October Term 2013 · Docket 12-7515
Does a drug dealer's supply cause a death if other drugs also contributed?
Marcus Burrage challenges his mandatory minimum sentence for a death involving multiple substances.
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
Ms. Campbell argued that the jury instruction failed to require primary causation.
Mr. Horwich stated that Congress intended to hold traffickers responsible for overdose results.
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 33-1 — Transcript, file page 27, lines 33-1
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 19-31 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 19-31
- 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 11-15 — Transcript, file page 5, lines 11-15
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 19-21 — Transcript, file page 5, lines 19-21
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 35-41 — Transcript, file page 5, lines 35-41
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 47-3 — Transcript, file page 5, lines 47-3
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 55, lines 37-7 — Transcript, file page 55, lines 37-7
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 58, lines 9-11 — Transcript, file page 58, lines 9-11
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 17-23 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 17-23
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 29-31 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 29-31
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 7-13 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 7-13
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 3-15 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 3-15
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 39-43 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 39-43
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 47-47 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 47-47
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 51-7 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 51-7
A citizen's guide to the whole case
What this case is about
The case tests the legal standard for causation in drug-related death statutes.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 27, lines 33-1 — Transcript, file page 27, lines 33-1
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 19-31 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 19-31
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 55, lines 37-7 — Transcript, file page 55, lines 37-7
How the case got here
The Supreme Court heard oral argument in this case on November 12, 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 9-11 — Transcript, file page 58, lines 9-11
What each side wants
Burrage seeks reversal of his conviction because his drug was not the sole cause of death.
The government seeks to uphold the conviction because his drug contributed to the fatal overdose.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 27, lines 33-1 — Transcript, file page 27, lines 33-1
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 19-31 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 19-31
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 55, lines 37-7 — Transcript, file page 55, lines 37-7
What each side says
Burrage argues that but-for causation is the required legal standard for conviction.
The government argues that contributing to an overdose satisfies the statutory requirement.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 27, lines 33-1 — Transcript, file page 27, lines 33-1
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 19-31 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 19-31
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 55, lines 37-7 — Transcript, file page 55, lines 37-7
What the justices asked
Chief Justice Roberts asked if adding a third drop to two existing drops creates liability.
Justice Scalia asked why the scenario does not fit but-for causation definitions.
Official sources for this section
- 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 11-15 — Transcript, file page 5, lines 11-15
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 19-21 — Transcript, file page 5, lines 19-21
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 35-41 — Transcript, file page 5, lines 35-41
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 47-3 — Transcript, file page 5, lines 47-3
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 58, lines 9-11 — Transcript, file page 58, lines 9-11
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 17-23 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 17-23
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 29-31 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 29-31
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 7-13 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 7-13
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 3-15 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 3-15
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 39-43 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 39-43
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 47-47 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 47-47
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 51-7 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 51-7
Why it matters
The outcome defines the scope of criminal liability for drug dealers in multi-substance deaths.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 27, lines 33-1 — Transcript, file page 27, lines 33-1
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 19-31 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 19-31
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 55, lines 37-7 — Transcript, file page 55, lines 37-7
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 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 11-15 — Transcript, file page 5, lines 11-15
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 19-21 — Transcript, file page 5, lines 19-21
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 35-41 — Transcript, file page 5, lines 35-41
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 47-3 — Transcript, file page 5, lines 47-3
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 58, lines 9-11 — Transcript, file page 58, lines 9-11
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 17-23 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 17-23
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 29-31 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 29-31
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 7-13 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 7-13
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 3-15 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 3-15
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 39-43 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 39-43
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 47-47 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 47-47
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 51-7 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 51-7
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 33-1 — Transcript, file page 27, lines 33-1
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 19-31 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 19-31
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 55, lines 37-7 — Transcript, file page 55, lines 37-7
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 27, lines 33-1 — Transcript, file page 27, lines 33-1
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 19-31 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 19-31
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 55, lines 37-7 — Transcript, file page 55, lines 37-7
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.