},{"heading":"Why it matters","paragraphs":["This standard determines how courts weigh trial errors. It affects the finality of criminal convictions. It shapes the scope of appellate review."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 28, lines 36-48","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2011/11-199.pdf","page_label":"file page 28, lines 36-48"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 20-1","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2011/11-199.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 20-1"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 57, lines 4-12","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2011/11-199.pdf","page_label":"file page 57, lines 4-12"}]},{"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 14-28","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2011/11-199.pdf","page_label":"file page 10, lines 14-28"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 8-18","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2011/11-199.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 8-18"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 8-36","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2011/11-199.pdf","page_label":"file page 4, lines 8-36"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 14-42","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2011/11-199.pdf","page_label":"file page 5, lines 14-42"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 59, lines 14-22","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2011/11-199.pdf","page_label":"file page 59, lines 14-22"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 59, lines 36-40","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2011/11-199.pdf","page_label":"file page 59, lines 36-40"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 44-46","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2011/11-199.pdf","page_label":"file page 6, lines 44-46"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 52-4","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2011/11-199.pdf","page_label":"file page 6, lines 52-4"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 60, lines 8-14","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2011/11-199.pdf","page_label":"file page 60, lines 8-14"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 38-40","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2011/11-199.pdf","page_label":"file page 7, lines 38-40"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 8-16","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2011/11-199.pdf","page_label":"file page 7, lines 8-16"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 22-30","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2011/11-199.pdf","page_label":"file page 8, lines 22-30"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 22-22","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2011/11-199.pdf","page_label":"file page 9, lines 22-22"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 4-18","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2011/11-199.pdf","page_label":"file page 9, lines 4-18"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 40-40","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2011/11-199.pdf","page_label":"file page 9, lines 40-40"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 44-50","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2011/11-199.pdf","page_label":"file page 9, lines 44-50"}]}],"slug":"2011-11-199-vasquez-v-united-states","term":"2011","title":"Does harmless error review require a rational jury or the actual jury?","title_sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 28, lines 36-48","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2011/11-199.pdf","page_label":"file page 28, lines 36-48"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 20-1","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2011/11-199.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 20-1"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 57, lines 4-12","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2011/11-199.pdf","page_label":"file page 57, lines 4-12"}],"topics":[],"undated_disposition_date_fallback":null,"updated_at":"2026-09-05T03:22:24Z"}