October Term 2010 · Docket 09-11121
Does a suspect's age affect whether police questioning counts as custody?
The dispute centers on whether a 13-year-old's age must influence the legal definition of custody during police questioning.
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. Feigin argued age should not be a factor in the custody test.
Ms. Blackman stated the student was 13 when taken from his classroom.
Mr. Cooper argued the Court considers only external circumstances, not mental attributes.
Read the official transcript for this argument · Official argument details
Sources used for this argument breakdown
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 26, lines 25-43 — Transcript, file page 26, lines 25-43
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 19-5 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 19-5
- 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 21-25 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 21-25
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 39-41 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 39-41
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 51-3 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 51-3
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 7-17 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 7-17
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 44, lines 17-33 — Transcript, file page 44, lines 17-33
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 11-11 — Transcript, file page 5, lines 11-11
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 17-25 — Transcript, file page 5, lines 17-25
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 33-33 — Transcript, file page 5, lines 33-33
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 39-41 — Transcript, file page 5, lines 39-41
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 15-31 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 15-31
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 35-37 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 35-37
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 21-5 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 21-5
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 5-11 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 5-11
A citizen's guide to the whole case
What this case is about
North Carolina police questioned a 13-year-old student in a closed room. The state argues age is irrelevant to the custody test. The student argues his age made the encounter coercive.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 26, lines 25-43 — Transcript, file page 26, lines 25-43
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 19-5 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 19-5
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 44, lines 17-33 — Transcript, file page 44, lines 17-33
How the case got here
The Supreme Court heard oral argument in this case on March 23, 2011.
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
North Carolina wants the Court to exclude age from the custody test.
The student wants the Court to include age in the custody test.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 26, lines 25-43 — Transcript, file page 26, lines 25-43
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 19-5 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 19-5
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 44, lines 17-33 — Transcript, file page 44, lines 17-33
What each side says
North Carolina argues the custody test relies solely on external circumstances.
The student argues his age made the interrogation feel coercive.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 26, lines 25-43 — Transcript, file page 26, lines 25-43
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 19-5 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 19-5
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 44, lines 17-33 — Transcript, file page 44, lines 17-33
What the justices asked
Justice Scalia asked why mental deficiency should not also be a factor.
Justice Breyer asked about a test derived from three prior cases.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 21-25 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 21-25
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 39-41 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 39-41
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 51-3 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 51-3
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 7-17 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 7-17
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 11-11 — Transcript, file page 5, lines 11-11
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 17-25 — Transcript, file page 5, lines 17-25
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 33-33 — Transcript, file page 5, lines 33-33
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 39-41 — Transcript, file page 5, lines 39-41
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 15-31 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 15-31
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 35-37 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 35-37
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 21-5 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 21-5
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 5-11 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 5-11
Why it matters
This case defines when police questioning requires Miranda warnings. It affects how courts evaluate the coerciveness of interrogations involving minors. The outcome shapes the rights of young people during police encounters.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 26, lines 25-43 — Transcript, file page 26, lines 25-43
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 19-5 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 19-5
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 44, lines 17-33 — Transcript, file page 44, lines 17-33
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 21-25 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 21-25
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 39-41 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 39-41
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 51-3 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 51-3
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 7-17 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 7-17
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 11-11 — Transcript, file page 5, lines 11-11
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 17-25 — Transcript, file page 5, lines 17-25
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 33-33 — Transcript, file page 5, lines 33-33
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 39-41 — Transcript, file page 5, lines 39-41
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 15-31 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 15-31
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 35-37 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 35-37
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 21-5 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 21-5
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 5-11 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 5-11
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 25-43 — Transcript, file page 26, lines 25-43
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 19-5 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 19-5
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 44, lines 17-33 — Transcript, file page 44, lines 17-33
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 26, lines 25-43 — Transcript, file page 26, lines 25-43
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 19-5 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 19-5
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 44, lines 17-33 — Transcript, file page 44, lines 17-33
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.