{"argument_date":"2020-10-14T00:00:00Z","arguments":[{"argument_date":"2020-10-14T00:00:00Z","heading":"What happened at the argument","official_detail_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcript/2020","official_transcript_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2020/19-438_q713.pdf","paragraphs":["the side that brought the case argued that statutory ambiguity must resolve in his favor.","The government argued that the statutory text places the burden of proof on the alien.","the side that brought the case agreed this is an issue of statutory interpretation.","The government stated that the text answers the main legal question."],"reargument":false,"sequence":1,"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 10, lines 16-30","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2020/19-438_q713.pdf","page_label":"file page 10, lines 16-30"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 11, lines 24-30","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2020/19-438_q713.pdf","page_label":"file page 11, lines 24-30"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 11, lines 42-18","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2020/19-438_q713.pdf","page_label":"file page 11, lines 42-18"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 12, lines 38-46","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2020/19-438_q713.pdf","page_label":"file page 12, lines 38-46"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 13, lines 16-20","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2020/19-438_q713.pdf","page_label":"file page 13, lines 16-20"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 16, lines 14-48","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2020/19-438_q713.pdf","page_label":"file page 16, lines 14-48"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 17, lines 32-12","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2020/19-438_q713.pdf","page_label":"file page 17, lines 32-12"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 18, lines 16-26","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2020/19-438_q713.pdf","page_label":"file page 18, lines 16-26"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 31, lines 12-12","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2020/19-438_q713.pdf","page_label":"file page 31, lines 12-12"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 10-20","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2020/19-438_q713.pdf","page_label":"file page 4, lines 10-20"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 22-14","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2020/19-438_q713.pdf","page_label":"file page 4, lines 22-14"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 16-20","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2020/19-438_q713.pdf","page_label":"file page 6, lines 16-20"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 65, lines 52-36","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2020/19-438_q713.pdf","page_label":"file page 65, lines 52-36"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 68, lines 38-40","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2020/19-438_q713.pdf","page_label":"file page 68, lines 38-40"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 22-32","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2020/19-438_q713.pdf","page_label":"file page 8, lines 22-32"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 36-42","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2020/19-438_q713.pdf","page_label":"file page 8, lines 36-42"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 8-24","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2020/19-438_q713.pdf","page_label":"file page 9, lines 8-24"}]}],"caption":"Pereida v. Barr","case_history":[{"changed_at":"2026-08-29T20:06:19.097157Z","explanation":"An official oral-argument transcript was verified.","status":"argued"},{"changed_at":"2026-08-29T20:06:19.123066Z","explanation":"An official oral-argument transcript was verified.","status":"argued"},{"changed_at":"2026-08-29T23:56:57.502100Z","explanation":"An official Court opinion was verified.","status":"decided"}],"case_status":"decided","dek":"The dispute centers on whether judges or juries determine if a foreign conviction fits a U.S. legal definition.","dek_sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 31, lines 12-12","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2020/19-438_q713.pdf","page_label":"file page 31, lines 12-12"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 22-14","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2020/19-438_q713.pdf","page_label":"file page 4, lines 22-14"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 65, lines 52-36","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2020/19-438_q713.pdf","page_label":"file page 65, lines 52-36"}],"dispositions":[],"latest_court_document_date":"2020-10-14T00:00:00Z","maturity":"post_opinion","official_detail_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcript/2020","official_disposition_urls":["https://www.supremecourt.gov/opinions/20pdf/592us2r17_l537.pdf"],"official_docket_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/docket/docketfiles/html/public/19-438.html","primary_docket":"19-438","revisions":[{"correction_note":"Rewritten to the concise citizen-facing editorial standard.","created_at":"2026-08-30T17:25:27.362299Z","maturity":"post_opinion","revision_number":1},{"correction_note":"Migrated to the dated official Court activity contract without model use.","created_at":"2026-09-05T03:22:24Z","maturity":"post_opinion","revision_number":2}],"schema_version":"1.1","sections":[{"heading":"What this case is about","paragraphs":["This case tests who decides if a foreign conviction matches a U.S. crime definition. the side that brought the case argues judges must resolve ambiguity in his favor. The government argues juries decide factual questions about the conviction."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 31, lines 12-12","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2020/19-438_q713.pdf","page_label":"file page 31, lines 12-12"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 22-14","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2020/19-438_q713.pdf","page_label":"file page 4, lines 22-14"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 65, lines 52-36","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2020/19-438_q713.pdf","page_label":"file page 65, lines 52-36"}]},{"heading":"How the case got here","paragraphs":["The Supreme Court heard oral argument in this case on October 14, 2020."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 10-20","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2020/19-438_q713.pdf","page_label":"file page 4, lines 10-20"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 68, lines 38-40","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2020/19-438_q713.pdf","page_label":"file page 68, lines 38-40"}]},{"heading":"What each side wants","paragraphs":["the side that brought the case wants the Court to rule that judges resolve ambiguity in his favor.","The government wants the Court to rule that juries decide factual questions about the conviction."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 31, lines 12-12","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2020/19-438_q713.pdf","page_label":"file page 31, lines 12-12"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 22-14","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2020/19-438_q713.pdf","page_label":"file page 4, lines 22-14"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 65, lines 52-36","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2020/19-438_q713.pdf","page_label":"file page 65, lines 52-36"}]},{"heading":"What each side says","paragraphs":["the side that brought the case argues statutory ambiguity must flow to his favor under existing case law.","The government argues determining if a person committed a specific crime is a factual question."