{"argument_date":"2012-11-06T00:00:00Z","arguments":[{"argument_date":"2012-11-06T00:00:00Z","heading":"What happened at the argument","official_detail_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcript/2012","official_transcript_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2012/11-1327.pdf","paragraphs":["Mr. Moran argued for the side that brought the case's position on appeal rights.","Mr. Gannon argued for distinguishing different types of judicial errors.","Justice Scalia questioned the source of unfairness in the trial process."],"reargument":false,"sequence":1,"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 27, lines 11-31","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2012/11-1327.pdf","page_label":"file page 27, lines 11-31"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 17-31","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2012/11-1327.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 17-31"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 33-35","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2012/11-1327.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 33-35"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 7-15","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2012/11-1327.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 7-15"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 27-29","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2012/11-1327.pdf","page_label":"file page 4, lines 27-29"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 3-13","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2012/11-1327.pdf","page_label":"file page 4, lines 3-13"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 47-49","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2012/11-1327.pdf","page_label":"file page 4, lines 47-49"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 44, lines 21-13","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2012/11-1327.pdf","page_label":"file page 44, lines 21-13"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 47, lines 19-21","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2012/11-1327.pdf","page_label":"file page 47, lines 19-21"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 5-9","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2012/11-1327.pdf","page_label":"file page 5, lines 5-9"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 56, lines 5-19","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2012/11-1327.pdf","page_label":"file page 56, lines 5-19"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 57, lines 25-27","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2012/11-1327.pdf","page_label":"file page 57, lines 25-27"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 17-19","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2012/11-1327.pdf","page_label":"file page 6, lines 17-19"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 33-43","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2012/11-1327.pdf","page_label":"file page 6, lines 33-43"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 49-49","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2012/11-1327.pdf","page_label":"file page 6, lines 49-49"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 7-13","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2012/11-1327.pdf","page_label":"file page 6, lines 7-13"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 29-47","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2012/11-1327.pdf","page_label":"file page 7, lines 29-47"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 19-23","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2012/11-1327.pdf","page_label":"file page 8, lines 19-23"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 9-15","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2012/11-1327.pdf","page_label":"file page 8, lines 9-15"}]}],"caption":"Evans v. Michigan","case_history":[{"changed_at":"2026-08-29T20:06:35.056551Z","explanation":"An official oral-argument transcript was verified.","status":"argued"},{"changed_at":"2026-08-29T20:06:35.083856Z","explanation":"An official oral-argument transcript was verified.","status":"argued"}],"case_status":"argued","dek":"The dispute centers on whether a state can block an appeal when a judge incorrectly adds a legal element to a criminal charge.","dek_sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 27, lines 11-31","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2012/11-1327.pdf","page_label":"file page 27, lines 11-31"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 17-31","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2012/11-1327.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 17-31"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 44, lines 21-13","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2012/11-1327.pdf","page_label":"file page 44, lines 21-13"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 47, lines 19-21","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2012/11-1327.pdf","page_label":"file page 47, lines 19-21"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 56, lines 5-19","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2012/11-1327.pdf","page_label":"file page 56, lines 5-19"}],"dispositions":[],"latest_court_document_date":"2012-11-06T00:00:00Z","maturity":"official_transcript","official_detail_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcript/2012","official_disposition_urls":[],"official_docket_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/docket/docketfiles/html/public/11-1327.html","primary_docket":"11-1327","revisions":[{"correction_note":"Rewritten to the concise citizen-facing editorial standard.","created_at":"2026-08-30T22:39:26.702304Z","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 finality in criminal trials. It asks if a state can prevent review of a judge's error in defining a crime."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 27, lines 11-31","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2012/11-1327.pdf","page_label":"file page 27, lines 11-31"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 17-31","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2012/11-1327.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 17-31"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 44, lines 21-13","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2012/11-1327.pdf","page_label":"file page 44, lines 21-13"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 47, lines 19-21","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2012/11-1327.pdf","page_label":"file page 47, lines 19-21"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 56, lines 5-19","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2012/11-1327.pdf","page_label":"file page 56, lines 5-19"}]},{"heading":"How the case got here","paragraphs":["The Supreme Court heard oral argument in this case on November 6, 2012."],"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/2012/11-1327.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 7-15"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 57, lines 25-27","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2012/11-1327.pdf","page_label":"file page 57, lines 25-27"}]},{"heading":"What each side wants","paragraphs":["the side that brought the case wants the state to allow an appeal of the judge's error.","The state wants to bar the appeal to preserve trial finality."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 27, lines 11-31","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2012/11-1327.pdf","page_label":"file page 27, lines 11-31"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 17-31","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2012/11-1327.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 17-31"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 44, lines 21-13","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2012/11-1327.pdf","page_label":"file page 44, lines 21-13"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 47, lines 19-21","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2012/11-1327.pdf","page_label":"file page 47, lines 19-21"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 56, lines 5-19","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2012/11-1327.pdf","page_label":"file page 56, lines 5-19"}]},{"heading":"What each side says","paragraphs":["the side that brought the case argues the judge wrongly added a legal element to the charge.","The state argues the error did not warrant a new trial or appeal."