October Term 2004 · Docket 04-104
Can a judge impose a higher sentence based on facts not found by a jury?
The dispute centers on whether federal judges may increase sentences using facts not proven by a jury.
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
Paul Clement argued the guidelines system handles traditional judicial tasks.
Kelly argued the judge added years based on unproven facts.
Justice Ginsburg questioned the distinction between legislative maximums and guidelines.
Read the official transcript for this argument · Official argument details
Sources used for this argument breakdown
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 10, lines 25-3 — Transcript, file page 10, lines 25-3
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 106, lines 1-19 — Transcript, file page 106, lines 1-19
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 11, lines 39-29 — Transcript, file page 11, lines 39-29
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 13, lines 9-21 — Transcript, file page 13, lines 9-21
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 14, lines 9-31 — Transcript, file page 14, lines 9-31
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 16, lines 5-27 — Transcript, file page 16, lines 5-27
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 17, lines 49-49 — Transcript, file page 17, lines 49-49
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 17, lines 5-29 — Transcript, file page 17, lines 5-29
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 18, lines 15-33 — Transcript, file page 18, lines 15-33
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 19, lines 11-27 — Transcript, file page 19, lines 11-27
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 19-25 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 19-25
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 5-17 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 5-17
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 27-33 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 27-33
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 49-3 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 49-3
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 60, lines 15-41 — Transcript, file page 60, lines 15-41
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 61, lines 17-41 — Transcript, file page 61, lines 17-41
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 61, lines 43-45 — Transcript, file page 61, lines 43-45
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 61, lines 47-49 — Transcript, file page 61, lines 47-49
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 62, lines 3-23 — Transcript, file page 62, lines 3-23
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 62, lines 31-33 — Transcript, file page 62, lines 31-33
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 62, lines 41-7 — Transcript, file page 62, lines 41-7
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 63, lines 15-19 — Transcript, file page 63, lines 15-19
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 63, lines 31-31 — Transcript, file page 63, lines 31-31
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 63, lines 35-1 — Transcript, file page 63, lines 35-1
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 64, lines 21-41 — Transcript, file page 64, lines 21-41
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 65, lines 23-31 — Transcript, file page 65, lines 23-31
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 65, lines 3-19 — Transcript, file page 65, lines 3-19
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 66, lines 11-19 — Transcript, file page 66, lines 11-19
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 47-45 — Transcript, file page 8, lines 47-45
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 88, lines 31-35 — Transcript, file page 88, lines 31-35
A citizen's guide to the whole case
What this case is about
This case tests the Sixth Amendment right to a jury trial in federal sentencing.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 106, lines 1-19 — Transcript, file page 106, lines 1-19
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 19-25 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 19-25
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 60, lines 15-41 — Transcript, file page 60, lines 15-41
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 61, lines 43-45 — Transcript, file page 61, lines 43-45
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 88, lines 31-35 — Transcript, file page 88, lines 31-35
How the case got here
The Supreme Court heard oral argument in this case on October 4, 2004.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 5-17 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 5-17
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 61, lines 17-41 — Transcript, file page 61, lines 17-41
What each side wants
The government wants to keep the current sentencing guidelines system intact.
Booker wants the judge's added sentence years struck down as unconstitutional.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 106, lines 1-19 — Transcript, file page 106, lines 1-19
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 19-25 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 19-25
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 60, lines 15-41 — Transcript, file page 60, lines 15-41
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 61, lines 43-45 — Transcript, file page 61, lines 43-45
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 88, lines 31-35 — Transcript, file page 88, lines 31-35
What each side says
The government argues the guidelines system is too complex for jury trials.
Booker argues the Sixth Amendment requires juries to find all facts increasing sentences.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 106, lines 1-19 — Transcript, file page 106, lines 1-19
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 19-25 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 19-25
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 60, lines 15-41 — Transcript, file page 60, lines 15-41
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 61, lines 43-45 — Transcript, file page 61, lines 43-45
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 88, lines 31-35 — Transcript, file page 88, lines 31-35
What the justices asked
Justice Scalia asked if the jury trial right was argued in prior cases.
