{"argument_date":"2019-04-23T00:00:00Z","arguments":[{"argument_date":"2019-04-23T00:00:00Z","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/2018/17-9560_e18f.pdf","paragraphs":["The government advocate stated that the law does not require proof of subjective awareness of legal status.","The defendant advocate argued that knowing one's status is crucial to committing the crime.","Justice Alito questioned the inference that Congress omitted a mental element for jurisdictional elements.","Justice Ginsburg noted that other statutes explicitly require knowledge of a defendant's status."],"reargument":false,"sequence":1,"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 26, lines 27-14","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2018/17-9560_e18f.pdf","page_label":"file page 26, lines 27-14"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 15-31","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2018/17-9560_e18f.pdf","page_label":"file page 4, lines 15-31"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 32-15","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2018/17-9560_e18f.pdf","page_label":"file page 4, lines 32-15"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 8-14","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2018/17-9560_e18f.pdf","page_label":"file page 4, lines 8-14"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 14-15","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2018/17-9560_e18f.pdf","page_label":"file page 6, lines 14-15"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 26-35","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2018/17-9560_e18f.pdf","page_label":"file page 6, lines 26-35"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 9-11","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2018/17-9560_e18f.pdf","page_label":"file page 6, lines 9-11"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 11-14","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2018/17-9560_e18f.pdf","page_label":"file page 7, lines 11-14"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 23-24","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2018/17-9560_e18f.pdf","page_label":"file page 7, lines 23-24"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 26-27","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2018/17-9560_e18f.pdf","page_label":"file page 7, lines 26-27"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 32-35","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2018/17-9560_e18f.pdf","page_label":"file page 7, lines 32-35"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 13-14","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2018/17-9560_e18f.pdf","page_label":"file page 8, lines 13-14"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 20-21","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2018/17-9560_e18f.pdf","page_label":"file page 8, lines 20-21"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 6-6","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2018/17-9560_e18f.pdf","page_label":"file page 8, lines 6-6"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 9-10","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2018/17-9560_e18f.pdf","page_label":"file page 8, lines 9-10"}]}],"caption":"Rehaif v. United States","case_history":[{"changed_at":"2026-08-29T20:06:19.995708Z","explanation":"An official oral-argument transcript was verified.","status":"argued"}],"case_status":"argued","dek":"The dispute centers on whether federal law requires proof that a defendant knew their own legal status before convicting them for possessing a firearm.","dek_sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 26, lines 27-14","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2018/17-9560_e18f.pdf","page_label":"file page 26, lines 27-14"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 15-31","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2018/17-9560_e18f.pdf","page_label":"file page 4, lines 15-31"}],"dispositions":[],"latest_court_document_date":"2019-04-23T00:00:00Z","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/17-9560.html","primary_docket":"17-9560","revisions":[{"correction_note":"Rewritten to the concise citizen-facing editorial standard.","created_at":"2026-08-30T17:49:55.365245Z","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 mental state required for federal firearm offenses. The government argues that ignorance of one's status is no defense. The defendant argues that knowledge of status is a necessary element of the crime."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 26, lines 27-14","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2018/17-9560_e18f.pdf","page_label":"file page 26, lines 27-14"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 15-31","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2018/17-9560_e18f.pdf","page_label":"file page 4, lines 15-31"}]},{"heading":"How the case got here","paragraphs":["The Supreme Court heard oral argument in this case on April 23, 2019."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 8-14","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2018/17-9560_e18f.pdf","page_label":"file page 4, lines 8-14"}]},{"heading":"What each side wants","paragraphs":["The government wants to convict defendants without proving they knew their legal status.","The defendant wants the Court to require proof of knowledge of legal status for conviction."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 26, lines 27-14","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2018/17-9560_e18f.pdf","page_label":"file page 26, lines 27-14"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 15-31","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2018/17-9560_e18f.pdf","page_label":"file page 4, lines 15-31"}]},{"heading":"What each side says","paragraphs":["The government argues that the statute does not require subjective awareness of legal status.","The defendant argues that knowledge of status transforms lawful possession into a felony."