{"argument_date":"2018-01-17T00:00:00Z","arguments":[{"argument_date":"2018-01-17T00:00:00Z","heading":"What happened at the argument","official_detail_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcript/2017","official_transcript_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2017/16-8255_m2hl.pdf","paragraphs":["Seth Waxman argued the Constitution prohibits lawyers from admitting guilt over a client's objection.","Chief Justice Roberts explored scenarios where a lawyer advises a client on the best defense strategy.","Justice Breyer highlighted the danger of defendants representing themselves in capital cases.","Justice Alito summarized the defense position as prohibiting lawyers from conceding any offense element."],"reargument":false,"sequence":1,"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 11, lines 19-25","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2017/16-8255_m2hl.pdf","page_label":"file page 11, lines 19-25"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 11, lines 35-53","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2017/16-8255_m2hl.pdf","page_label":"file page 11, lines 35-53"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 32, lines 19-43","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2017/16-8255_m2hl.pdf","page_label":"file page 32, lines 19-43"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 11-21","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2017/16-8255_m2hl.pdf","page_label":"file page 4, lines 11-21"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 23-7","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2017/16-8255_m2hl.pdf","page_label":"file page 4, lines 23-7"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 9-29","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2017/16-8255_m2hl.pdf","page_label":"file page 5, lines 9-29"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 29-39","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2017/16-8255_m2hl.pdf","page_label":"file page 6, lines 29-39"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 62, lines 47-7","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2017/16-8255_m2hl.pdf","page_label":"file page 62, lines 47-7"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 13-19","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2017/16-8255_m2hl.pdf","page_label":"file page 7, lines 13-19"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 49-51","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2017/16-8255_m2hl.pdf","page_label":"file page 7, lines 49-51"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 55-9","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2017/16-8255_m2hl.pdf","page_label":"file page 7, lines 55-9"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 25-25","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2017/16-8255_m2hl.pdf","page_label":"file page 8, lines 25-25"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 29-33","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2017/16-8255_m2hl.pdf","page_label":"file page 8, lines 29-33"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 17-27","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2017/16-8255_m2hl.pdf","page_label":"file page 9, lines 17-27"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 49-51","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2017/16-8255_m2hl.pdf","page_label":"file page 9, lines 49-51"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 55-23","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2017/16-8255_m2hl.pdf","page_label":"file page 9, lines 55-23"}]}],"caption":"McCoy v. Louisiana","case_history":[{"changed_at":"2026-08-29T20:06:21.184846Z","explanation":"An official oral-argument transcript was verified.","status":"argued"}],"case_status":"argued","dek":"A defendant claims the Constitution bars his lawyer from admitting guilt when he insists on his innocence.","dek_sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 32, lines 19-43","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2017/16-8255_m2hl.pdf","page_label":"file page 32, lines 19-43"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 23-7","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2017/16-8255_m2hl.pdf","page_label":"file page 4, lines 23-7"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 62, lines 47-7","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2017/16-8255_m2hl.pdf","page_label":"file page 62, lines 47-7"}],"dispositions":[],"latest_court_document_date":"2018-01-17T00:00:00Z","maturity":"official_transcript","official_detail_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcript/2017","official_disposition_urls":[],"official_docket_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/docket/docketfiles/html/public/16-8255.html","primary_docket":"16-8255","revisions":[{"correction_note":"Rewritten to the concise citizen-facing editorial standard.","created_at":"2026-08-30T18:23:05.074925Z","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 tests whether a lawyer may concede guilt over a client's objection."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 32, lines 19-43","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2017/16-8255_m2hl.pdf","page_label":"file page 32, lines 19-43"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 23-7","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2017/16-8255_m2hl.pdf","page_label":"file page 4, lines 23-7"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 62, lines 47-7","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2017/16-8255_m2hl.pdf","page_label":"file page 62, lines 47-7"}]},{"heading":"How the case got here","paragraphs":["The Supreme Court heard oral argument in this case on January 17, 2018."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 11-21","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2017/16-8255_m2hl.pdf","page_label":"file page 4, lines 11-21"}]},{"heading":"What each side wants","paragraphs":["the side that brought the case wants the Court to ban lawyers from admitting guilt against a client's will.","The state wants the Court to allow lawyers to admit guilt to secure a lesser sentence."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 32, lines 19-43","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2017/16-8255_m2hl.pdf","page_label":"file page 32, lines 19-43"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 23-7","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2017/16-8255_m2hl.pdf","page_label":"file page 4, lines 23-7"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 62, lines 47-7","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2017/16-8255_m2hl.pdf","page_label":"file page 62, lines 47-7"}]},{"heading":"What each side says","paragraphs":["the side that brought the case argues the Constitution protects a defendant's right to maintain innocence.","The state argues lawyers must control trial strategy to avoid harsher penalties."