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 27, lines 11-31","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2012/11-1327.pdf","page_label":"file page 27, lines 11-31"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 17-31","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2012/11-1327.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 17-31"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 44, lines 21-13","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2012/11-1327.pdf","page_label":"file page 44, lines 21-13"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 47, lines 19-21","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2012/11-1327.pdf","page_label":"file page 47, lines 19-21"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 56, lines 5-19","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2012/11-1327.pdf","page_label":"file page 56, lines 5-19"}]},{"heading":"What the justices asked","paragraphs":["Justice Kennedy asked if states could suspend jury proceedings for appeals.","Justice Scalia asked if unfairness from judges counts as government error."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 33-35","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2012/11-1327.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 33-35"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 27-29","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2012/11-1327.pdf","page_label":"file page 4, lines 27-29"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 3-13","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2012/11-1327.pdf","page_label":"file page 4, lines 3-13"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 47-49","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2012/11-1327.pdf","page_label":"file page 4, lines 47-49"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 5-9","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2012/11-1327.pdf","page_label":"file page 5, lines 5-9"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 57, lines 25-27","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2012/11-1327.pdf","page_label":"file page 57, lines 25-27"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 17-19","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2012/11-1327.pdf","page_label":"file page 6, lines 17-19"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 33-43","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2012/11-1327.pdf","page_label":"file page 6, lines 33-43"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 49-49","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2012/11-1327.pdf","page_label":"file page 6, lines 49-49"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 7-13","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2012/11-1327.pdf","page_label":"file page 6, lines 7-13"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 29-47","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2012/11-1327.pdf","page_label":"file page 7, lines 29-47"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 19-23","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2012/11-1327.pdf","page_label":"file page 8, lines 19-23"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 9-15","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2012/11-1327.pdf","page_label":"file page 8, lines 9-15"}]},{"heading":"Why it matters","paragraphs":["This issue determines whether states can block appeals for specific judicial errors. It affects the finality of criminal convictions. It impacts the right to correct legal mistakes in trials."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 27, lines 11-31","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2012/11-1327.pdf","page_label":"file page 27, lines 11-31"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 17-31","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2012/11-1327.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 17-31"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 44, lines 21-13","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2012/11-1327.pdf","page_label":"file page 44, lines 21-13"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 47, lines 19-21","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2012/11-1327.pdf","page_label":"file page 47, lines 19-21"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 56, lines 5-19","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2012/11-1327.pdf","page_label":"file page 56, lines 5-19"}]},{"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 33-35","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2012/11-1327.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 33-35"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 7-15","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2012/11-1327.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 7-15"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 27-29","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2012/11-1327.pdf","page_label":"file page 4, lines 27-29"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 3-13","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2012/11-1327.pdf","page_label":"file page 4, lines 3-13"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 47-49","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2012/11-1327.pdf","page_label":"file page 4, lines 47-49"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 5-9","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2012/11-1327.pdf","page_label":"file page 5, lines 5-9"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 57, lines 25-27","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2012/11-1327.pdf","page_label":"file page 57, lines 25-27"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 17-19","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2012/11-1327.pdf","page_label":"file page 6, lines 17-19"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 33-43","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2012/11-1327.pdf","page_label":"file page 6, lines 33-43"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 49-49","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2012/11-1327.pdf","page_label":"file page 6, lines 49-49"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 7-13","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2012/11-1327.pdf","page_label":"file page 6, lines 7-13"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 29-47","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2012/11-1327.pdf","page_label":"file page 7, lines 29-47"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 19-23","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2012/11-1327.pdf","page_label":"file page 8, lines 19-23"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 9-15","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2012/11-1327.pdf","page_label":"file page 8, lines 9-15"}]}],"slug":"2012-11-1327-evans-v-michigan","term":"2012","title":"Can a state bar appeal after a judge wrongly adds a crime element?","title_sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 27, lines 11-31","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2012/11-1327.pdf","page_label":"file page 27, lines 11-31"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 17-31","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2012/11-1327.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 17-31"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 44, lines 21-13","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2012/11-1327.pdf","page_label":"file page 44, lines 21-13"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 47, lines 19-21","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2012/11-1327.pdf","page_label":"file page 47, lines 19-21"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 56, lines 5-19","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2012/11-1327.pdf","page_label":"file page 56, lines 5-19"}],"topics":[],"undated_disposition_date_fallback":null,"updated_at":"2026-09-05T03:22:24Z"}