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 26, lines 27-14","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2018/17-9560_e18f.pdf","page_label":"file page 26, lines 27-14"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 15-31","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2018/17-9560_e18f.pdf","page_label":"file page 4, lines 15-31"}]},{"heading":"What the justices asked","paragraphs":["Justice Alito asked why courts infer that Congress did not want a mental element for jurisdictional elements.","Justice Ginsburg asked how the Court handles statutes that explicitly require knowledge of status."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 32-15","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2018/17-9560_e18f.pdf","page_label":"file page 4, lines 32-15"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 14-15","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2018/17-9560_e18f.pdf","page_label":"file page 6, lines 14-15"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 26-35","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2018/17-9560_e18f.pdf","page_label":"file page 6, lines 26-35"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 9-11","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2018/17-9560_e18f.pdf","page_label":"file page 6, lines 9-11"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 11-14","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2018/17-9560_e18f.pdf","page_label":"file page 7, lines 11-14"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 23-24","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2018/17-9560_e18f.pdf","page_label":"file page 7, lines 23-24"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 26-27","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2018/17-9560_e18f.pdf","page_label":"file page 7, lines 26-27"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 32-35","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2018/17-9560_e18f.pdf","page_label":"file page 7, lines 32-35"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 13-14","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2018/17-9560_e18f.pdf","page_label":"file page 8, lines 13-14"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 20-21","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2018/17-9560_e18f.pdf","page_label":"file page 8, lines 20-21"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 6-6","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2018/17-9560_e18f.pdf","page_label":"file page 8, lines 6-6"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 9-10","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2018/17-9560_e18f.pdf","page_label":"file page 8, lines 9-10"}]},{"heading":"Why it matters","paragraphs":["This case defines the mental state required for federal firearm crimes. It determines whether ignorance of legal status excuses criminal conduct. The outcome shapes how prosecutors prove intent in similar cases."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 26, lines 27-14","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2018/17-9560_e18f.pdf","page_label":"file page 26, lines 27-14"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 15-31","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2018/17-9560_e18f.pdf","page_label":"file page 4, lines 15-31"}]},{"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 32-15","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2018/17-9560_e18f.pdf","page_label":"file page 4, lines 32-15"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 8-14","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2018/17-9560_e18f.pdf","page_label":"file page 4, lines 8-14"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 14-15","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2018/17-9560_e18f.pdf","page_label":"file page 6, lines 14-15"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 26-35","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2018/17-9560_e18f.pdf","page_label":"file page 6, lines 26-35"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 9-11","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2018/17-9560_e18f.pdf","page_label":"file page 6, lines 9-11"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 11-14","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2018/17-9560_e18f.pdf","page_label":"file page 7, lines 11-14"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 23-24","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2018/17-9560_e18f.pdf","page_label":"file page 7, lines 23-24"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 26-27","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2018/17-9560_e18f.pdf","page_label":"file page 7, lines 26-27"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 32-35","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2018/17-9560_e18f.pdf","page_label":"file page 7, lines 32-35"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 13-14","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2018/17-9560_e18f.pdf","page_label":"file page 8, lines 13-14"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 20-21","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2018/17-9560_e18f.pdf","page_label":"file page 8, lines 20-21"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 6-6","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2018/17-9560_e18f.pdf","page_label":"file page 8, lines 6-6"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 9-10","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2018/17-9560_e18f.pdf","page_label":"file page 8, lines 9-10"}]}],"slug":"2018-17-9560-rehaif-v-united-states","term":"2018","title":"Must a defendant know their legal status to commit a firearm crime?","title_sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 26, lines 27-14","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2018/17-9560_e18f.pdf","page_label":"file page 26, lines 27-14"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 15-31","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2018/17-9560_e18f.pdf","page_label":"file page 4, lines 15-31"}],"topics":[],"undated_disposition_date_fallback":null,"updated_at":"2026-09-05T03:22:24Z"}