October Term 2008 · Docket 07-1315
Should federal courts retry state court evidence claims?
The dispute centers on whether federal judges must re-examine state court evidence when reviewing habeas petitions.
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
Mr. Mercer argued the state court decision was reasonable.
Mr. Sevilla challenged the existence of a specific legal rule.
Justice Kennedy questioned the weight of the state court's findings.
Read the official transcript for this argument · Official argument details
Sources used for this argument breakdown
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 26, lines 3-29 — Transcript, file page 26, lines 3-29
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 19-51 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 19-51
- 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 3-11 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 3-11
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 35-47 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 35-47
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 23-35 — Transcript, file page 5, lines 23-35
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 3-5 — Transcript, file page 5, lines 3-5
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 47-9 — Transcript, file page 5, lines 47-9
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 15-27 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 15-27
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 43-47 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 43-47
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 3-5 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 3-5
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 37-47 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 37-47
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 51-7 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 51-7
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 15-25 — Transcript, file page 8, lines 15-25
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 29-31 — Transcript, file page 8, lines 29-31
A citizen's guide to the whole case
What this case is about
This case tests the limits of federal review over state court decisions.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 26, lines 3-29 — Transcript, file page 26, lines 3-29
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 19-51 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 19-51
How the case got here
The Supreme Court heard oral argument in this case on January 13, 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
the side that brought the case wants the federal court to deny relief.
the opposing side wants the federal court to grant relief.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 26, lines 3-29 — Transcript, file page 26, lines 3-29
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 19-51 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 19-51
What each side says
the side that brought the case argues the state court decision was reasonable.
the opposing side argues the state court decision was unreasonable.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 26, lines 3-29 — Transcript, file page 26, lines 3-29
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 19-51 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 19-51
What the justices asked
Justice Souter asked if a federal hearing is needed without a state rule.
Justice Kennedy asked how to weigh the state court's factfinding.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 3-11 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 3-11
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 35-47 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 35-47
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 23-35 — Transcript, file page 5, lines 23-35
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 3-5 — Transcript, file page 5, lines 3-5
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 47-9 — Transcript, file page 5, lines 47-9
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 15-27 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 15-27
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 43-47 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 43-47
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 3-5 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 3-5
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 37-47 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 37-47
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 51-7 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 51-7
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 15-25 — Transcript, file page 8, lines 15-25
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 29-31 — Transcript, file page 8, lines 29-31
Why it matters
This case defines the power of federal courts to review state evidence.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 26, lines 3-29 — Transcript, file page 26, lines 3-29
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 19-51 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 19-51
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 3, lines 7-17 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 7-17
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 3-11 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 3-11
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 35-47 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 35-47
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 23-35 — Transcript, file page 5, lines 23-35
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 3-5 — Transcript, file page 5, lines 3-5
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 47-9 — Transcript, file page 5, lines 47-9
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 15-27 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 15-27
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 43-47 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 43-47
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 3-5 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 3-5
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 37-47 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 37-47
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 51-7 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 51-7
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 15-25 — Transcript, file page 8, lines 15-25
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 29-31 — Transcript, file page 8, lines 29-31
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 26, lines 3-29 — Transcript, file page 26, lines 3-29
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 19-51 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 19-51
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 26, lines 3-29 — Transcript, file page 26, lines 3-29
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 19-51 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 19-51
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.