October Term 2008 · Docket 08-192
Does a drug purchase for personal use count as a felony?
The dispute centers on whether buying drugs for personal use triggers federal felony charges.
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
the side that brought the case argued personal drug use is a misdemeanor.
The government argued the statute covers any felony act.
questions_asked_by_justices
Read the official transcript for this argument · Official argument details
Sources used for this argument breakdown
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 27, lines 5-33 — Transcript, file page 27, lines 5-33
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 17-3 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 17-3
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 7-15 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 7-15
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 27-35 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 27-35
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 39-47 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 39-47
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 5-9 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 5-9
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 17-21 — Transcript, file page 5, lines 17-21
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 23-29 — Transcript, file page 5, lines 23-29
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 57, lines 15-19 — Transcript, file page 57, lines 15-19
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 57, lines 21-45 — Transcript, file page 57, lines 21-45
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 57, lines 47-49 — Transcript, file page 57, lines 47-49
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 29-33 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 29-33
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 7-19 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 7-19
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 13-17 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 13-17
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 21-51 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 21-51
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 19-21 — Transcript, file page 8, lines 19-21
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 27-43 — Transcript, file page 8, lines 27-43
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 39-3 — Transcript, file page 9, lines 39-3
A citizen's guide to the whole case
What this case is about
The case tests the scope of a federal statute on communication facilities.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 27, lines 5-33 — Transcript, file page 27, lines 5-33
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 17-3 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 17-3
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 57, lines 21-45 — Transcript, file page 57, lines 21-45
How the case got here
The Supreme Court heard oral argument in this case on March 4, 2009.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 7-15 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 7-15
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 57, lines 47-49 — Transcript, file page 57, lines 47-49
What each side wants
the side that brought the case wants the purchase treated as a misdemeanor.
The government wants the purchase treated as a felony.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 27, lines 5-33 — Transcript, file page 27, lines 5-33
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 17-3 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 17-3
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 57, lines 21-45 — Transcript, file page 57, lines 21-45
What each side says
the side that brought the case argues personal drug use is not a felony.
The government argues the statute covers any felony under the Act.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 27, lines 5-33 — Transcript, file page 27, lines 5-33
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 17-3 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 17-3
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 57, lines 21-45 — Transcript, file page 57, lines 21-45
What the justices asked
Justice Ginsburg asked who the statute targets in the real world.
Justice Scalia asked if the language is a jurisdictional hook.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 27-35 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 27-35
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 39-47 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 39-47
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 5-9 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 5-9
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 17-21 — Transcript, file page 5, lines 17-21
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 23-29 — Transcript, file page 5, lines 23-29
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 57, lines 15-19 — Transcript, file page 57, lines 15-19
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 57, lines 47-49 — Transcript, file page 57, lines 47-49
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 29-33 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 29-33
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 7-19 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 7-19
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 13-17 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 13-17
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 21-51 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 21-51
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 19-21 — Transcript, file page 8, lines 19-21
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 27-43 — Transcript, file page 8, lines 27-43
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 39-3 — Transcript, file page 9, lines 39-3
Why it matters
The outcome defines the scope of federal drug laws for individuals.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 27, lines 5-33 — Transcript, file page 27, lines 5-33
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 17-3 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 17-3
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 57, lines 21-45 — Transcript, file page 57, lines 21-45
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 7-15 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 7-15
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 27-35 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 27-35
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 39-47 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 39-47
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 5-9 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 5-9
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 17-21 — Transcript, file page 5, lines 17-21
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 23-29 — Transcript, file page 5, lines 23-29
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 57, lines 15-19 — Transcript, file page 57, lines 15-19
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 57, lines 47-49 — Transcript, file page 57, lines 47-49
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 29-33 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 29-33
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 7-19 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 7-19
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 13-17 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 13-17
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 21-51 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 21-51
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 19-21 — Transcript, file page 8, lines 19-21
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 27-43 — Transcript, file page 8, lines 27-43
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 39-3 — Transcript, file page 9, lines 39-3
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 27, lines 5-33 — Transcript, file page 27, lines 5-33
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 17-3 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 17-3
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 57, lines 21-45 — Transcript, file page 57, lines 21-45
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 27, lines 5-33 — Transcript, file page 27, lines 5-33
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 17-3 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 17-3
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 57, lines 21-45 — Transcript, file page 57, lines 21-45
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.