{"argument_date":"2025-10-06T00:00:00Z","arguments":[{"argument_date":"2025-10-06T00:00:00Z","heading":"What happened at the argument","official_detail_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcript/2025","official_transcript_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2025/24-557_5ie6.pdf","paragraphs":["Mr. Banner argued the Sixth Amendment protects overnight conversations about testimony, including plea advice, evidentiary rulings, and perjury prevention. He said the line between strategy and testimony is unworkable and chills lawyers. He asked the Court to reverse.","Mr. Warthen argued trial courts may bar discussion of testimony during long breaks, relying on precedents like Geders and Perry. He said qualified orders balance constitutional rights with trial integrity. He asked the Court to affirm.","Mr. Barber argued a defendant has no right to discuss testimony midstream, and that qualified orders are constitutional. He said the Court should reject a categorical rule barring such orders in all courts."],"reargument":false,"sequence":1,"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 10, lines 49-53","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2025/24-557_5ie6.pdf","page_label":"file page 10, lines 49-53"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 11, lines 15-17","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2025/24-557_5ie6.pdf","page_label":"file page 11, lines 15-17"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 11, lines 19-23","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2025/24-557_5ie6.pdf","page_label":"file page 11, lines 19-23"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 11, lines 27-33","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2025/24-557_5ie6.pdf","page_label":"file page 11, lines 27-33"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 11, lines 37-7","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2025/24-557_5ie6.pdf","page_label":"file page 11, lines 37-7"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 12, lines 27-29","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2025/24-557_5ie6.pdf","page_label":"file page 12, lines 27-29"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 12, lines 35-45","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2025/24-557_5ie6.pdf","page_label":"file page 12, lines 35-45"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 11-21","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2025/24-557_5ie6.pdf","page_label":"file page 5, lines 11-21"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 23-23","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2025/24-557_5ie6.pdf","page_label":"file page 5, lines 23-23"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 55, lines 11-31","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2025/24-557_5ie6.pdf","page_label":"file page 55, lines 11-31"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 25-33","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2025/24-557_5ie6.pdf","page_label":"file page 7, lines 25-33"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 45-53","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2025/24-557_5ie6.pdf","page_label":"file page 7, lines 45-53"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 74, lines 33-7","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2025/24-557_5ie6.pdf","page_label":"file page 74, lines 33-7"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 76, lines 47-7","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2025/24-557_5ie6.pdf","page_label":"file page 76, lines 47-7"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 76, lines 9-29","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2025/24-557_5ie6.pdf","page_label":"file page 76, lines 9-29"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 77, lines 11-13","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2025/24-557_5ie6.pdf","page_label":"file page 77, lines 11-13"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 77, lines 17-17","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2025/24-557_5ie6.pdf","page_label":"file page 77, lines 17-17"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 78, lines 47-35","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2025/24-557_5ie6.pdf","page_label":"file page 78, lines 47-35"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 78, lines 7-19","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2025/24-557_5ie6.pdf","page_label":"file page 78, lines 7-19"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 47-55","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2025/24-557_5ie6.pdf","page_label":"file page 8, lines 47-55"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 80, lines 33-45","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2025/24-557_5ie6.pdf","page_label":"file page 80, lines 33-45"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 80, lines 47-7","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2025/24-557_5ie6.pdf","page_label":"file page 80, lines 47-7"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 81, lines 21-29","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2025/24-557_5ie6.pdf","page_label":"file page 81, lines 21-29"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 81, lines 41-49","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2025/24-557_5ie6.pdf","page_label":"file page 81, lines 41-49"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 82, lines 51-53","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2025/24-557_5ie6.pdf","page_label":"file page 82, lines 51-53"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 