October Term 2022 · Docket 22-49
Does federal law force consecutive sentences for gun crimes?
The dispute centers on whether a specific statute mandates consecutive prison terms for firearm offenses.
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
Ms. Ross argued the statute targets the most serious offenders.
Mr. Rosenberg argued the text does not bar concurrent sentences.
Justice Alito questioned the government's reliance on congressional intent.
Justice Thomas asked about the accumulation of penalties under the statute.
Read the official transcript for this argument · Official argument details
Sources used for this argument breakdown
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 10, lines 31-35 — Transcript, file page 10, lines 31-35
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 10, lines 39-41 — Transcript, file page 10, lines 39-41
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 10, lines 55-7 — Transcript, file page 10, lines 55-7
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 11, lines 11-13 — Transcript, file page 11, lines 11-13
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 11, lines 31-33 — Transcript, file page 11, lines 31-33
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 27, lines 21-25 — Transcript, file page 27, lines 21-25
- 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 23-11 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 23-11
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 13-21 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 13-21
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 43-47 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 43-47
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 66, lines 37-11 — Transcript, file page 66, lines 37-11
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 67, lines 13-19 — Transcript, file page 67, lines 13-19
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 67, lines 21-25 — Transcript, file page 67, lines 21-25
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 68, lines 11-19 — Transcript, file page 68, lines 11-19
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 68, lines 21-29 — Transcript, file page 68, lines 21-29
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 51-9 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 51-9
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 71, lines 31-33 — Transcript, file page 71, lines 31-33
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 35-41 — Transcript, file page 8, lines 35-41
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 55-7 — Transcript, file page 8, lines 55-7
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 11-19 — Transcript, file page 9, lines 11-19
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 49-23 — Transcript, file page 9, lines 49-23
A citizen's guide to the whole case
What this case is about
This case examines the interpretation of a federal sentencing statute. The core issue involves how courts apply penalties for gun-related crimes.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 27, lines 21-25 — Transcript, file page 27, lines 21-25
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 23-11 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 23-11
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 67, lines 13-19 — Transcript, file page 67, lines 13-19
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 68, lines 21-29 — Transcript, file page 68, lines 21-29
How the case got here
The Supreme Court heard oral argument in this case on March 28, 2023.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 11-21 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 11-21
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 67, lines 21-25 — Transcript, file page 67, lines 21-25
What each side wants
the side that brought the case wants the court to allow concurrent sentences for these offenses.
The government wants the court to enforce mandatory consecutive sentences.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 27, lines 21-25 — Transcript, file page 27, lines 21-25
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 23-11 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 23-11
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 67, lines 13-19 — Transcript, file page 67, lines 13-19
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 68, lines 21-29 — Transcript, file page 68, lines 21-29
What each side says
the side that brought the case argues the statute does not explicitly ban concurrent sentencing.
The government argues the statute requires consecutive penalties for serious offenders.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 27, lines 21-25 — Transcript, file page 27, lines 21-25
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 23-11 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 23-11
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 67, lines 13-19 — Transcript, file page 67, lines 13-19
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 68, lines 21-29 — Transcript, file page 68, lines 21-29
What the justices asked
Justice Alito asked if sentences could be made concurrent.
Justice Thomas asked how the text favors the government's position.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 10, lines 31-35 — Transcript, file page 10, lines 31-35
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 10, lines 39-41 — Transcript, file page 10, lines 39-41
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 10, lines 55-7 — Transcript, file page 10, lines 55-7
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 11, lines 11-13 — Transcript, file page 11, lines 11-13
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 11, lines 31-33 — Transcript, file page 11, lines 31-33
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 13-21 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 13-21
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 43-47 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 43-47
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 66, lines 37-11 — Transcript, file page 66, lines 37-11
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 68, lines 11-19 — Transcript, file page 68, lines 11-19
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 51-9 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 51-9
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 71, lines 31-33 — Transcript, file page 71, lines 31-33
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 35-41 — Transcript, file page 8, lines 35-41
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 55-7 — Transcript, file page 8, lines 55-7
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 11-19 — Transcript, file page 9, lines 11-19
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 49-23 — Transcript, file page 9, lines 49-23
Why it matters
This interpretation determines the length of prison terms for firearm offenders. It affects how judges calculate total time served for multiple crimes.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 27, lines 21-25 — Transcript, file page 27, lines 21-25
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 23-11 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 23-11
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 67, lines 13-19 — Transcript, file page 67, lines 13-19
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 68, lines 21-29 — Transcript, file page 68, lines 21-29
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 31-35 — Transcript, file page 10, lines 31-35
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 10, lines 39-41 — Transcript, file page 10, lines 39-41
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 10, lines 55-7 — Transcript, file page 10, lines 55-7
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 11, lines 11-13 — Transcript, file page 11, lines 11-13
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 11, lines 31-33 — Transcript, file page 11, lines 31-33
- 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 13-21 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 13-21
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 43-47 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 43-47
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 66, lines 37-11 — Transcript, file page 66, lines 37-11
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 67, lines 21-25 — Transcript, file page 67, lines 21-25
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 68, lines 11-19 — Transcript, file page 68, lines 11-19
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 51-9 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 51-9
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 71, lines 31-33 — Transcript, file page 71, lines 31-33
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 35-41 — Transcript, file page 8, lines 35-41
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 55-7 — Transcript, file page 8, lines 55-7
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 11-19 — Transcript, file page 9, lines 11-19
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 49-23 — Transcript, file page 9, lines 49-23
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 27, lines 21-25 — Transcript, file page 27, lines 21-25
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 23-11 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 23-11
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 67, lines 13-19 — Transcript, file page 67, lines 13-19
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 68, lines 21-29 — Transcript, file page 68, lines 21-29
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 27, lines 21-25 — Transcript, file page 27, lines 21-25
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 23-11 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 23-11
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 67, lines 13-19 — Transcript, file page 67, lines 13-19
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 68, lines 21-29 — Transcript, file page 68, lines 21-29
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.