{"argument_date":"2016-11-29T00:00:00Z","arguments":[{"argument_date":"2016-11-29T00:00:00Z","heading":"What happened at the argument","official_detail_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcript/2016","official_transcript_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2016/15-797_f2q3.pdf","paragraphs":["Mr. Sloan argued that the Eighth Amendment prohibits executing people with intellectual disabilities.","Mr. Sloan noted that the lower court relied on specific Texas legal standards.","Mr. Keller stated that the side that brought the case conceded the use of older diagnostic manuals was acceptable.","Justice Kennedy questioned whether the presented question addresses the core issues of the case."],"reargument":false,"sequence":1,"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 26, lines 44-32","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2016/15-797_f2q3.pdf","page_label":"file page 26, lines 44-32"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 18-10","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2016/15-797_f2q3.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 18-10"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 8-16","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2016/15-797_f2q3.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 8-16"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 12-12","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2016/15-797_f2q3.pdf","page_label":"file page 4, lines 12-12"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 18-42","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2016/15-797_f2q3.pdf","page_label":"file page 4, lines 18-42"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 32-32","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2016/15-797_f2q3.pdf","page_label":"file page 5, lines 32-32"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 34-4","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2016/15-797_f2q3.pdf","page_label":"file page 5, lines 34-4"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 56, lines 34-14","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2016/15-797_f2q3.pdf","page_label":"file page 56, lines 34-14"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 57, lines 16-18","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2016/15-797_f2q3.pdf","page_label":"file page 57, lines 16-18"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 14-24","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2016/15-797_f2q3.pdf","page_label":"file page 6, lines 14-24"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 28-44","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2016/15-797_f2q3.pdf","page_label":"file page 6, lines 28-44"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 10-34","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2016/15-797_f2q3.pdf","page_label":"file page 7, lines 10-34"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 40-10","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2016/15-797_f2q3.pdf","page_label":"file page 7, lines 40-10"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 26-44","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2016/15-797_f2q3.pdf","page_label":"file page 8, lines 26-44"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 16-30","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2016/15-797_f2q3.pdf","page_label":"file page 9, lines 16-30"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 38-46","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2016/15-797_f2q3.pdf","page_label":"file page 9, lines 38-46"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 4-8","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2016/15-797_f2q3.pdf","page_label":"file page 9, lines 4-8"}]}],"caption":"Moore v. Texas","case_history":[{"changed_at":"2026-08-29T20:06:21.920390Z","explanation":"An official oral-argument transcript was verified.","status":"argued"},{"changed_at":"2026-08-29T20:06:21.946418Z","explanation":"An official oral-argument transcript was verified.","status":"argued"}],"case_status":"argued","dek":"Texas law uses outdated medical standards to define intellectual disability. This conflicts with federal constitutional protections against executing such individuals.","dek_sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 26, lines 44-32","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2016/15-797_f2q3.pdf","page_label":"file page 26, lines 44-32"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 18-10","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2016/15-797_f2q3.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 18-10"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 56, lines 34-14","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2016/15-797_f2q3.pdf","page_label":"file page 56, lines 34-14"}],"dispositions":[],"latest_court_document_date":"2016-11-29T00:00:00Z","maturity":"official_transcript","official_detail_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcript/2016","official_disposition_urls":[],"official_docket_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/docket/docketfiles/html/public/15-797.html","primary_docket":"15-797","revisions":[{"correction_note":"Rewritten to the concise citizen-facing editorial standard.","created_at":"2026-08-30T18:49:53.147981Z","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 dispute centers on whether Texas courts must apply current medical standards when determining if a defendant is intellectually disabled. the side that brought the case argues Texas law ignores these standards. The state argues its legal framework remains valid."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 26, lines 44-32","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2016/15-797_f2q3.pdf","page_label":"file page 26, lines 44-32"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 18-10","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2016/15-797_f2q3.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 18-10"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 56, lines 34-14","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2016/15-797_f2q3.pdf","page_label":"file page 56, lines 34-14"}]},{"heading":"How the case got here","paragraphs":["The Supreme Court heard oral argument in this case on November 29, 2016."],"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/2016/15-797_f2q3.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 8-16"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 57, lines 16-18","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2016/15-797_f2q3.pdf","page_label":"file page 57, lines 16-18"}]},{"heading":"What each side wants","paragraphs":["the side that brought the case wants the Court to require Texas to use current medical standards for intellectual disability determinations.","The state wants the Court to uphold the existing Texas legal framework for these determinations."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 26, lines 44-32","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2016/15-797_f2q3.pdf","page_label":"file page 26, lines 44-32"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 18-10","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2016/15-797_f2q3.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 18-10"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 56, lines 34-14","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2016/15-797_f2q3.pdf","page_label":"file page 56, lines 34-14"}]},{"heading":"What each side says","paragraphs":["the side that brought the case argues that the Eighth Amendment prohibits executing individuals with intellectual disabilities based on current medical definitions.","The state argues that its specific legal standards for defining intellectual disability remain constitutionally valid."