{"argument_date":"2000-10-11T00:00:00Z","arguments":[{"argument_date":"2000-10-11T00:00:00Z","heading":"What happened at the argument","official_detail_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcript/2000","official_transcript_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2000/99-1240.pdf","paragraphs":["Jeffrey Sutton argued Congress used commerce and Fourteenth Amendment powers to pass the ADA.","Sutton claimed government lawyers lose when they offer irrational explanations for laws.","Gottesman argued the ADA rests securely on the Commerce Clause.","Gottesman stated no state would challenge the Commerce Clause basis of the ADA."],"reargument":false,"sequence":1,"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 28, lines 43-27","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2000/99-1240.pdf","page_label":"file page 28, lines 43-27"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 17-21","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2000/99-1240.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 17-21"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 5-15","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2000/99-1240.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 5-15"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 42, lines 27-37","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2000/99-1240.pdf","page_label":"file page 42, lines 27-37"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 55, lines 11-31","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2000/99-1240.pdf","page_label":"file page 55, lines 11-31"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 57, lines 21-41","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2000/99-1240.pdf","page_label":"file page 57, lines 21-41"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 58, lines 41-43","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2000/99-1240.pdf","page_label":"file page 58, lines 41-43"}]}],"caption":"Board of Trustees of the Univ. of Ala. v. Garrett","case_history":[{"changed_at":"2026-08-29T20:06:33.873910Z","explanation":"An official oral-argument transcript was verified.","status":"argued"},{"changed_at":"2026-08-29T20:06:33.873954Z","explanation":"An official oral-argument transcript was verified.","status":"argued"}],"case_status":"argued","dek":"the sides that brought the case argue the ADA exceeds federal power. the opposing sides claim it validly enforces the Fourteenth Amendment.","dek_sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 28, lines 43-27","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2000/99-1240.pdf","page_label":"file page 28, lines 43-27"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 17-21","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2000/99-1240.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 17-21"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 42, lines 27-37","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2000/99-1240.pdf","page_label":"file page 42, lines 27-37"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 55, lines 11-31","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2000/99-1240.pdf","page_label":"file page 55, lines 11-31"}],"dispositions":[],"latest_court_document_date":"2000-10-11T00:00:00Z","maturity":"official_transcript","official_detail_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcript/2000","official_disposition_urls":[],"official_docket_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/docket/docketfiles/html/public/99-1240.html","primary_docket":"99-1240","revisions":[{"correction_note":"Rewritten to the concise citizen-facing editorial standard.","created_at":"2026-08-31T18:30:01.733592Z","maturity":"official_transcript","revision_number":1},{"correction_note":"Migrated to the dated official Court activity contract without model use.","created_at":"2026-09-05T03:22:24Z","maturity":"official_transcript","revision_number":2}],"schema_version":"1.1","sections":[{"heading":"What this case is about","paragraphs":["This case tests the scope of federal disability rights laws against state sovereign immunity."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 28, lines 43-27","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2000/99-1240.pdf","page_label":"file page 28, lines 43-27"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 17-21","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2000/99-1240.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 17-21"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 42, lines 27-37","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2000/99-1240.pdf","page_label":"file page 42, lines 27-37"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 55, lines 11-31","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2000/99-1240.pdf","page_label":"file page 55, lines 11-31"}]},{"heading":"How the case got here","paragraphs":["The Supreme Court heard oral argument in this case on October 11, 2000."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 5-15","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2000/99-1240.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 5-15"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 58, lines 41-43","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2000/99-1240.pdf","page_label":"file page 58, lines 41-43"}]},{"heading":"What each side wants","paragraphs":["the sides that brought the case want the Court to dismiss the damages claim against the state.","the opposing sides want the Court to uphold the damages claim against the state."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 28, lines 43-27","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2000/99-1240.pdf","page_label":"file page 28, lines 43-27"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 17-21","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2000/99-1240.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 17-21"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 42, lines 27-37","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2000/99-1240.pdf","page_label":"file page 42, lines 27-37"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 55, lines 11-31","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2000/99-1240.pdf","page_label":"file page 55, lines 11-31"}]},{"heading":"What each side says","paragraphs":["the sides that brought the case argue the ADA lacks valid constitutional authority to waive state immunity.","the opposing sides argue the ADA validly enforces the Fourteenth Amendment against states."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 28, lines 43-27","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2000/99-1240.pdf","page_label":"file page 28, lines 43-27"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 17-21","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2000/99-1240.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 17-21"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 42, lines 27-37","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2000/99-1240.pdf","page_label":"file page 42, lines 27-37"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 55, lines 11-31","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2000/99-1240.pdf","page_label":"file page 55, lines 11-31"}]},{"heading":"What the justices asked","paragraphs":["Chief Justice Rehnquist asked if equal protection applies when a state official has a bad reason.","Chief Justice Rehnquist asked if a state official might have a good reason for an action."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 57, lines 21-41","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2000/99-1240.pdf","page_label":"file page 57, lines 21-41"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 58, lines 41-43","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2000/99-1240.pdf","page_label":"file page 58, lines 41-43"}]},{"heading":"Why it matters","paragraphs":["The outcome defines whether states can be sued for disability discrimination damages. It shapes the balance between federal civil rights enforcement and state sovereignty. It determines the financial liability of state employers for ADA violations."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 28, lines 43-27","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2000/99-1240.pdf","page_label":"file page 28, lines 43-27"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 17-21","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2000/99-1240.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 17-21"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 42, lines 27-37","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2000/99-1240.pdf","page_label":"file page 42, lines 27-37"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 55, lines 11-31","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2000/99-1240.pdf","page_label":"file page 55, lines 11-31"}]},{"heading":"What happens next","paragraphs":["This article currently covers the argument record. Use the official docket link for later case activity."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 5-15","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2000/99-1240.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 5-15"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 57, lines 21-41","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2000/99-1240.pdf","page_label":"file page 57, lines 21-41"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 58, lines 41-43","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2000/99-1240.pdf","page_label":"file page 58, lines 41-43"}]}],"slug":"2000-99-1240-board-of-trustees-of-the-univ-of-ala-v-garrett","term":"2000","title":"Can states sue private employers for ADA damages?","title_sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 28, lines 43-27","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2000/99-1240.pdf","page_label":"file page 28, lines 43-27"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 17-21","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2000/99-1240.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 17-21"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 42, lines 27-37","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2000/99-1240.pdf","page_label":"file page 42, lines 27-37"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 55, lines 11-31","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2000/99-1240.pdf","page_label":"file page 55, lines 11-31"}],"topics":[],"undated_disposition_date_fallback":null,"updated_at":"2026-09-05T03:22:24Z"}