October Term 2015 · Docket 14-7505
Must a jury decide facts that make a defendant eligible for the death penalty?
Florida law lets a judge decide if a defendant faces execution. Timothy Hurst argues this violates the Sixth Amendment.
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
Seth Waxman argued that a judge made the factual finding for Hurst's death eligibility. He stated this violates the Sixth Amendment under prior Supreme Court precedent.
Florida's advocate argued the system remains constitutional. He claimed the jury already decided the necessary facts for Hurst's case.
justice_questions
Read the official transcript for this argument · Official argument details
Sources used for this argument breakdown
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 10, lines 36-42 — Transcript, file page 10, lines 36-42
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 10, lines 46-1 — Transcript, file page 10, lines 46-1
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 10, lines 6-16 — Transcript, file page 10, lines 6-16
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 23, lines 16-1 — Transcript, file page 23, lines 16-1
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 18-14 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 18-14
- 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 16-20 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 16-20
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 28-30 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 28-30
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 34-38 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 34-38
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 50-1 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 50-1
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 26-48 — Transcript, file page 5, lines 26-48
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 56, lines 42-8 — Transcript, file page 56, lines 42-8
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 59, lines 10-12 — Transcript, file page 59, lines 10-12
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 16-32 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 16-32
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 26-32 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 26-32
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 38-50 — Transcript, file page 8, lines 38-50
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 4-12 — Transcript, file page 9, lines 4-12
A citizen's guide to the whole case
What this case is about
Timothy Hurst faces the death penalty in Florida. A judge, not a jury, found the facts that made him eligible for execution. Hurst claims this violates the Sixth Amendment. Florida argues the system remains constitutional. The Court must decide who decides these critical facts.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 23, lines 16-1 — Transcript, file page 23, lines 16-1
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 18-14 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 18-14
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 56, lines 42-8 — Transcript, file page 56, lines 42-8
How the case got here
The Supreme Court heard oral argument in this case on October 13, 2015.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 8-16 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 8-16
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 59, lines 10-12 — Transcript, file page 59, lines 10-12
What each side wants
Timothy Hurst wants the Court to strike down Florida's sentencing law. He seeks a new trial with a jury deciding his eligibility for death.
Florida wants the Court to uphold its current sentencing system. It seeks to keep the judge's decision on death eligibility.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 23, lines 16-1 — Transcript, file page 23, lines 16-1
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 18-14 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 18-14
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 56, lines 42-8 — Transcript, file page 56, lines 42-8
What each side says
Florida argues its system was constitutional before recent rulings. It claims the jury already decided the necessary facts for Hurst's case.
Hurst argues a judge made the factual finding for his death eligibility. He claims this violates the Sixth Amendment under prior Supreme Court precedent.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 23, lines 16-1 — Transcript, file page 23, lines 16-1
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 18-14 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 18-14
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 56, lines 42-8 — Transcript, file page 56, lines 42-8
What the justices asked
Justice Scalia asked if a judge can ever reverse a jury's death recommendation.
Justice Scalia questioned whether juries must agree on specific aggravating factors or just generic conclusions.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 10, lines 36-42 — Transcript, file page 10, lines 36-42
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 10, lines 46-1 — Transcript, file page 10, lines 46-1
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 10, lines 6-16 — Transcript, file page 10, lines 6-16
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 16-20 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 16-20
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 28-30 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 28-30
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 34-38 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 34-38
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 50-1 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 50-1
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 26-48 — Transcript, file page 5, lines 26-48
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 59, lines 10-12 — Transcript, file page 59, lines 10-12
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 16-32 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 16-32
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 26-32 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 26-32
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 38-50 — Transcript, file page 8, lines 38-50
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 4-12 — Transcript, file page 9, lines 4-12
Why it matters
This case defines who decides if a person faces execution. It shapes the balance of power between judges and juries in capital cases. The outcome affects the rights of all defendants in death penalty states.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 23, lines 16-1 — Transcript, file page 23, lines 16-1
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 18-14 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 18-14
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 56, lines 42-8 — Transcript, file page 56, lines 42-8
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 36-42 — Transcript, file page 10, lines 36-42
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 10, lines 46-1 — Transcript, file page 10, lines 46-1
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 10, lines 6-16 — Transcript, file page 10, lines 6-16
- 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 16-20 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 16-20
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 28-30 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 28-30
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 34-38 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 34-38
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 50-1 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 50-1
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 26-48 — Transcript, file page 5, lines 26-48
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 59, lines 10-12 — Transcript, file page 59, lines 10-12
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 16-32 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 16-32
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 26-32 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 26-32
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 38-50 — Transcript, file page 8, lines 38-50
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 4-12 — Transcript, file page 9, lines 4-12
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 23, lines 16-1 — Transcript, file page 23, lines 16-1
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 18-14 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 18-14
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 56, lines 42-8 — Transcript, file page 56, lines 42-8
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 23, lines 16-1 — Transcript, file page 23, lines 16-1
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 18-14 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 18-14
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 56, lines 42-8 — Transcript, file page 56, lines 42-8
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.