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 32, lines 19-43","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2017/16-8255_m2hl.pdf","page_label":"file page 32, lines 19-43"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 23-7","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2017/16-8255_m2hl.pdf","page_label":"file page 4, lines 23-7"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 62, lines 47-7","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2017/16-8255_m2hl.pdf","page_label":"file page 62, lines 47-7"}]},{"heading":"What the justices asked","paragraphs":["Chief Justice Roberts asked if the rule applies when a lawyer admits guilt.","Justice Breyer questioned the risk of self-representation in death penalty cases."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 11, lines 19-25","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2017/16-8255_m2hl.pdf","page_label":"file page 11, lines 19-25"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 11, lines 35-53","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2017/16-8255_m2hl.pdf","page_label":"file page 11, lines 35-53"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 9-29","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2017/16-8255_m2hl.pdf","page_label":"file page 5, lines 9-29"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 29-39","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2017/16-8255_m2hl.pdf","page_label":"file page 6, lines 29-39"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 13-19","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2017/16-8255_m2hl.pdf","page_label":"file page 7, lines 13-19"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 49-51","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2017/16-8255_m2hl.pdf","page_label":"file page 7, lines 49-51"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 55-9","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2017/16-8255_m2hl.pdf","page_label":"file page 7, lines 55-9"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 25-25","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2017/16-8255_m2hl.pdf","page_label":"file page 8, lines 25-25"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 29-33","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2017/16-8255_m2hl.pdf","page_label":"file page 8, lines 29-33"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 17-27","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2017/16-8255_m2hl.pdf","page_label":"file page 9, lines 17-27"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 49-51","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2017/16-8255_m2hl.pdf","page_label":"file page 9, lines 49-51"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 55-23","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2017/16-8255_m2hl.pdf","page_label":"file page 9, lines 55-23"}]},{"heading":"Why it matters","paragraphs":["This dispute defines the boundary between lawyer strategy and client autonomy in criminal trials."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 32, lines 19-43","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2017/16-8255_m2hl.pdf","page_label":"file page 32, lines 19-43"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 23-7","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2017/16-8255_m2hl.pdf","page_label":"file page 4, lines 23-7"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 62, lines 47-7","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2017/16-8255_m2hl.pdf","page_label":"file page 62, lines 47-7"}]},{"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 11, lines 19-25","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2017/16-8255_m2hl.pdf","page_label":"file page 11, lines 19-25"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 11, lines 35-53","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2017/16-8255_m2hl.pdf","page_label":"file page 11, lines 35-53"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 11-21","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2017/16-8255_m2hl.pdf","page_label":"file page 4, lines 11-21"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 9-29","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2017/16-8255_m2hl.pdf","page_label":"file page 5, lines 9-29"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 29-39","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2017/16-8255_m2hl.pdf","page_label":"file page 6, lines 29-39"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 13-19","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2017/16-8255_m2hl.pdf","page_label":"file page 7, lines 13-19"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 49-51","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2017/16-8255_m2hl.pdf","page_label":"file page 7, lines 49-51"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 55-9","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2017/16-8255_m2hl.pdf","page_label":"file page 7, lines 55-9"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 25-25","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2017/16-8255_m2hl.pdf","page_label":"file page 8, lines 25-25"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 29-33","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2017/16-8255_m2hl.pdf","page_label":"file page 8, lines 29-33"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 17-27","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2017/16-8255_m2hl.pdf","page_label":"file page 9, lines 17-27"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 49-51","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2017/16-8255_m2hl.pdf","page_label":"file page 9, lines 49-51"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 55-23","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2017/16-8255_m2hl.pdf","page_label":"file page 9, lines 55-23"}]}],"slug":"2017-16-8255-mccoy-v-louisiana","term":"2017","title":"Can a lawyer admit guilt against a client's will?","title_sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 32, lines 19-43","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2017/16-8255_m2hl.pdf","page_label":"file page 32, lines 19-43"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 23-7","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2017/16-8255_m2hl.pdf","page_label":"file page 4, lines 23-7"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 62, lines 47-7","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2017/16-8255_m2hl.pdf","page_label":"file page 62, lines 47-7"}],"topics":[],"undated_disposition_date_fallback":null,"updated_at":"2026-09-05T03:22:24Z"}