October Term 2020 · Docket 20-444
Does a judge's wrong plea explanation force automatic reversal?
Gary argues a judge's error on intent requires automatic reversal. The government says courts should review such errors case by case.
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
Gary's counsel argued the due process error is structural.
The government's counsel argued the Fourth Circuit rule is inconsistent with precedent.
questions_detail
Read the official transcript for this argument · Official argument details
Sources used for this argument breakdown
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 11, lines 33-41 — Transcript, file page 11, lines 33-41
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 12, lines 39-47 — Transcript, file page 12, lines 39-47
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 14, lines 15-23 — Transcript, file page 14, lines 15-23
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 15, lines 39-25 — Transcript, file page 15, lines 39-25
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 17, lines 17-17 — Transcript, file page 17, lines 17-17
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 17, lines 21-39 — Transcript, file page 17, lines 21-39
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 18, lines 7-25 — Transcript, file page 18, lines 7-25
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 24, lines 27-25 — Transcript, file page 24, lines 27-25
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 11-21 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 11-21
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 23-21 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 23-21
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 23-31 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 23-31
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 9-23 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 9-23
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 13-17 — Transcript, file page 8, lines 13-17
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 21-27 — Transcript, file page 8, lines 21-27
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 51-9 — Transcript, file page 9, lines 51-9
A citizen's guide to the whole case
What this case is about
Gary argues a judge's error on intent requires automatic reversal. The government says courts should review such errors case by case.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 24, lines 27-25 — Transcript, file page 24, lines 27-25
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 23-21 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 23-21
How the case got here
The Supreme Court heard oral argument in this case on April 20, 2021.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 11-21 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 11-21
What each side wants
Gary wants automatic reversal of his conviction.
The government wants case-by-case review of the error.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 24, lines 27-25 — Transcript, file page 24, lines 27-25
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 23-21 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 23-21
What each side says
Gary argues the error is structural and requires automatic reversal.
The government argues the error is not structural and allows forfeiture.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 24, lines 27-25 — Transcript, file page 24, lines 27-25
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 23-21 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 23-21
What the justices asked
Chief Justice Roberts asked if a judge's error on intent is structural.
Justice Alito asked if automatic vacatur burdens the judiciary significantly.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 11, lines 33-41 — Transcript, file page 11, lines 33-41
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 12, lines 39-47 — Transcript, file page 12, lines 39-47
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 14, lines 15-23 — Transcript, file page 14, lines 15-23
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 15, lines 39-25 — Transcript, file page 15, lines 39-25
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 17, lines 17-17 — Transcript, file page 17, lines 17-17
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 17, lines 21-39 — Transcript, file page 17, lines 21-39
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 18, lines 7-25 — Transcript, file page 18, lines 7-25
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 23-31 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 23-31
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 9-23 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 9-23
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 13-17 — Transcript, file page 8, lines 13-17
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 21-27 — Transcript, file page 8, lines 21-27
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 51-9 — Transcript, file page 9, lines 51-9
Why it matters
This case defines how courts handle plea colloquy errors. It determines whether judges must reverse convictions automatically or review them individually.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 24, lines 27-25 — Transcript, file page 24, lines 27-25
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 23-21 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 23-21
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 11, lines 33-41 — Transcript, file page 11, lines 33-41
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 12, lines 39-47 — Transcript, file page 12, lines 39-47
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 14, lines 15-23 — Transcript, file page 14, lines 15-23
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 15, lines 39-25 — Transcript, file page 15, lines 39-25
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 17, lines 17-17 — Transcript, file page 17, lines 17-17
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 17, lines 21-39 — Transcript, file page 17, lines 21-39
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 18, lines 7-25 — Transcript, file page 18, lines 7-25
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 11-21 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 11-21
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 23-31 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 23-31
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 9-23 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 9-23
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 13-17 — Transcript, file page 8, lines 13-17
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 21-27 — Transcript, file page 8, lines 21-27
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 51-9 — Transcript, file page 9, lines 51-9
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 24, lines 27-25 — Transcript, file page 24, lines 27-25
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 23-21 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 23-21
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 24, lines 27-25 — Transcript, file page 24, lines 27-25
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 23-21 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 23-21
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.