October Term 2011 · Docket 10-694
Can a court apply new deportation rules to a past conviction?
the sides that brought the case seek retroactive relief. The government seeks to apply current law.
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
Mr. Fleming argued that the sides that brought the case deserve equal relief opportunities.
Mr. Gannon argued that some comparability analysis is necessary.
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 10, lines 27-45 — Transcript, file page 10, lines 27-45
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 11, lines 17-29 — Transcript, file page 11, lines 17-29
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 11, lines 43-47 — Transcript, file page 11, lines 43-47
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 12, lines 3-9 — Transcript, file page 12, lines 3-9
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 25, lines 51-39 — Transcript, file page 25, lines 51-39
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 17-5 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 17-5
- 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 27-47 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 27-47
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 7-23 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 7-23
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 54, lines 21-7 — Transcript, file page 54, lines 21-7
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 59, lines 9-13 — Transcript, file page 59, lines 9-13
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 23-7 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 23-7
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 39-47 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 39-47
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 33-37 — Transcript, file page 8, lines 33-37
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 29-29 — Transcript, file page 9, lines 29-29
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 41-43 — Transcript, file page 9, lines 41-43
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 7-15 — Transcript, file page 9, lines 7-15
A citizen's guide to the whole case
What this case is about
This case tests whether new legal standards apply to old convictions.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 25, lines 51-39 — Transcript, file page 25, lines 51-39
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 17-5 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 17-5
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 54, lines 21-7 — Transcript, file page 54, lines 21-7
How the case got here
The Supreme Court heard oral argument in this case on October 12, 2011.
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 54, lines 21-7 — Transcript, file page 54, lines 21-7
What each side wants
the sides that brought the case want the court to apply older, more lenient rules.
The government wants the court to apply current, stricter rules.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 25, lines 51-39 — Transcript, file page 25, lines 51-39
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 17-5 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 17-5
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 54, lines 21-7 — Transcript, file page 54, lines 21-7
What each side says
the sides that brought the case argue that changing the law harms their rights.
The government argues that the law has not changed significantly.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 25, lines 51-39 — Transcript, file page 25, lines 51-39
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 17-5 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 17-5
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 54, lines 21-7 — Transcript, file page 54, lines 21-7
What the justices asked
Chief Justice Roberts asked about reasonable expectations.
Justice Kagan asked if the law was previously confused.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 10, lines 27-45 — Transcript, file page 10, lines 27-45
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 11, lines 17-29 — Transcript, file page 11, lines 17-29
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 11, lines 43-47 — Transcript, file page 11, lines 43-47
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 12, lines 3-9 — Transcript, file page 12, lines 3-9
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 27-47 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 27-47
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 7-23 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 7-23
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 59, lines 9-13 — Transcript, file page 59, lines 9-13
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 23-7 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 23-7
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 39-47 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 39-47
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 33-37 — Transcript, file page 8, lines 33-37
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 29-29 — Transcript, file page 9, lines 29-29
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 41-43 — Transcript, file page 9, lines 41-43
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 7-15 — Transcript, file page 9, lines 7-15
Why it matters
This dispute defines how courts treat past convictions under new laws.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 25, lines 51-39 — Transcript, file page 25, lines 51-39
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 17-5 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 17-5
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 54, lines 21-7 — Transcript, file page 54, lines 21-7
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 27-45 — Transcript, file page 10, lines 27-45
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 11, lines 17-29 — Transcript, file page 11, lines 17-29
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 11, lines 43-47 — Transcript, file page 11, lines 43-47
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 12, lines 3-9 — Transcript, file page 12, lines 3-9
- 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 27-47 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 27-47
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 7-23 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 7-23
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 54, lines 21-7 — Transcript, file page 54, lines 21-7
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 59, lines 9-13 — Transcript, file page 59, lines 9-13
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 23-7 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 23-7
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 39-47 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 39-47
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 33-37 — Transcript, file page 8, lines 33-37
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 29-29 — Transcript, file page 9, lines 29-29
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 41-43 — Transcript, file page 9, lines 41-43
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 7-15 — Transcript, file page 9, lines 7-15
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 25, lines 51-39 — Transcript, file page 25, lines 51-39
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 17-5 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 17-5
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 54, lines 21-7 — Transcript, file page 54, lines 21-7
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 25, lines 51-39 — Transcript, file page 25, lines 51-39
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 17-5 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 17-5
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 54, lines 21-7 — Transcript, file page 54, lines 21-7
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.