83, lines 33-33","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2025/24-557_5ie6.pdf","page_label":"file page 83, lines 33-33"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 83, lines 35-37","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2025/24-557_5ie6.pdf","page_label":"file page 83, lines 35-37"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 17-19","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2025/24-557_5ie6.pdf","page_label":"file page 9, lines 17-19"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 33-43","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2025/24-557_5ie6.pdf","page_label":"file page 9, lines 33-43"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 96, lines 53-15","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2025/24-557_5ie6.pdf","page_label":"file page 96, lines 53-15"}]}],"caption":"Villarreal v. Texas","case_history":[{"changed_at":"2026-08-29T20:06:14.271695Z","explanation":"An official oral-argument transcript was verified.","status":"argued"},{"changed_at":"2026-08-29T20:06:14.291630Z","explanation":"An official oral-argument transcript was verified.","status":"argued"},{"changed_at":"2026-08-29T23:58:14.081047Z","explanation":"An official Court opinion was verified.","status":"decided"},{"changed_at":"2026-08-30T01:43:01.650171Z","explanation":"An official Court opinion was verified.","status":"decided"}],"case_status":"decided","dek":"The Supreme Court is weighing whether a Texas trial court's order. Which barred a criminal defendant from talking about his own testimony with his lawyer overnight, violated the defendant's constitutional right to counsel.","dek_sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 23-23","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2025/24-557_5ie6.pdf","page_label":"file page 5, lines 23-23"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 55, lines 11-31","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2025/24-557_5ie6.pdf","page_label":"file page 55, lines 11-31"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 74, lines 33-7","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2025/24-557_5ie6.pdf","page_label":"file page 74, lines 33-7"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 81, lines 41-49","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2025/24-557_5ie6.pdf","page_label":"file page 81, lines 41-49"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 96, lines 53-15","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2025/24-557_5ie6.pdf","page_label":"file page 96, lines 53-15"}],"dispositions":[],"latest_court_document_date":"2025-10-06T00:00:00Z","maturity":"post_opinion","official_detail_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcript/2025","official_disposition_urls":["https://www.supremecourt.gov/opinions/25pdf/607us2r16_869c.pdf"],"official_docket_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/docket/docketfiles/html/public/24-557.html","primary_docket":"24-557","revisions":[{"correction_note":"Rewritten to the concise citizen-facing editorial standard.","created_at":"2026-08-29T20:10:44.477464Z","maturity":"official_transcript","revision_number":1},{"correction_note":"Removed an unsupported statement that the Court had not ruled; the available source set did not establish that absence.","created_at":"2026-08-29T23:48:24.643830Z","maturity":"official_transcript","revision_number":2},{"correction_note":"Corrected unsupported no-ruling language and clarified that the article's disposition summary is incomplete.","created_at":"2026-08-30T00:16:28.826529Z","maturity":"official_transcript","revision_number":3},{"correction_note":"Added the holding and disposition from the verified official Court opinion.","created_at":"2026-08-30T01:43:01.676534Z","maturity":"post_opinion","revision_number":4},{"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":5}],"schema_version":"1.1","sections":[{"heading":"What this case is about","paragraphs":["The case involves a Texas defendant whose trial judge barred him and his lawyer from discussing his testimony during an overnight recess. The lawyer could talk about trial strategy but not about the testimony itself. The defendant argues this violated his Sixth Amendment right to counsel. Texas says the order was constitutional."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 23-23","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2025/24-557_5ie6.pdf","page_label":"file page 5, lines 23-23"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 55, lines 11-31","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2025/24-557_5ie6.pdf","page_label":"file page 55, lines 11-31"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 74, lines 33-7","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2025/24-557_5ie6.pdf","page_label":"file page 74, lines 33-7"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 81, lines 41-49","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2025/24-557_5ie6.pdf","page_label":"file page 81, lines 41-49"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 96, lines 53-15","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2025/24-557_5ie6.pdf","page_label":"file page 96, lines 53-15"}]},{"heading":"How the case got here","paragraphs":["A Texas trial court issued the order during the defendant's trial. State appellate courts upheld it. The defendant then asked the Supreme Court to review the case."