October Term 2013 · Docket 12-158
Does the Chemical Weapons Convention Implementation Act exceed Congress's power?
Carrie Bond challenges her federal conviction for using a toxic substance on a rival.
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
Bond's counsel argued the statute exceeds Congress's limited powers.
The government argued the framers gave exclusive treaty control to the federal government.
justice_questions
Read the official transcript for this argument · Official argument details
Sources used for this argument breakdown
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 27, lines 25-49 — Transcript, file page 27, lines 25-49
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 19-47 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 19-47
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 49-11 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 49-11
- 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 33-43 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 33-43
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 25-25 — Transcript, file page 5, lines 25-25
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 29-7 — Transcript, file page 5, lines 29-7
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 54, lines 19-31 — Transcript, file page 54, lines 19-31
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 56, lines 33-45 — Transcript, file page 56, lines 33-45
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 58, lines 15-19 — Transcript, file page 58, lines 15-19
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 11-15 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 11-15
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 29-35 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 29-35
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 51-9 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 51-9
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 27-35 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 27-35
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 31-37 — Transcript, file page 8, lines 31-37
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 5-21 — Transcript, file page 8, lines 5-21
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 5-45 — Transcript, file page 9, lines 5-45
A citizen's guide to the whole case
What this case is about
Bond argues the federal law oversteps Congress's limited powers. The government claims the law implements a valid treaty.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 27, lines 25-49 — Transcript, file page 27, lines 25-49
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 19-47 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 19-47
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 54, lines 19-31 — Transcript, file page 54, lines 19-31
How the case got here
The Supreme Court heard oral argument in this case on November 5, 2013.
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 58, lines 15-19 — Transcript, file page 58, lines 15-19
What each side wants
Bond wants the Court to strike down her federal conviction.
The government wants the Court to uphold the federal conviction.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 27, lines 25-49 — Transcript, file page 27, lines 25-49
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 19-47 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 19-47
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 54, lines 19-31 — Transcript, file page 54, lines 19-31
What each side says
Bond argues the law exceeds Congress's enumerated powers.
The government argues the law implements a valid treaty.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 27, lines 25-49 — Transcript, file page 27, lines 25-49
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 19-47 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 19-47
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 54, lines 19-31 — Transcript, file page 54, lines 19-31
What the justices asked
Justice Ginsburg asked why valid treaty legislation could be unconstitutional.
Justice Kagan asked where the constraint on treaty power comes from.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 49-11 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 49-11
- 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 33-43 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 33-43
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 25-25 — Transcript, file page 5, lines 25-25
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 29-7 — Transcript, file page 5, lines 29-7
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 56, lines 33-45 — Transcript, file page 56, lines 33-45
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 58, lines 15-19 — Transcript, file page 58, lines 15-19
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 11-15 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 11-15
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 29-35 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 29-35
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 51-9 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 51-9
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 27-35 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 27-35
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 31-37 — Transcript, file page 8, lines 31-37
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 5-21 — Transcript, file page 8, lines 5-21
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 5-45 — Transcript, file page 9, lines 5-45
Why it matters
This case defines the boundary between federal and state police powers. It determines whether federal law can regulate local chemical use.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 27, lines 25-49 — Transcript, file page 27, lines 25-49
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 19-47 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 19-47
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 54, lines 19-31 — Transcript, file page 54, lines 19-31
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 49-11 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 49-11
- 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 33-43 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 33-43
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 25-25 — Transcript, file page 5, lines 25-25
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 29-7 — Transcript, file page 5, lines 29-7
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 56, lines 33-45 — Transcript, file page 56, lines 33-45
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 58, lines 15-19 — Transcript, file page 58, lines 15-19
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 11-15 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 11-15
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 29-35 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 29-35
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 51-9 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 51-9
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 27-35 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 27-35
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 31-37 — Transcript, file page 8, lines 31-37
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 5-21 — Transcript, file page 8, lines 5-21
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 5-45 — Transcript, file page 9, lines 5-45
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 25-49 — Transcript, file page 27, lines 25-49
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 19-47 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 19-47
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 54, lines 19-31 — Transcript, file page 54, lines 19-31
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 27, lines 25-49 — Transcript, file page 27, lines 25-49
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 19-47 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 19-47
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 54, lines 19-31 — Transcript, file page 54, lines 19-31
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.