October Term 2018 · Docket 17-5554
Does slight force qualify as a violent felony?
The dispute centers on whether Florida robbery requires violent force for federal sentencing enhancements.
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
the side that brought the case argued Florida robbery requires only slight force.
Government argued common law distinguishes violent takings from non-violent ones.
questions_asked_by_justices
Read the official transcript for this argument · Official argument details
Sources used for this argument breakdown
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 31, lines 20-17 — Transcript, file page 31, lines 20-17
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 16-26 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 16-26
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 27-31 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 27-31
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 9-15 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 9-15
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 36-19 — Transcript, file page 5, lines 36-19
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 6-9 — Transcript, file page 5, lines 6-9
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 32-9 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 32-9
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 24-26 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 24-26
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 13-16 — Transcript, file page 8, lines 13-16
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 19-21 — Transcript, file page 8, lines 19-21
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 30-34 — Transcript, file page 8, lines 30-34
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 36-9 — Transcript, file page 8, lines 36-9
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 10-14 — Transcript, file page 9, lines 10-14
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 15-17 — Transcript, file page 9, lines 15-17
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 32-11 — Transcript, file page 9, lines 32-11
A citizen's guide to the whole case
What this case is about
The case tests the definition of violent force under federal law.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 31, lines 20-17 — Transcript, file page 31, lines 20-17
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 16-26 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 16-26
How the case got here
The Supreme Court heard oral argument in this case on October 9, 2018.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 9-15 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 9-15
What each side wants
the side that brought the case seeks exclusion of Florida robbery from violent felony status.
Government seeks inclusion of Florida robbery as a violent felony.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 31, lines 20-17 — Transcript, file page 31, lines 20-17
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 16-26 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 16-26
What each side says
the side that brought the case argues Florida robbery lacks the required violent force element.
Government argues common law defines robbery as overcoming victim resistance.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 31, lines 20-17 — Transcript, file page 31, lines 20-17
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 16-26 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 16-26
What the justices asked
Justice Alito asked if pinching constitutes sufficient physical force.
Justice Sotomayor asked if ordinary pinching qualifies as violent force.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 27-31 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 27-31
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 36-19 — Transcript, file page 5, lines 36-19
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 6-9 — Transcript, file page 5, lines 6-9
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 32-9 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 32-9
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 24-26 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 24-26
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 13-16 — Transcript, file page 8, lines 13-16
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 19-21 — Transcript, file page 8, lines 19-21
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 30-34 — Transcript, file page 8, lines 30-34
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 36-9 — Transcript, file page 8, lines 36-9
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 10-14 — Transcript, file page 9, lines 10-14
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 15-17 — Transcript, file page 9, lines 15-17
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 32-11 — Transcript, file page 9, lines 32-11
Why it matters
This definition determines federal sentencing enhancements for repeat offenders.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 31, lines 20-17 — Transcript, file page 31, lines 20-17
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 16-26 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 16-26
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 4, lines 27-31 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 27-31
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 9-15 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 9-15
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 36-19 — Transcript, file page 5, lines 36-19
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 6-9 — Transcript, file page 5, lines 6-9
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 32-9 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 32-9
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 24-26 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 24-26
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 13-16 — Transcript, file page 8, lines 13-16
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 19-21 — Transcript, file page 8, lines 19-21
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 30-34 — Transcript, file page 8, lines 30-34
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 36-9 — Transcript, file page 8, lines 36-9
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 10-14 — Transcript, file page 9, lines 10-14
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 15-17 — Transcript, file page 9, lines 15-17
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 32-11 — Transcript, file page 9, lines 32-11
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 31, lines 20-17 — Transcript, file page 31, lines 20-17
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 16-26 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 16-26
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 31, lines 20-17 — Transcript, file page 31, lines 20-17
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 16-26 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 16-26
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.