October Term 2023 · Docket 22-982
Should appellate courts reweigh evidence in capital sentencing appeals?
the sides that brought the case seek a new standard for reviewing factual findings in death penalty cases.
Verified source milestones
- — An official oral-argument transcript was verified.
- — An official oral-argument transcript was verified.
- — An official Court opinion 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 sides that brought the case argue the Ninth Circuit failed to defer to the district court's factual findings.
the opposing sides argue that de novo review is necessary to ensure fair capital sentencing.
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 10, lines 13-31 — Transcript, file page 10, lines 13-31
- 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 23-53 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 23-53
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 40, lines 47-7 — Transcript, file page 40, lines 47-7
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 55-9 — Transcript, file page 5, lines 55-9
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 27-37 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 27-37
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 43-45 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 43-45
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 49-1 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 49-1
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 66, lines 33-43 — Transcript, file page 66, lines 33-43
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 67, lines 45-1 — Transcript, file page 67, lines 45-1
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 68, lines 51-7 — Transcript, file page 68, lines 51-7
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 69, lines 19-27 — Transcript, file page 69, lines 19-27
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 69, lines 31-39 — Transcript, file page 69, lines 31-39
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 69, lines 49-15 — Transcript, file page 69, lines 49-15
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 69, lines 9-15 — Transcript, file page 69, lines 9-15
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 17-19 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 17-19
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 25-31 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 25-31
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 70, lines 31-35 — Transcript, file page 70, lines 31-35
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 70, lines 43-47 — Transcript, file page 70, lines 43-47
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 71, lines 45-51 — Transcript, file page 71, lines 45-51
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 71, lines 55-11 — Transcript, file page 71, lines 55-11
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 72, lines 13-13 — Transcript, file page 72, lines 13-13
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 74, lines 15-19 — Transcript, file page 74, lines 15-19
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 21-29 — Transcript, file page 8, lines 21-29
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 43-13 — Transcript, file page 8, lines 43-13
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 17-19 — Transcript, file page 9, lines 17-19
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 23-29 — Transcript, file page 9, lines 23-29
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 33-47 — Transcript, file page 9, lines 33-47
A citizen's guide to the whole case
What this case is about
This case tests how appellate courts review lower court findings in capital sentencing.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 23-53 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 23-53
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 40, lines 47-7 — Transcript, file page 40, lines 47-7
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 66, lines 33-43 — Transcript, file page 66, lines 33-43
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 72, lines 13-13 — Transcript, file page 72, lines 13-13
How the case got here
The Supreme Court heard oral argument in this case on April 17, 2024.
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 69, lines 9-15 — Transcript, file page 69, lines 9-15
What each side wants
the sides that brought the case want the Ninth Circuit to apply a deferential standard to factual findings.
the opposing sides want the Ninth Circuit to maintain its current de novo review approach.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 23-53 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 23-53
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 40, lines 47-7 — Transcript, file page 40, lines 47-7
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 66, lines 33-43 — Transcript, file page 66, lines 33-43
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 72, lines 13-13 — Transcript, file page 72, lines 13-13
What each side says
the sides that brought the case argue the Ninth Circuit erred by failing to defer to the district court's factual determinations.
the opposing sides argue that de novo review is the proper standard for assessing prejudice in capital cases.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 23-53 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 23-53
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 40, lines 47-7 — Transcript, file page 40, lines 47-7
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 66, lines 33-43 — Transcript, file page 66, lines 33-43
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 72, lines 13-13 — Transcript, file page 72, lines 13-13
What the justices asked
Justice Sotomayor asked why the Court should weigh evidence given the massive record.
Justice Thomas asked if the Court could resolve the case by rejecting de novo review entirely.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 10, lines 13-31 — Transcript, file page 10, lines 13-31
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 55-9 — Transcript, file page 5, lines 55-9
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 27-37 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 27-37
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 43-45 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 43-45
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 49-1 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 49-1
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 67, lines 45-1 — Transcript, file page 67, lines 45-1
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 68, lines 51-7 — Transcript, file page 68, lines 51-7
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 69, lines 19-27 — Transcript, file page 69, lines 19-27
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 69, lines 31-39 — Transcript, file page 69, lines 31-39
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 69, lines 49-15 — Transcript, file page 69, lines 49-15
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 69, lines 9-15 — Transcript, file page 69, lines 9-15
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 17-19 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 17-19
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 25-31 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 25-31
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 70, lines 31-35 — Transcript, file page 70, lines 31-35
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 70, lines 43-47 — Transcript, file page 70, lines 43-47
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 71, lines 45-51 — Transcript, file page 71, lines 45-51
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 71, lines 55-11 — Transcript, file page 71, lines 55-11
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 74, lines 15-19 — Transcript, file page 74, lines 15-19
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 21-29 — Transcript, file page 8, lines 21-29
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 43-13 — Transcript, file page 8, lines 43-13
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 17-19 — Transcript, file page 9, lines 17-19
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 23-29 — Transcript, file page 9, lines 23-29
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 33-47 — Transcript, file page 9, lines 33-47
Why it matters
The outcome defines the standard for reviewing factual errors in death penalty appeals.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 23-53 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 23-53
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 40, lines 47-7 — Transcript, file page 40, lines 47-7
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 66, lines 33-43 — Transcript, file page 66, lines 33-43
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 72, lines 13-13 — Transcript, file page 72, lines 13-13
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 13-31 — Transcript, file page 10, lines 13-31
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 11-21 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 11-21
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 55-9 — Transcript, file page 5, lines 55-9
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 27-37 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 27-37
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 43-45 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 43-45
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 49-1 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 49-1
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 67, lines 45-1 — Transcript, file page 67, lines 45-1
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 68, lines 51-7 — Transcript, file page 68, lines 51-7
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 69, lines 19-27 — Transcript, file page 69, lines 19-27
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 69, lines 31-39 — Transcript, file page 69, lines 31-39
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 69, lines 49-15 — Transcript, file page 69, lines 49-15
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 69, lines 9-15 — Transcript, file page 69, lines 9-15
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 17-19 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 17-19
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 25-31 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 25-31
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 70, lines 31-35 — Transcript, file page 70, lines 31-35
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 70, lines 43-47 — Transcript, file page 70, lines 43-47
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 71, lines 45-51 — Transcript, file page 71, lines 45-51
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 71, lines 55-11 — Transcript, file page 71, lines 55-11
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 74, lines 15-19 — Transcript, file page 74, lines 15-19
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 21-29 — Transcript, file page 8, lines 21-29
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 43-13 — Transcript, file page 8, lines 43-13
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 17-19 — Transcript, file page 9, lines 17-19
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 23-29 — Transcript, file page 9, lines 23-29
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 33-47 — Transcript, file page 9, lines 33-47
Official Court provenance
Official docket and case history · Official Supreme Court oral-argument detail page
Verified official opinions and orders
Title and summary sources
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 23-53 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 23-53
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 40, lines 47-7 — Transcript, file page 40, lines 47-7
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 66, lines 33-43 — Transcript, file page 66, lines 33-43
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 72, lines 13-13 — Transcript, file page 72, lines 13-13
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 23-53 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 23-53
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 40, lines 47-7 — Transcript, file page 40, lines 47-7
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 66, lines 33-43 — Transcript, file page 66, lines 33-43
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 72, lines 13-13 — Transcript, file page 72, lines 13-13
Revision history
- Revision 1 · Post Opinion ·
Correction: Rewritten to the concise citizen-facing editorial standard.
- Revision 2 · Post Opinion ·
Correction: Migrated to the dated official Court activity contract without model use.