October Term 2018 · Docket 17-778
Does a burglary conviction require proof of remaining inside a building?
The dispute centers on whether federal law counts state burglary convictions that lack a specific remaining-in element.
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
Mr. Marwell argued that common law burglary requires trespass for a crime.
Mr. Tripp argued that the conviction qualifies under the ACCA text.
Justice Ginsburg noted that Taylor suggests few statutes are broader than the generic definition.
Justice Alito questioned why the Court would examine statutes without a remaining-in element.
Read the official transcript for this argument · Official argument details
Sources used for this argument breakdown
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 10, lines 29-6 — Transcript, file page 10, lines 29-6
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 10, lines 9-12 — Transcript, file page 10, lines 9-12
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 11, lines 22-29 — Transcript, file page 11, lines 22-29
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 12, lines 14-15 — Transcript, file page 12, lines 14-15
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 12, lines 22-25 — Transcript, file page 12, lines 22-25
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 32, lines 9-27 — Transcript, file page 32, lines 9-27
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 16-17 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 16-17
- 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 19-26 — Transcript, file page 5, lines 19-26
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 10-11 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 10-11
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 29-6 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 29-6
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 12-16 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 12-16
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 24-26 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 24-26
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 29-31 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 29-31
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 14-29 — Transcript, file page 9, lines 14-29
A citizen's guide to the whole case
What this case is about
The case tests the scope of the Armed Career Criminal Act. It asks if a state conviction qualifies as a predicate offense. The definition of generic burglary drives the outcome.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 32, lines 9-27 — Transcript, file page 32, lines 9-27
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 16-17 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 16-17
How the case got here
The Supreme Court heard oral argument in this case on April 24, 2019.
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 wants the Court to exclude his conviction from the ACCA count.
The government wants the Court to include his conviction in the ACCA count.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 32, lines 9-27 — Transcript, file page 32, lines 9-27
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 16-17 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 16-17
What each side says
the side that brought the case argues that generic burglary requires proof of remaining inside a structure.
The government argues that the statutory text alone defines the qualifying offense.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 32, lines 9-27 — Transcript, file page 32, lines 9-27
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 16-17 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 16-17
What the justices asked
Justice Alito asked if the Court should count statutes lacking a remaining-in element.
Justice Sotomayor asked how many jurisdictions read the law the government's way in 1986.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 10, lines 29-6 — Transcript, file page 10, lines 29-6
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 10, lines 9-12 — Transcript, file page 10, lines 9-12
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 11, lines 22-29 — Transcript, file page 11, lines 22-29
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 12, lines 14-15 — Transcript, file page 12, lines 14-15
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 12, lines 22-25 — Transcript, file page 12, lines 22-25
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 19-26 — Transcript, file page 5, lines 19-26
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 10-11 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 10-11
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 29-6 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 29-6
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 12-16 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 12-16
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 24-26 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 24-26
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 29-31 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 29-31
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 14-29 — Transcript, file page 9, lines 14-29
Why it matters
The outcome defines the scope of federal sentencing enhancements. It determines which state convictions trigger mandatory minimums. It shapes the national standard for generic burglary.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 32, lines 9-27 — Transcript, file page 32, lines 9-27
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 16-17 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 16-17
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 29-6 — Transcript, file page 10, lines 29-6
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 10, lines 9-12 — Transcript, file page 10, lines 9-12
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 11, lines 22-29 — Transcript, file page 11, lines 22-29
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 12, lines 14-15 — Transcript, file page 12, lines 14-15
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 12, lines 22-25 — Transcript, file page 12, lines 22-25
- 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 19-26 — Transcript, file page 5, lines 19-26
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 10-11 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 10-11
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 29-6 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 29-6
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 12-16 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 12-16
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 24-26 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 24-26
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 29-31 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 29-31
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 14-29 — Transcript, file page 9, lines 14-29
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 32, lines 9-27 — Transcript, file page 32, lines 9-27
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 16-17 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 16-17
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 32, lines 9-27 — Transcript, file page 32, lines 9-27
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 16-17 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 16-17
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.