{"argument_date":"2015-11-10T00:00:00Z","arguments":[{"argument_date":"2015-11-10T00:00:00Z","heading":"What happened at the argument","official_detail_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcript/2015","official_transcript_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2015/14-419_7758.pdf","paragraphs":["Mr. Srebnick argued the Sixth Amendment protects the right to spend one's own money on counsel.","Mr. Dreeben argued the principle from Monsanto resolves the case regarding substitute property.","Chief Justice Roberts questioned how defendants manage daily expenses under a total freeze.","Justice Kennedy asked about the difficulty of tracing assets to determine their taint."],"reargument":false,"sequence":1,"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 26, lines 28-1","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2015/14-419_7758.pdf","page_label":"file page 26, lines 28-1"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 18-42","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2015/14-419_7758.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 18-42"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 44-46","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2015/14-419_7758.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 44-46"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 8-16","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2015/14-419_7758.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 8-16"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 24-48","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2015/14-419_7758.pdf","page_label":"file page 4, lines 24-48"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 4-10","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2015/14-419_7758.pdf","page_label":"file page 4, lines 4-10"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 8-24","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2015/14-419_7758.pdf","page_label":"file page 5, lines 8-24"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 55, lines 18-8","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2015/14-419_7758.pdf","page_label":"file page 55, lines 18-8"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 57, lines 11-13","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2015/14-419_7758.pdf","page_label":"file page 57, lines 11-13"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 32-12","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2015/14-419_7758.pdf","page_label":"file page 6, lines 32-12"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 6-14","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2015/14-419_7758.pdf","page_label":"file page 6, lines 6-14"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 16-16","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2015/14-419_7758.pdf","page_label":"file page 7, lines 16-16"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 34-36","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2015/14-419_7758.pdf","page_label":"file page 7, lines 34-36"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 16-26","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2015/14-419_7758.pdf","page_label":"file page 8, lines 16-26"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 32-36","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2015/14-419_7758.pdf","page_label":"file page 8, lines 32-36"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 42-44","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2015/14-419_7758.pdf","page_label":"file page 8, lines 42-44"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 4-8","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2015/14-419_7758.pdf","page_label":"file page 9, lines 4-8"}]}],"caption":"Luis v. United States","case_history":[{"changed_at":"2026-08-29T20:06:22.874014Z","explanation":"An official oral-argument transcript was verified.","status":"argued"},{"changed_at":"2026-08-29T20:06:22.902651Z","explanation":"An official oral-argument transcript was verified.","status":"argued"}],"case_status":"argued","dek":"The dispute centers on whether a pretrial freeze order can seize money a defendant earned legally to pay for their attorney.","dek_sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 26, lines 28-1","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2015/14-419_7758.pdf","page_label":"file page 26, lines 28-1"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 18-42","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2015/14-419_7758.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 18-42"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 55, lines 18-8","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2015/14-419_7758.pdf","page_label":"file page 55, lines 18-8"}],"dispositions":[],"latest_court_document_date":"2015-11-10T00:00:00Z","maturity":"official_transcript","official_detail_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcript/2015","official_disposition_urls":[],"official_docket_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/docket/docketfiles/html/public/14-419.html","primary_docket":"14-419","revisions":[{"correction_note":"Rewritten to the concise citizen-facing editorial standard.","created_at":"2026-08-30T19:14:29.334619Z","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":["Luis argues the Sixth Amendment protects her right to spend her own clean money on legal counsel. The government contends the freeze order is valid because it targets proceeds from drug activity. The lower court upheld the freeze, and Luis seeks reversal."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 26, lines 28-1","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2015/14-419_7758.pdf","page_label":"file page 26, lines 28-1"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 18-42","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2015/14-419_7758.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 18-42"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 55, lines 18-8","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2015/14-419_7758.pdf","page_label":"file page 55, lines 18-8"}]},{"heading":"How the case got here","paragraphs":["The Supreme Court heard oral argument in this case on November 10, 2015."],"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/2015/14-419_7758.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 8-16"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 57, lines 11-13","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2015/14-419_7758.pdf","page_label":"file page 57, lines 11-13"}]},{"heading":"What each side wants","paragraphs":["Luis wants the Court to strike down the freeze order on her clean funds.","The government wants the Court to uphold the freeze order on her assets."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 26, lines 28-1","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2015/14-419_7758.pdf","page_label":"file page 26, lines 28-1"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 18-42","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2015/14-419_7758.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 18-42"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 55, lines 18-8","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2015/14-419_7758.pdf","page_label":"file page 55, lines 18-8"}]},{"heading":"What each side says","paragraphs":["Luis argues the Sixth Amendment guarantees the right to spend one's own money on counsel.","The government argues the freeze order is valid because it targets drug proceeds."