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 11-21","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2025/24-557_5ie6.pdf","page_label":"file page 5, lines 11-21"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 80, lines 47-7","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2025/24-557_5ie6.pdf","page_label":"file page 80, lines 47-7"}]},{"heading":"What each side wants","paragraphs":["The defendant, Mr. Banner, argues the Sixth Amendment guarantees basic lawyer-client conversations, including reviewing testimony that already happened and preparing for the next day. He says a lawyer cannot advise a client about plea deals, evidentiary rulings, or perjury risks without discussing testimony.","Texas, Mr. Warthen, argues trial courts may bar counsel from managing ongoing testimony or discussing it altogether during long breaks. It relies on Supreme Court precedents allowing qualified orders to protect the integrity of cross-examination. It asks the Court to affirm the lower courts' rulings upholding the order."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 23-23","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2025/24-557_5ie6.pdf","page_label":"file page 5, lines 23-23"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 55, lines 11-31","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2025/24-557_5ie6.pdf","page_label":"file page 55, lines 11-31"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 74, lines 33-7","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2025/24-557_5ie6.pdf","page_label":"file page 74, lines 33-7"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 81, lines 41-49","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2025/24-557_5ie6.pdf","page_label":"file page 81, lines 41-49"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 96, lines 53-15","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2025/24-557_5ie6.pdf","page_label":"file page 96, lines 53-15"}]},{"heading":"What each side says","paragraphs":["The defendant argues the order effectively barred many kinds of discussion Texas now claims are permitted. He says defense lawyers will avoid any talk about testimony to avoid contempt. And That the majority rule in the United States already allows full discussion of testimony during overnight recesses.","Texas argues a defendant has no right to discuss testimony with counsel once that testimony has begun, just as any other witness cannot. It says qualified orders are constitutional and workable, and that the Court should not impose a categorical rule on all federal and state courts."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 23-23","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2025/24-557_5ie6.pdf","page_label":"file page 5, lines 23-23"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 55, lines 11-31","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2025/24-557_5ie6.pdf","page_label":"file page 55, lines 11-31"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 74, lines 33-7","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2025/24-557_5ie6.pdf","page_label":"file page 74, lines 33-7"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 81, lines 41-49","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2025/24-557_5ie6.pdf","page_label":"file page 81, lines 41-49"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 96, lines 53-15","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2025/24-557_5ie6.pdf","page_label":"file page 96, lines 53-15"}]},{"heading":"What the justices asked","paragraphs":["Justice Thomas questioned what distinguishes coaching during testimony from coaching during a recess, and whether the order's standard was clear.","Chief Justice Roberts questioned how a prosecutor could probe what was discussed without intruding on attorney-client privilege, and asked what the lawyer told the defendant to say or change."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 10, lines 49-53","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2025/24-557_5ie6.pdf","page_label":"file page 10, lines 49-53"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 11, lines 15-17","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2025/24-557_5ie6.pdf","page_label":"file page 11, lines 15-17"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 11, lines 19-23","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2025/24-557_5ie6.pdf","page_label":"file page 11, lines 19-23"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 11, lines 27-33","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2025/24-557_5ie6.pdf","page_label":"file page 11, lines 27-33"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 11, lines 37-7","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2025/24-557_5ie6.pdf","page_label":"file page 11, lines 37-7"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 12, lines 27-29","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2025/24-557_5ie6.pdf","page_label":"file page 12, lines 27-29"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 12, lines 35-45","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2025/24-557_5ie6.pdf","page_label":"file page 12, lines 35-45"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 25-33","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2025/24-557_5ie6.pdf","page_label":"file page 7, lines 25-33"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 45-53","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2025/24-557_5ie6.pdf","page_label":"file page 7, lines 45-53"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 76, lines 47-7","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2025/24-557_5ie6.pdf","page_label":"file page 76, lines 47-7"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 76, lines 9-29","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2025/24-557_5ie6.pdf","page_label":"file