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 26, lines 44-32","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2016/15-797_f2q3.pdf","page_label":"file page 26, lines 44-32"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 18-10","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2016/15-797_f2q3.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 18-10"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 56, lines 34-14","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2016/15-797_f2q3.pdf","page_label":"file page 56, lines 34-14"}]},{"heading":"What the justices asked","paragraphs":["Chief Justice Roberts asked whether the side that brought the case’s broad objections align with the specific main legal question to the Court.","Justice Alito asked the side that brought the case to clarify how they can prevail on the specific main legal question."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 12-12","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2016/15-797_f2q3.pdf","page_label":"file page 4, lines 12-12"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 18-42","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2016/15-797_f2q3.pdf","page_label":"file page 4, lines 18-42"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 32-32","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2016/15-797_f2q3.pdf","page_label":"file page 5, lines 32-32"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 34-4","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2016/15-797_f2q3.pdf","page_label":"file page 5, lines 34-4"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 57, lines 16-18","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2016/15-797_f2q3.pdf","page_label":"file page 57, lines 16-18"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 14-24","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2016/15-797_f2q3.pdf","page_label":"file page 6, lines 14-24"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 28-44","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2016/15-797_f2q3.pdf","page_label":"file page 6, lines 28-44"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 10-34","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2016/15-797_f2q3.pdf","page_label":"file page 7, lines 10-34"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 40-10","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2016/15-797_f2q3.pdf","page_label":"file page 7, lines 40-10"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 26-44","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2016/15-797_f2q3.pdf","page_label":"file page 8, lines 26-44"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 16-30","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2016/15-797_f2q3.pdf","page_label":"file page 9, lines 16-30"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 38-46","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2016/15-797_f2q3.pdf","page_label":"file page 9, lines 38-46"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 4-8","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2016/15-797_f2q3.pdf","page_label":"file page 9, lines 4-8"}]},{"heading":"Why it matters","paragraphs":["This case determines whether states must adopt current medical standards when assessing intellectual disability in death penalty cases. It defines the scope of constitutional protections for individuals facing execution. It clarifies the relationship between state law and federal constitutional mandates."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 26, lines 44-32","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2016/15-797_f2q3.pdf","page_label":"file page 26, lines 44-32"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 18-10","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2016/15-797_f2q3.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 18-10"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 56, lines 34-14","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2016/15-797_f2q3.pdf","page_label":"file page 56, lines 34-14"}]},{"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/2016/15-797_f2q3.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 8-16"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 12-12","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2016/15-797_f2q3.pdf","page_label":"file page 4, lines 12-12"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 18-42","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2016/15-797_f2q3.pdf","page_label":"file page 4, lines 18-42"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 32-32","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2016/15-797_f2q3.pdf","page_label":"file page 5, lines 32-32"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 34-4","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2016/15-797_f2q3.pdf","page_label":"file page 5, lines 34-4"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 57, lines 16-18","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2016/15-797_f2q3.pdf","page_label":"file page 57, lines 16-18"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 14-24","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2016/15-797_f2q3.pdf","page_label":"file page 6, lines 14-24"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 28-44","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2016/15-797_f2q3.pdf","page_label":"file page 6, lines 28-44"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 10-34","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2016/15-797_f2q3.pdf","page_label":"file page 7, lines 10-34"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 40-10","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2016/15-797_f2q3.pdf","page_label":"file page 7, lines 40-10"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 26-44","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2016/15-797_f2q3.pdf","page_label":"file page 8, lines 26-44"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 16-30","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2016/15-797_f2q3.pdf","page_label":"file page 9, lines 16-30"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 38-46","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2016/15-797_f2q3.pdf","page_label":"file page 9, lines 38-46"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 4-8","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2016/15-797_f2q3.pdf","page_label":"file page 9, lines 4-8"}]}],"slug":"2016-15-797-moore-v-texas","term":"2016","title":"Does Texas law violate the Eighth Amendment by ignoring current medical standards for intellectual disability?","title_sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 26, lines 44-32","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2016/15-797_f2q3.pdf","page_label":"file page 26, lines 44-32"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 18-10","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2016/15-797_f2q3.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 18-10"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 56, lines 34-14","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2016/15-797_f2q3.pdf","page_label":"file page 56, lines 34-14"}],"topics":[],"undated_disposition_date_fallback":null,"updated_at":"2026-09-05T03:22:24Z"}