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 26, lines 28-1","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2015/14-419_7758.pdf","page_label":"file page 26, lines 28-1"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 18-42","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2015/14-419_7758.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 18-42"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 55, lines 18-8","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2015/14-419_7758.pdf","page_label":"file page 55, lines 18-8"}]},{"heading":"What the justices asked","paragraphs":["Chief Justice Roberts asked how a defendant pays daily expenses if the freeze covers all money.","Justice Kennedy asked whether assets can be traced to determine their taint status."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 44-46","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2015/14-419_7758.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 44-46"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 24-48","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2015/14-419_7758.pdf","page_label":"file page 4, lines 24-48"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 4-10","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2015/14-419_7758.pdf","page_label":"file page 4, lines 4-10"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 8-24","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2015/14-419_7758.pdf","page_label":"file page 5, lines 8-24"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 57, lines 11-13","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2015/14-419_7758.pdf","page_label":"file page 57, lines 11-13"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 32-12","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2015/14-419_7758.pdf","page_label":"file page 6, lines 32-12"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 6-14","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2015/14-419_7758.pdf","page_label":"file page 6, lines 6-14"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 16-16","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2015/14-419_7758.pdf","page_label":"file page 7, lines 16-16"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 34-36","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2015/14-419_7758.pdf","page_label":"file page 7, lines 34-36"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 16-26","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2015/14-419_7758.pdf","page_label":"file page 8, lines 16-26"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 32-36","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2015/14-419_7758.pdf","page_label":"file page 8, lines 32-36"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 42-44","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2015/14-419_7758.pdf","page_label":"file page 8, lines 42-44"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 4-8","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2015/14-419_7758.pdf","page_label":"file page 9, lines 4-8"}]},{"heading":"Why it matters","paragraphs":["This case defines the boundary between government power and individual rights. It determines whether defendants can access their own funds for legal defense. The outcome shapes pretrial procedures for all criminal defendants."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 26, lines 28-1","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2015/14-419_7758.pdf","page_label":"file page 26, lines 28-1"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 18-42","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2015/14-419_7758.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 18-42"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 55, lines 18-8","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2015/14-419_7758.pdf","page_label":"file page 55, lines 18-8"}]},{"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 44-46","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2015/14-419_7758.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 44-46"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 8-16","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2015/14-419_7758.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 8-16"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 24-48","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2015/14-419_7758.pdf","page_label":"file page 4, lines 24-48"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 4-10","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2015/14-419_7758.pdf","page_label":"file page 4, lines 4-10"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 8-24","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2015/14-419_7758.pdf","page_label":"file page 5, lines 8-24"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 57, lines 11-13","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2015/14-419_7758.pdf","page_label":"file page 57, lines 11-13"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 32-12","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2015/14-419_7758.pdf","page_label":"file page 6, lines 32-12"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 6-14","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2015/14-419_7758.pdf","page_label":"file page 6, lines 6-14"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 16-16","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2015/14-419_7758.pdf","page_label":"file page 7, lines 16-16"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 34-36","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2015/14-419_7758.pdf","page_label":"file page 7, lines 34-36"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 16-26","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2015/14-419_7758.pdf","page_label":"file page 8, lines 16-26"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 32-36","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2015/14-419_7758.pdf","page_label":"file page 8, lines 32-36"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 42-44","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2015/14-419_7758.pdf","page_label":"file page 8, lines 42-44"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 4-8","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2015/14-419_7758.pdf","page_label":"file page 9, lines 4-8"}]}],"slug":"2015-14-419-luis-v-united-states","term":"2015","title":"Can the government freeze a defendant's clean funds to pay for legal defense?","title_sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 26, lines 28-1","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2015/14-419_7758.pdf","page_label":"file page 26, lines 28-1"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 18-42","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2015/14-419_7758.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 18-42"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 55, lines 18-8","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2015/14-419_7758.pdf","page_label":"file page 55, lines 18-8"}],"topics":[],"undated_disposition_date_fallback":null,"updated_at":"2026-09-05T03:22:24Z"}