Justice Souter asked why complexity alone does not eliminate Sixth Amendment rights.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 10, lines 25-3 — Transcript, file page 10, lines 25-3
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 11, lines 39-29 — Transcript, file page 11, lines 39-29
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 13, lines 9-21 — Transcript, file page 13, lines 9-21
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 14, lines 9-31 — Transcript, file page 14, lines 9-31
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 16, lines 5-27 — Transcript, file page 16, lines 5-27
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 17, lines 49-49 — Transcript, file page 17, lines 49-49
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 17, lines 5-29 — Transcript, file page 17, lines 5-29
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 18, lines 15-33 — Transcript, file page 18, lines 15-33
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 19, lines 11-27 — Transcript, file page 19, lines 11-27
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 27-33 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 27-33
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 49-3 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 49-3
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 61, lines 17-41 — Transcript, file page 61, lines 17-41
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 61, lines 47-49 — Transcript, file page 61, lines 47-49
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 62, lines 3-23 — Transcript, file page 62, lines 3-23
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 62, lines 31-33 — Transcript, file page 62, lines 31-33
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 62, lines 41-7 — Transcript, file page 62, lines 41-7
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 63, lines 15-19 — Transcript, file page 63, lines 15-19
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 63, lines 31-31 — Transcript, file page 63, lines 31-31
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 63, lines 35-1 — Transcript, file page 63, lines 35-1
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 64, lines 21-41 — Transcript, file page 64, lines 21-41
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 65, lines 23-31 — Transcript, file page 65, lines 23-31
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 65, lines 3-19 — Transcript, file page 65, lines 3-19
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 66, lines 11-19 — Transcript, file page 66, lines 11-19
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 47-45 — Transcript, file page 8, lines 47-45
Why it matters
This issue determines how federal courts calculate criminal sentences for thousands of defendants weekly.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 106, lines 1-19 — Transcript, file page 106, lines 1-19
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 19-25 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 19-25
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 60, lines 15-41 — Transcript, file page 60, lines 15-41
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 61, lines 43-45 — Transcript, file page 61, lines 43-45
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 88, lines 31-35 — Transcript, file page 88, lines 31-35
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 25-3 — Transcript, file page 10, lines 25-3
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 11, lines 39-29 — Transcript, file page 11, lines 39-29
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 13, lines 9-21 — Transcript, file page 13, lines 9-21
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 14, lines 9-31 — Transcript, file page 14, lines 9-31
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 16, lines 5-27 — Transcript, file page 16, lines 5-27
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 17, lines 49-49 — Transcript, file page 17, lines 49-49
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 17, lines 5-29 — Transcript, file page 17, lines 5-29
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 18, lines 15-33 — Transcript, file page 18, lines 15-33
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 19, lines 11-27 — Transcript, file page 19, lines 11-27
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 5-17 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 5-17
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 27-33 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 27-33
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 49-3 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 49-3
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 61, lines 17-41 — Transcript, file page 61, lines 17-41
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 61, lines 47-49 — Transcript, file page 61, lines 47-49
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 62, lines 3-23 — Transcript, file page 62, lines 3-23
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 62, lines 31-33 — Transcript, file page 62, lines 31-33
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 62, lines 41-7 — Transcript, file page 62, lines 41-7
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 63, lines 15-19 — Transcript, file page 63, lines 15-19
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 63, lines 31-31 — Transcript, file page 63, lines 31-31
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 63, lines 35-1 — Transcript, file page 63, lines 35-1
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 64, lines 21-41 — Transcript, file page 64, lines 21-41
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 65, lines 23-31 — Transcript, file page 65, lines 23-31
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 65, lines 3-19 — Transcript, file page 65, lines 3-19
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 66, lines 11-19 — Transcript, file page 66, lines 11-19
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 47-45 — Transcript, file page 8, lines 47-45
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 106, lines 1-19 — Transcript, file page 106, lines 1-19
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 19-25 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 19-25
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 60, lines 15-41 — Transcript, file page 60, lines 15-41
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 61, lines 43-45 — Transcript, file page 61, lines 43-45
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 88, lines 31-35 — Transcript, file page 88, lines 31-35
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 106, lines 1-19 — Transcript, file page 106, lines 1-19
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 19-25 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 19-25
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 60, lines 15-41 — Transcript, file page 60, lines 15-41
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 61, lines 43-45 — Transcript, file page 61, lines 43-45
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 88, lines 31-35 — Transcript, file page 88, lines 31-35
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.