page 76, lines 9-29"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 77, lines 11-13","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2025/24-557_5ie6.pdf","page_label":"file page 77, lines 11-13"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 77, lines 17-17","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2025/24-557_5ie6.pdf","page_label":"file page 77, lines 17-17"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 78, lines 47-35","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2025/24-557_5ie6.pdf","page_label":"file page 78, lines 47-35"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 78, lines 7-19","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2025/24-557_5ie6.pdf","page_label":"file page 78, lines 7-19"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 47-55","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2025/24-557_5ie6.pdf","page_label":"file page 8, lines 47-55"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 80, lines 33-45","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2025/24-557_5ie6.pdf","page_label":"file page 80, lines 33-45"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 80, lines 47-7","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2025/24-557_5ie6.pdf","page_label":"file page 80, lines 47-7"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 81, lines 21-29","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2025/24-557_5ie6.pdf","page_label":"file page 81, lines 21-29"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 82, lines 51-53","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2025/24-557_5ie6.pdf","page_label":"file page 82, lines 51-53"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 83, lines 33-33","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2025/24-557_5ie6.pdf","page_label":"file page 83, lines 33-33"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 83, lines 35-37","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2025/24-557_5ie6.pdf","page_label":"file page 83, lines 35-37"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 17-19","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2025/24-557_5ie6.pdf","page_label":"file page 9, lines 17-19"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 33-43","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2025/24-557_5ie6.pdf","page_label":"file page 9, lines 33-43"}]},{"heading":"Why it matters","paragraphs":["The ruling could shape how trial courts nationwide balance a defendant's right to counsel against the need to keep testimony untainted by coaching during breaks. It may determine whether qualified orders restricting testimony discussions are constitutional in federal and state courts."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 23-23","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2025/24-557_5ie6.pdf","page_label":"file page 5, lines 23-23"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 55, lines 11-31","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2025/24-557_5ie6.pdf","page_label":"file page 55, lines 11-31"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 74, lines 33-7","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2025/24-557_5ie6.pdf","page_label":"file page 74, lines 33-7"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 81, lines 41-49","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2025/24-557_5ie6.pdf","page_label":"file page 81, lines 41-49"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 96, lines 53-15","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2025/24-557_5ie6.pdf","page_label":"file page 96, lines 53-15"}]},{"heading":"What the Court decided","paragraphs":["A judge may bar a testifying defendant from talking with his lawyer overnight only about the testimony itself, while allowing talks about other protected matters. This does not violate the defendant's Sixth Amendment right to counsel.","The Supreme Court affirmed the judgment of the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Opinion","label":"Official Supreme Court Opinion — file page 2, lines 1-1","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/opinions/25pdf/607us2r16_869c.pdf","page_label":"file page 2, lines 1-1"},{"evidence_type":"Opinion","label":"Official Supreme Court Opinion — file page 3, lines 1-1","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/opinions/25pdf/607us2r16_869c.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 1-1"}]}],"slug":"2025-24-557-villarreal-v-texas","term":"2025","title":"Can a Trial Court Bar a Defendant From Discussing His Testimony With His Lawyer During an Overnight Recess?","title_sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 23-23","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2025/24-557_5ie6.pdf","page_label":"file page 5, lines 23-23"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 55, lines 11-31","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2025/24-557_5ie6.pdf","page_label":"file page 55, lines 11-31"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 74, lines 33-7","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2025/24-557_5ie6.pdf","page_label":"file page 74, lines 33-7"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 81, lines 41-49","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2025/24-557_5ie6.pdf","page_label":"file page 81, lines 41-49"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 96, lines 53-15","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2025/24-557_5ie6.pdf","page_label":"file page 96, lines 53-15"}],"topics":[],"undated_disposition_date_fallback":"latest_argument_date","updated_at":"2026-09-05T03:22:24Z"}