{"argument_date":"2018-10-09T00:00:00Z","arguments":[{"argument_date":"2018-10-09T00:00:00Z","heading":"What happened at the argument","official_detail_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcript/2018","official_transcript_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2018/17-5554_anm6.pdf","paragraphs":["the side that brought the case argued Florida robbery requires only slight force.","Government argued common law distinguishes violent takings from non-violent ones.","questions_asked_by_justices"],"reargument":false,"sequence":1,"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 31, lines 20-17","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2018/17-5554_anm6.pdf","page_label":"file page 31, lines 20-17"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 16-26","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2018/17-5554_anm6.pdf","page_label":"file page 4, lines 16-26"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 27-31","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2018/17-5554_anm6.pdf","page_label":"file page 4, lines 27-31"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 9-15","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2018/17-5554_anm6.pdf","page_label":"file page 4, lines 9-15"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 36-19","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2018/17-5554_anm6.pdf","page_label":"file page 5, lines 36-19"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 6-9","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2018/17-5554_anm6.pdf","page_label":"file page 5, lines 6-9"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 32-9","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2018/17-5554_anm6.pdf","page_label":"file page 6, lines 32-9"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 24-26","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2018/17-5554_anm6.pdf","page_label":"file page 7, lines 24-26"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 13-16","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2018/17-5554_anm6.pdf","page_label":"file page 8, lines 13-16"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 19-21","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2018/17-5554_anm6.pdf","page_label":"file page 8, lines 19-21"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 30-34","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2018/17-5554_anm6.pdf","page_label":"file page 8, lines 30-34"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 36-9","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2018/17-5554_anm6.pdf","page_label":"file page 8, lines 36-9"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 10-14","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2018/17-5554_anm6.pdf","page_label":"file page 9, lines 10-14"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 15-17","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2018/17-5554_anm6.pdf","page_label":"file page 9, lines 15-17"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 32-11","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2018/17-5554_anm6.pdf","page_label":"file page 9, lines 32-11"}]}],"caption":"Stokeling v. United States","case_history":[{"changed_at":"2026-08-29T20:06:20.648595Z","explanation":"An official oral-argument transcript was verified.","status":"argued"}],"case_status":"argued","dek":"The dispute centers on whether Florida robbery requires violent force for federal sentencing enhancements.","dek_sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 31, lines 20-17","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2018/17-5554_anm6.pdf","page_label":"file page 31, lines 20-17"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 16-26","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2018/17-5554_anm6.pdf","page_label":"file page 4, lines 16-26"}],"dispositions":[],"latest_court_document_date":"2018-10-09T00:00:00Z","maturity":"official_transcript","official_detail_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcript/2018","official_disposition_urls":[],"official_docket_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/docket/docketfiles/html/public/17-5554.html","primary_docket":"17-5554","revisions":[{"correction_note":"Rewritten to the concise citizen-facing editorial standard.","created_at":"2026-08-30T18:12:14.230239Z","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 the definition of violent force under federal law."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 31, lines 20-17","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2018/17-5554_anm6.pdf","page_label":"file page 31, lines 20-17"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 16-26","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2018/17-5554_anm6.pdf","page_label":"file page 4, lines 16-26"}]},{"heading":"How the case got here","paragraphs":["The Supreme Court heard oral argument in this case on October 9, 2018."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 9-15","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2018/17-5554_anm6.pdf","page_label":"file page 4, lines 9-15"}]},{"heading":"What each side wants","paragraphs":["the side that brought the case seeks exclusion of Florida robbery from violent felony status.","Government seeks inclusion of Florida robbery as a violent felony."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 31, lines 20-17","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2018/17-5554_anm6.pdf","page_label":"file page 31, lines 20-17"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 16-26","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2018/17-5554_anm6.pdf","page_label":"file page 4, lines 16-26"}]},{"heading":"What each side says","paragraphs":["the side that brought the case argues Florida robbery lacks the required violent force element.","Government argues common law defines robbery as overcoming victim resistance."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 31, lines 20-17","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2018/17-5554_anm6.pdf","page_label":"file page 31, lines 20-17"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 16-26","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2018/17-5554_anm6.pdf","page_label":"file page 4, lines 16-26"}]},{"heading":"What the justices asked","paragraphs":["Justice Alito asked if pinching constitutes sufficient physical force.","Justice Sotomayor asked if ordinary pinching qualifies as violent force."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 27-31","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2018/17-5554_anm6.pdf","page_label":"file page 4, lines 27-31"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 36-19","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2018/17-5554_anm6.pdf","page_label":"file page 5, lines 36-19"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 6-9","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2018/17-5554_anm6.pdf","page_label":"file page 5, lines 6-9"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 32-9","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2018/17-5554_anm6.pdf","page_label":"file page 6, lines 32-9"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 24-26","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2018/17-5554_anm6.pdf","page_label":"file page 7, lines 24-26"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 13-16","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2018/17-5554_anm6.pdf","page_label":"file page 8, lines 13-16"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 19-21","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2018/17-5554_anm6.pdf","page_label":"file page 8, lines 19-21"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 30-34","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2018/17-5554_anm6.pdf","page_label":"file page 8, lines 30-34"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 36-9","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2018/17-5554_anm6.pdf","page_label":"file page 8, lines 36-9"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 10-14","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2018/17-5554_anm6.pdf","page_label":"file page 9, lines 10-14"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 15-17","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2018/17-5554_anm6.pdf","page_label":"file page 9, lines 15-17"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 32-11","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2018/17-5554_anm6.pdf","page_label":"file page 9, lines 32-11"}]},{"heading":"Why it matters","paragraphs":["This definition determines federal sentencing enhancements for repeat offenders."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 31, lines 20-17","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2018/17-5554_anm6.pdf","page_label":"file page 31, lines 20-17"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 16-26","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2018/17-5554_anm6.pdf","page_label":"file page 4, lines 16-26"}]},{"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 4, lines 27-31","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2018/17-5554_anm6.pdf","page_label":"file page 4, lines 27-31"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 9-15","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2018/17-5554_anm6.pdf","page_label":"file page 4, lines 9-15"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 36-19","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2018/17-5554_anm6.pdf","page_label":"file page 5, lines 36-19"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 6-9","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2018/17-5554_anm6.pdf","page_label":"file page 5, lines 6-9"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 32-9","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2018/17-5554_anm6.pdf","page_label":"file page 6, lines 32-9"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 24-26","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2018/17-5554_anm6.pdf","page_label":"file page 7, lines 24-26"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 13-16","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2018/17-5554_anm6.pdf","page_label":"file page 8, lines 13-16"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 19-21","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2018/17-5554_anm6.pdf","page_label":"file page 8, lines 19-21"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 30-34","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2018/17-5554_anm6.pdf","page_label":"file page 8, lines 30-34"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 36-9","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2018/17-5554_anm6.pdf","page_label":"file page 8, lines 36-9"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 10-14","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2018/17-5554_anm6.pdf","page_label":"file page 9, lines 10-14"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 15-17","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2018/17-5554_anm6.pdf","page_label":"file page 9, lines 15-17"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 32-11","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2018/17-5554_anm6.pdf","page_label":"file page 9, lines 32-11"}]}],"slug":"2018-17-5554-stokeling-v-united-states","term":"2018","title":"Does slight force qualify as a violent felony?","title_sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 31, lines 20-17","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2018/17-5554_anm6.pdf","page_label":"file page 31, lines 20-17"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 16-26","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2018/17-5554_anm6.pdf","page_label":"file page 4, lines 16-26"}],"topics":[],"undated_disposition_date_fallback":null,"updated_at":"2026-09-05T03:22:24Z"}