October Term 2024 · Docket 23-825
Does a failure to act count as using physical force?
The dispute centers on whether an omission qualifies as physical force under federal law.
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
Mr. Kedem argued that physical force requires direct or indirect contact.
Mr. Feigin argued that the law already tracks common sense regarding force.
Mr. Kedem explained that divisibility asks if text allows separate offenses.
Read the official transcript for this argument · Official argument details
Sources used for this argument breakdown
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 10, lines 45-7 — Transcript, file page 10, lines 45-7
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 10, lines 7-13 — Transcript, file page 10, lines 7-13
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 12, lines 23-27 — Transcript, file page 12, lines 23-27
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 12, lines 31-37 — Transcript, file page 12, lines 31-37
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 12, lines 41-1 — Transcript, file page 12, lines 41-1
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 13, lines 19-35 — Transcript, file page 13, lines 19-35
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 14, lines 25-29 — Transcript, file page 14, lines 25-29
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 14, lines 9-21 — Transcript, file page 14, lines 9-21
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 35, lines 13-45 — Transcript, file page 35, lines 13-45
- 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 23-43 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 23-43
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 45-7 — Transcript, file page 5, lines 45-7
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 35-11 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 35-11
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 31-37 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 31-37
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 70, lines 19-31 — Transcript, file page 70, lines 19-31
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 75, lines 33-35 — Transcript, file page 75, lines 33-35
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 17-27 — Transcript, file page 8, lines 17-27
A citizen's guide to the whole case
What this case is about
The case tests if a person can commit a violent crime by failing to act.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 35, lines 13-45 — Transcript, file page 35, lines 13-45
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 23-43 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 23-43
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 70, lines 19-31 — Transcript, file page 70, lines 19-31
How the case got here
The Supreme Court heard oral argument in this case on November 12, 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 75, lines 33-35 — Transcript, file page 75, lines 33-35
What each side wants
the side that brought the case wants the conviction overturned because omissions lack physical force.
The government wants the conviction upheld because internal force counts as physical force.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 35, lines 13-45 — Transcript, file page 35, lines 13-45
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 23-43 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 23-43
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 70, lines 19-31 — Transcript, file page 70, lines 19-31
What each side says
the side that brought the case argues that using force requires taking a step to bring force into contact.
The government argues that internal force, like a disease, can constitute physical force.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 35, lines 13-45 — Transcript, file page 35, lines 13-45
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 23-43 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 23-43
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 70, lines 19-31 — Transcript, file page 70, lines 19-31
What the justices asked
Justice Gorsuch asked if the statute divides acts from omissions.
Justice Sotomayor asked about the obligation to save a child versus a stranger.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 10, lines 45-7 — Transcript, file page 10, lines 45-7
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 10, lines 7-13 — Transcript, file page 10, lines 7-13
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 12, lines 23-27 — Transcript, file page 12, lines 23-27
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 12, lines 31-37 — Transcript, file page 12, lines 31-37
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 12, lines 41-1 — Transcript, file page 12, lines 41-1
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 13, lines 19-35 — Transcript, file page 13, lines 19-35
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 14, lines 25-29 — Transcript, file page 14, lines 25-29
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 14, lines 9-21 — Transcript, file page 14, lines 9-21
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 45-7 — Transcript, file page 5, lines 45-7
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 35-11 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 35-11
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 31-37 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 31-37
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 75, lines 33-35 — Transcript, file page 75, lines 33-35
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 17-27 — Transcript, file page 8, lines 17-27
Why it matters
This case defines the scope of violent crimes for federal sentencing.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 35, lines 13-45 — Transcript, file page 35, lines 13-45
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 23-43 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 23-43
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 70, lines 19-31 — Transcript, file page 70, lines 19-31
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 45-7 — Transcript, file page 10, lines 45-7
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 10, lines 7-13 — Transcript, file page 10, lines 7-13
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 12, lines 23-27 — Transcript, file page 12, lines 23-27
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 12, lines 31-37 — Transcript, file page 12, lines 31-37
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 12, lines 41-1 — Transcript, file page 12, lines 41-1
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 13, lines 19-35 — Transcript, file page 13, lines 19-35
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 14, lines 25-29 — Transcript, file page 14, lines 25-29
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 14, lines 9-21 — Transcript, file page 14, lines 9-21
- 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 45-7 — Transcript, file page 5, lines 45-7
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 35-11 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 35-11
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 31-37 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 31-37
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 75, lines 33-35 — Transcript, file page 75, lines 33-35
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 17-27 — Transcript, file page 8, lines 17-27
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 35, lines 13-45 — Transcript, file page 35, lines 13-45
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 23-43 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 23-43
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 70, lines 19-31 — Transcript, file page 70, lines 19-31
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 35, lines 13-45 — Transcript, file page 35, lines 13-45
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 23-43 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 23-43
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 70, lines 19-31 — Transcript, file page 70, lines 19-31
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.