October Term 2008 · Docket 07-10441
Does a six-hour delay bar confession evidence?
The dispute centers on whether a six-hour delay automatically excludes confessions.
Verified source milestones
- — 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
McColgin argued the statute requires excluding delayed confessions.
Dreeben argued the statute preserves judicial supervisory power.
Alito asked if the statute codifies or modifies the rule.
Read the official transcript for this argument · Official argument details
Sources used for this argument breakdown
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 10, lines 29-39 — Transcript, file page 10, lines 29-39
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 10, lines 3-7 — Transcript, file page 10, lines 3-7
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 11, lines 19-31 — Transcript, file page 11, lines 19-31
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 24, lines 13-7 — Transcript, file page 24, lines 13-7
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 19-9 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 19-9
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 7-17 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 7-17
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 11-15 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 11-15
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 19-27 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 19-27
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 27-31 — Transcript, file page 5, lines 27-31
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 39-51 — Transcript, file page 5, lines 39-51
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 23-33 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 23-33
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 47-3 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 47-3
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 39-41 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 39-41
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 25-35 — Transcript, file page 8, lines 25-35
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 15-31 — Transcript, file page 9, lines 15-31
A citizen's guide to the whole case
What this case is about
This case tests the scope of a federal statute on confession admissibility.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 24, lines 13-7 — Transcript, file page 24, lines 13-7
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 19-9 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 19-9
How the case got here
The Supreme Court heard oral argument in this case on January 21, 2009.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 7-17 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 7-17
What each side wants
Corley wants the confessions excluded due to the delay.
The government wants the confessions admitted as evidence.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 24, lines 13-7 — Transcript, file page 24, lines 13-7
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 19-9 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 19-9
What each side says
Corley argues the statute mandates exclusion after six hours.
The government argues the statute allows judicial discretion.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 24, lines 13-7 — Transcript, file page 24, lines 13-7
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 19-9 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 19-9
What the justices asked
Roberts asked if judges can exclude confessions solely for delay.
Kennedy asked if a six-hour safe harbor exists in the law.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 10, lines 29-39 — Transcript, file page 10, lines 29-39
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 10, lines 3-7 — Transcript, file page 10, lines 3-7
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 11, lines 19-31 — Transcript, file page 11, lines 19-31
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 11-15 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 11-15
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 19-27 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 19-27
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 27-31 — Transcript, file page 5, lines 27-31
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 39-51 — Transcript, file page 5, lines 39-51
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 23-33 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 23-33
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 47-3 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 47-3
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 39-41 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 39-41
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 25-35 — Transcript, file page 8, lines 25-35
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 15-31 — Transcript, file page 9, lines 15-31
Why it matters
This defines how courts handle delayed confessions in federal trials.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 24, lines 13-7 — Transcript, file page 24, lines 13-7
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 19-9 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 19-9
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 29-39 — Transcript, file page 10, lines 29-39
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 10, lines 3-7 — Transcript, file page 10, lines 3-7
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 11, lines 19-31 — Transcript, file page 11, lines 19-31
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 7-17 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 7-17
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 11-15 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 11-15
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 19-27 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 19-27
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 27-31 — Transcript, file page 5, lines 27-31
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 39-51 — Transcript, file page 5, lines 39-51
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 23-33 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 23-33
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 47-3 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 47-3
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 39-41 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 39-41
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 25-35 — Transcript, file page 8, lines 25-35
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 15-31 — Transcript, file page 9, lines 15-31
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 24, lines 13-7 — Transcript, file page 24, lines 13-7
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 19-9 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 19-9
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 24, lines 13-7 — Transcript, file page 24, lines 13-7
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 19-9 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 19-9
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.