October Term 2015 · Docket 14-1095
Does a jury verdict bind the court when the jury instruction was wrong?
The dispute centers on whether a conviction stands if the jury followed an erroneous instruction.
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 claims the jury instruction was obviously erroneous.
The government asserts the jury found the defendant guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
justice_question
Read the official transcript for this argument · Official argument details
Sources used for this argument breakdown
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 10, lines 12-16 — Transcript, file page 10, lines 12-16
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 10, lines 26-40 — Transcript, file page 10, lines 26-40
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 29, lines 48-14 — Transcript, file page 29, lines 48-14
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 20-48 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 20-48
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 50-6 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 50-6
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 8-18 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 8-18
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 26-26 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 26-26
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 30-34 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 30-34
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 18-20 — Transcript, file page 5, lines 18-20
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 44-48 — Transcript, file page 5, lines 44-48
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 56, lines 46-4 — Transcript, file page 56, lines 46-4
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 58, lines 6-8 — Transcript, file page 58, lines 6-8
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 59, lines 50-1 — Transcript, file page 59, lines 50-1
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 12-18 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 12-18
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 30-32 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 30-32
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 50-1 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 50-1
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 60, lines 14-22 — Transcript, file page 60, lines 14-22
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 61, lines 8-6 — Transcript, file page 61, lines 8-6
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 63, lines 8-20 — Transcript, file page 63, lines 8-20
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 64, lines 50-1 — Transcript, file page 64, lines 50-1
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 44-14 — Transcript, file page 8, lines 44-14
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 44-1 — Transcript, file page 9, lines 44-1
A citizen's guide to the whole case
What this case is about
The case asks if a conviction survives when the jury instruction was legally incorrect.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 29, lines 48-14 — Transcript, file page 29, lines 48-14
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 20-48 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 20-48
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 56, lines 46-4 — Transcript, file page 56, lines 46-4
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 61, lines 8-6 — Transcript, file page 61, lines 8-6
How the case got here
The Supreme Court heard oral argument in this case on November 30, 2015.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 8-18 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 8-18
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 60, lines 14-22 — Transcript, file page 60, lines 14-22
What each side wants
the side that brought the case wants the conviction overturned due to the erroneous instruction.
The government wants the conviction upheld based on the jury's verdict.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 29, lines 48-14 — Transcript, file page 29, lines 48-14
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 20-48 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 20-48
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 56, lines 46-4 — Transcript, file page 56, lines 46-4
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 61, lines 8-6 — Transcript, file page 61, lines 8-6
What each side says
the side that brought the case argues the erroneous instruction infected the jury's decision.
The government argues the jury found the required elements beyond a reasonable doubt.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 29, lines 48-14 — Transcript, file page 29, lines 48-14
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 20-48 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 20-48
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 56, lines 46-4 — Transcript, file page 56, lines 46-4
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 61, lines 8-6 — Transcript, file page 61, lines 8-6
What the justices asked
Justice Ginsburg asked what else the jury needed to find unanimously.
Justice Scalia questioned if the jury's finding of guilt on both elements suffices.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 10, lines 12-16 — Transcript, file page 10, lines 12-16
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 10, lines 26-40 — Transcript, file page 10, lines 26-40
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 50-6 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 50-6
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 26-26 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 26-26
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 30-34 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 30-34
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 18-20 — Transcript, file page 5, lines 18-20
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 44-48 — Transcript, file page 5, lines 44-48
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 58, lines 6-8 — Transcript, file page 58, lines 6-8
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 59, lines 50-1 — Transcript, file page 59, lines 50-1
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 12-18 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 12-18
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 30-32 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 30-32
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 50-1 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 50-1
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 63, lines 8-20 — Transcript, file page 63, lines 8-20
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 64, lines 50-1 — Transcript, file page 64, lines 50-1
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 44-14 — Transcript, file page 8, lines 44-14
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 44-1 — Transcript, file page 9, lines 44-1
Why it matters
This case defines how courts review jury verdicts when instructions contain legal errors.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 29, lines 48-14 — Transcript, file page 29, lines 48-14
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 20-48 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 20-48
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 56, lines 46-4 — Transcript, file page 56, lines 46-4
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 61, lines 8-6 — Transcript, file page 61, lines 8-6
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 12-16 — Transcript, file page 10, lines 12-16
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 10, lines 26-40 — Transcript, file page 10, lines 26-40
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 50-6 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 50-6
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 8-18 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 8-18
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 26-26 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 26-26
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 30-34 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 30-34
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 18-20 — Transcript, file page 5, lines 18-20
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 44-48 — Transcript, file page 5, lines 44-48
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 58, lines 6-8 — Transcript, file page 58, lines 6-8
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 59, lines 50-1 — Transcript, file page 59, lines 50-1
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 12-18 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 12-18
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 30-32 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 30-32
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 50-1 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 50-1
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 60, lines 14-22 — Transcript, file page 60, lines 14-22
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 63, lines 8-20 — Transcript, file page 63, lines 8-20
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 64, lines 50-1 — Transcript, file page 64, lines 50-1
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 44-14 — Transcript, file page 8, lines 44-14
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 44-1 — Transcript, file page 9, lines 44-1
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 29, lines 48-14 — Transcript, file page 29, lines 48-14
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 20-48 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 20-48
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 56, lines 46-4 — Transcript, file page 56, lines 46-4
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 61, lines 8-6 — Transcript, file page 61, lines 8-6
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 29, lines 48-14 — Transcript, file page 29, lines 48-14
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 20-48 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 20-48
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 56, lines 46-4 — Transcript, file page 56, lines 46-4
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 61, lines 8-6 — Transcript, file page 61, lines 8-6
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.