October Term 2004 · Docket 03-750
Does the phrase any court include federal courts in federal firearms statutes?
the sides that brought the case argue the phrase any court excludes federal courts. The government argues it includes them.
Verified source milestones
- — An official oral-argument transcript was verified.
- — An official oral-argument transcript was verified.
The arguments, in order
This case may have been argued more than once. Each entry below uses that session's official transcript. Later arguments do not erase earlier ones.
Argument 1 ·
What happened at the argument
Mr. Boas argued the Court should view the statute as a whole.
He contended focusing on two words ignores the regulatory scheme.
Ms. Millett addressed the meaning of the word any in the statute.
She noted Congress stopped funding an administrative mechanism in 1992.
Read the official transcript for this argument · Official argument details
Sources used for this argument breakdown
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 10, lines 35-43 — Transcript, file page 10, lines 35-43
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 28, lines 1-13 — Transcript, file page 28, lines 1-13
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 13-21 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 13-21
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 5-11 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 5-11
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 23-29 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 23-29
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 53, lines 23-37 — Transcript, file page 53, lines 23-37
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 53, lines 39-39 — Transcript, file page 53, lines 39-39
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 53, lines 43-54 — Transcript, file page 53, lines 43-54
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 55, lines 25-31 — Transcript, file page 55, lines 25-31
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 55, lines 47-54 — Transcript, file page 55, lines 47-54
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 33-35 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 33-35
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 39-54 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 39-54
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 21-25 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 21-25
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 3-17 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 3-17
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 33-33 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 33-33
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 41-45 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 41-45
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 1-9 — Transcript, file page 8, lines 1-9
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 13-23 — Transcript, file page 8, lines 13-23
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 33-43 — Transcript, file page 8, lines 33-43
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 9-17 — Transcript, file page 9, lines 9-17
A citizen's guide to the whole case
What this case is about
This case tests the scope of a federal firearms statute. The phrase any court appears in the law. the sides that brought the case claim this phrase excludes federal courts. The government claims it includes federal courts. The Court must interpret the statutory text.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 28, lines 1-13 — Transcript, file page 28, lines 1-13
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 13-21 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 13-21
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 53, lines 23-37 — Transcript, file page 53, lines 23-37
How the case got here
The Supreme Court heard oral argument in this case on November 3, 2004.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 5-11 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 5-11
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 55, lines 47-54 — Transcript, file page 55, lines 47-54
What each side wants
the sides that brought the case want the Court to read any court as excluding federal courts.
The government wants the Court to read any court as including federal courts.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 28, lines 1-13 — Transcript, file page 28, lines 1-13
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 13-21 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 13-21
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 53, lines 23-37 — Transcript, file page 53, lines 23-37
What each side says
the sides that brought the case argue the statute forms a coherent regulatory scheme.
The government argues the text plainly includes federal courts.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 28, lines 1-13 — Transcript, file page 28, lines 1-13
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 13-21 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 13-21
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 53, lines 23-37 — Transcript, file page 53, lines 23-37
What the justices asked
Justice Breyer asked how anomalous the side that brought the case's interpretation is.
Justice O'Connor asked if Congress meant to define terms broadly in similar statutes.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 10, lines 35-43 — Transcript, file page 10, lines 35-43
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 23-29 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 23-29
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 53, lines 39-39 — Transcript, file page 53, lines 39-39
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 53, lines 43-54 — Transcript, file page 53, lines 43-54
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 55, lines 25-31 — Transcript, file page 55, lines 25-31
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 55, lines 47-54 — Transcript, file page 55, lines 47-54
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 33-35 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 33-35
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 39-54 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 39-54
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 21-25 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 21-25
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 3-17 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 3-17
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 33-33 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 33-33
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 41-45 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 41-45
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 1-9 — Transcript, file page 8, lines 1-9
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 13-23 — Transcript, file page 8, lines 13-23
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 33-43 — Transcript, file page 8, lines 33-43
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 9-17 — Transcript, file page 9, lines 9-17
Why it matters
The interpretation determines which convictions trigger federal firearms restrictions. It affects the scope of federal criminal jurisdiction. It shapes how courts apply statutory text to real-world conduct.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 28, lines 1-13 — Transcript, file page 28, lines 1-13
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 13-21 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 13-21
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 53, lines 23-37 — Transcript, file page 53, lines 23-37
What happens next
This article currently covers the argument record. Use the official docket link for later case activity.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 10, lines 35-43 — Transcript, file page 10, lines 35-43
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 5-11 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 5-11
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 23-29 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 23-29
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 53, lines 39-39 — Transcript, file page 53, lines 39-39
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 53, lines 43-54 — Transcript, file page 53, lines 43-54
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 55, lines 25-31 — Transcript, file page 55, lines 25-31
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 55, lines 47-54 — Transcript, file page 55, lines 47-54
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 33-35 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 33-35
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 39-54 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 39-54
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 21-25 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 21-25
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 3-17 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 3-17
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 33-33 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 33-33
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 41-45 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 41-45
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 1-9 — Transcript, file page 8, lines 1-9
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 13-23 — Transcript, file page 8, lines 13-23
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 33-43 — Transcript, file page 8, lines 33-43
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 9-17 — Transcript, file page 9, lines 9-17
Official Court provenance
Official docket and case history · Official Supreme Court oral-argument detail page
Title and summary sources
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 28, lines 1-13 — Transcript, file page 28, lines 1-13
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 13-21 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 13-21
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 53, lines 23-37 — Transcript, file page 53, lines 23-37
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 28, lines 1-13 — Transcript, file page 28, lines 1-13
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 13-21 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 13-21
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 53, lines 23-37 — Transcript, file page 53, lines 23-37
Revision history
- Revision 1 · Official Transcript ·
Correction: Rewritten to the concise citizen-facing editorial standard.
- Revision 2 · Official Transcript ·
Correction: Migrated to the dated official Court activity contract without model use.