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 31, lines 12-12","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2020/19-438_q713.pdf","page_label":"file page 31, lines 12-12"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 22-14","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2020/19-438_q713.pdf","page_label":"file page 4, lines 22-14"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 65, lines 52-36","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2020/19-438_q713.pdf","page_label":"file page 65, lines 52-36"}]},{"heading":"What the justices asked","paragraphs":["Justice Sotomayor asked if ambiguity in the conviction definition automatically favors the side that brought the case.","Justice Alito asked if determining whether a person was convicted of a crime is a factual question."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 10, lines 16-30","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2020/19-438_q713.pdf","page_label":"file page 10, lines 16-30"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 11, lines 24-30","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2020/19-438_q713.pdf","page_label":"file page 11, lines 24-30"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 11, lines 42-18","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2020/19-438_q713.pdf","page_label":"file page 11, lines 42-18"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 12, lines 38-46","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2020/19-438_q713.pdf","page_label":"file page 12, lines 38-46"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 13, lines 16-20","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2020/19-438_q713.pdf","page_label":"file page 13, lines 16-20"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 16, lines 14-48","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2020/19-438_q713.pdf","page_label":"file page 16, lines 14-48"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 17, lines 32-12","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2020/19-438_q713.pdf","page_label":"file page 17, lines 32-12"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 18, lines 16-26","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2020/19-438_q713.pdf","page_label":"file page 18, lines 16-26"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 16-20","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2020/19-438_q713.pdf","page_label":"file page 6, lines 16-20"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 68, lines 38-40","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2020/19-438_q713.pdf","page_label":"file page 68, lines 38-40"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 22-32","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2020/19-438_q713.pdf","page_label":"file page 8, lines 22-32"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 36-42","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2020/19-438_q713.pdf","page_label":"file page 8, lines 36-42"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 8-24","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2020/19-438_q713.pdf","page_label":"file page 9, lines 8-24"}]},{"heading":"Why it matters","paragraphs":["This case determines who decides if a foreign conviction matches a U.S. crime definition. It affects how courts handle ambiguous foreign criminal records. It shapes the balance between judicial interpretation and jury fact-finding in immigration cases."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 31, lines 12-12","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2020/19-438_q713.pdf","page_label":"file page 31, lines 12-12"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 22-14","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2020/19-438_q713.pdf","page_label":"file page 4, lines 22-14"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 65, lines 52-36","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2020/19-438_q713.pdf","page_label":"file page 65, lines 52-36"}]},{"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 10, lines 16-30","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2020/19-438_q713.pdf","page_label":"file page 10, lines 16-30"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 11, lines 24-30","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2020/19-438_q713.pdf","page_label":"file page 11, lines 24-30"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 11, lines 42-18","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2020/19-438_q713.pdf","page_label":"file page 11, lines 42-18"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 12, lines 38-46","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2020/19-438_q713.pdf","page_label":"file page 12, lines 38-46"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 13, lines 16-20","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2020/19-438_q713.pdf","page_label":"file page 13, lines 16-20"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 16, lines 14-48","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2020/19-438_q713.pdf","page_label":"file page 16, lines 14-48"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 17, lines 32-12","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2020/19-438_q713.pdf","page_label":"file page 17, lines 32-12"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 18, lines 16-26","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2020/19-438_q713.pdf","page_label":"file page 18, lines 16-26"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 10-20","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2020/19-438_q713.pdf","page_label":"file page 4, lines 10-20"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 16-20","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2020/19-438_q713.pdf","page_label":"file page 6, lines 16-20"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 68, lines 38-40","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2020/19-438_q713.pdf","page_label":"file page 68, lines 38-40"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 22-32","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2020/19-438_q713.pdf","page_label":"file page 8, lines 22-32"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 36-42","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2020/19-438_q713.pdf","page_label":"file page 8, lines 36-42"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 8-24","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2020/19-438_q713.pdf","page_label":"file page 9, lines 8-24"}]}],"slug":"2020-19-438-pereida-v-barr","term":"2020","title":"Who decides if a foreign conviction matches a U.S. crime definition?","title_sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 31, lines 12-12","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2020/19-438_q713.pdf","page_label":"file page 31, lines 12-12"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 22-14","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2020/19-438_q713.pdf","page_label":"file page 4, lines 22-14"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 65, lines 52-36","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2020/19-438_q713.pdf","page_label":"file page 65, lines 52-36"}],"topics":[],"undated_disposition_date_fallback":"latest_argument_date","updated_at":"2026-09-05T03:22:24Z"}