October Term 2015 · Docket 14-1516
Can a jury base a verdict on facts not in the trial record?
The dispute centers on whether a conviction stands if the jury relied on information absent from the official trial record.
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
Ms. Shapiro argued the Seventh Circuit erred by granting habeas relief without clear precedent.
Mr. Levenstam argued the lower court found no evidence linking the defendant to drug dealing.
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Read the official transcript for this argument · Official argument details
Sources used for this argument breakdown
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 10, lines 24-34 — Transcript, file page 10, lines 24-34
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 10, lines 48-4 — Transcript, file page 10, lines 48-4
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 11, lines 14-16 — Transcript, file page 11, lines 14-16
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 11, lines 42-1 — Transcript, file page 11, lines 42-1
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 25, lines 40-16 — Transcript, file page 25, lines 40-16
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 18-30 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 18-30
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 32-46 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 32-46
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 8-16 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 8-16
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 16-28 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 16-28
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 40-24 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 40-24
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 46-1 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 46-1
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 8-38 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 8-38
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 32-36 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 32-36
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 8-34 — Transcript, file page 8, lines 8-34
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 4-8 — Transcript, file page 9, lines 4-8
A citizen's guide to the whole case
What this case is about
This case tests the limits of jury instructions and evidence rules in criminal trials.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 25, lines 40-16 — Transcript, file page 25, lines 40-16
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 18-30 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 18-30
How the case got here
The Supreme Court heard oral argument in this case on January 12, 2016.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 8-16 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 8-16
What each side wants
the side that brought the case wants the Seventh Circuit decision overturned to uphold the conviction.
the opposing side wants the habeas relief granted to secure a new trial.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 25, lines 40-16 — Transcript, file page 25, lines 40-16
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 18-30 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 18-30
What each side says
the side that brought the case argues the Seventh Circuit violated federal law by granting relief without clear precedent.
the opposing side argues the conviction relied on facts not presented in the trial record.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 25, lines 40-16 — Transcript, file page 25, lines 40-16
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 18-30 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 18-30
What the justices asked
Justice Sotomayor asked if the state proved the defendant wanted to kill the victim.
Justice Ginsburg asked if the conviction relied on information missing from the record.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 10, lines 24-34 — Transcript, file page 10, lines 24-34
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 10, lines 48-4 — Transcript, file page 10, lines 48-4
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 11, lines 14-16 — Transcript, file page 11, lines 14-16
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 11, lines 42-1 — Transcript, file page 11, lines 42-1
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 32-46 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 32-46
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 16-28 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 16-28
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 40-24 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 40-24
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 46-1 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 46-1
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 8-38 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 8-38
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 32-36 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 32-36
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 8-34 — Transcript, file page 8, lines 8-34
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 4-8 — Transcript, file page 9, lines 4-8
Why it matters
This case defines the boundary between jury discretion and strict evidence rules in criminal law.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 25, lines 40-16 — Transcript, file page 25, lines 40-16
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 18-30 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 18-30
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 24-34 — Transcript, file page 10, lines 24-34
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 10, lines 48-4 — Transcript, file page 10, lines 48-4
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 11, lines 14-16 — Transcript, file page 11, lines 14-16
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 11, lines 42-1 — Transcript, file page 11, lines 42-1
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 32-46 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 32-46
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 8-16 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 8-16
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 16-28 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 16-28
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 40-24 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 40-24
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 46-1 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 46-1
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 8-38 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 8-38
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 32-36 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 32-36
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 8-34 — Transcript, file page 8, lines 8-34
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 4-8 — Transcript, file page 9, lines 4-8
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 40-16 — Transcript, file page 25, lines 40-16
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 18-30 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 18-30
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 25, lines 40-16 — Transcript, file page 25, lines 40-16
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 18-30 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 18-30
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.