{"argument_date":"2000-12-04T00:00:00Z","arguments":[{"argument_date":"2000-12-04T00:00:00Z","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/2000/99-1408.pdf","paragraphs":["Mr. De Carli argued that reasonableness is the core of the Fourth Amendment. He criticized the lower court for creating a broad new rule.","Mr. Taylor argued that warrantless arrests for traffic offenders are reasonable. He stated that probable cause makes this intrusion lawful.","Mr. George stated that the Fourth Amendment issue includes the seizure. He emphasized the scope and nature of the seizure."],"reargument":false,"sequence":1,"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 22, lines 43-45","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2000/99-1408.pdf","page_label":"file page 22, lines 43-45"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 22, lines 47-21","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2000/99-1408.pdf","page_label":"file page 22, lines 47-21"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 17-43","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2000/99-1408.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 17-43"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 5-15","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2000/99-1408.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 5-15"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 37, lines 17-7","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2000/99-1408.pdf","page_label":"file page 37, lines 17-7"}]}],"caption":"Atwater v. Largo Vista","case_history":[{"changed_at":"2026-08-29T20:06:33.632161Z","explanation":"An official oral-argument transcript was verified.","status":"argued"}],"case_status":"argued","dek":"The dispute centers on whether police may arrest a driver for a minor traffic offense without a warrant.","dek_sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 22, lines 43-45","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2000/99-1408.pdf","page_label":"file page 22, lines 43-45"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 22, lines 47-21","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2000/99-1408.pdf","page_label":"file page 22, lines 47-21"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 17-43","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2000/99-1408.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 17-43"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 37, lines 17-7","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2000/99-1408.pdf","page_label":"file page 37, lines 17-7"}],"dispositions":[],"latest_court_document_date":"2000-12-04T00:00:00Z","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/99-1408.html","primary_docket":"99-1408","revisions":[{"correction_note":"Rewritten to the concise citizen-facing editorial standard.","created_at":"2026-08-31T18:19:00.314742Z","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":["Gail Atwater sued the City of Lago Vista. She claims her arrest violated the Fourth Amendment. The city argues the arrest was lawful."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 22, lines 43-45","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2000/99-1408.pdf","page_label":"file page 22, lines 43-45"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 22, lines 47-21","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2000/99-1408.pdf","page_label":"file page 22, lines 47-21"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 17-43","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2000/99-1408.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 17-43"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 37, lines 17-7","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2000/99-1408.pdf","page_label":"file page 37, lines 17-7"}]},{"heading":"How the case got here","paragraphs":["The Supreme Court heard oral argument in this case on December 4, 2000."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 5-15","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2000/99-1408.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 5-15"}]},{"heading":"What each side wants","paragraphs":["Atwater wants the Court to strike down the lower court rule. She seeks a ruling that her arrest was unreasonable.","The City of Lago Vista wants the Court to uphold the lower court decision. It seeks confirmation that its officers acted lawfully."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 22, lines 43-45","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2000/99-1408.pdf","page_label":"file page 22, lines 43-45"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 22, lines 47-21","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2000/99-1408.pdf","page_label":"file page 22, lines 47-21"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 17-43","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2000/99-1408.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 17-43"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 37, lines 17-7","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2000/99-1408.pdf","page_label":"file page 37, lines 17-7"}]},{"heading":"What each side says","paragraphs":["Atwater argues the lower court created a broad new rule. She contends this rule allows custodial arrests for any offense seen by an officer.","The City argues that warrantless arrests for traffic offenders are reasonable. It cites probable cause as the basis for this intrusion."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 22, lines 43-45","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2000/99-1408.pdf","page_label":"file page 22, lines 43-45"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 22, lines 47-21","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2000/99-1408.pdf","page_label":"file page 22, lines 47-21"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 17-43","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2000/99-1408.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 17-43"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 37, lines 17-7","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2000/99-1408.pdf","page_label":"file page 37, lines 17-7"}]},{"heading":"What the justices asked","paragraphs":["The Chief Justice asked Mr. George to address the Court. He noted the Fourth Amendment issue involves the seizure and its scope."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 22, lines 43-45","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2000/99-1408.pdf","page_label":"file page 22, lines 43-45"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 22, lines 47-21","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2000/99-1408.pdf","page_label":"file page 22, lines 47-21"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 17-43","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2000/99-1408.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 17-43"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 5-15","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2000/99-1408.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 5-15"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 37, lines 17-7","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2000/99-1408.pdf","page_label":"file page 37, lines 17-7"}]},{"heading":"Why it matters","paragraphs":["This case defines the limits of police power. It determines when officers may detain citizens for minor offenses. The outcome shapes daily interactions between police and drivers."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 22, lines 43-45","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2000/99-1408.pdf","page_label":"file page 22, lines 43-45"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 22, lines 47-21","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2000/99-1408.pdf","page_label":"file page 22, lines 47-21"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 17-43","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2000/99-1408.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 17-43"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 37, lines 17-7","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2000/99-1408.pdf","page_label":"file page 37, lines 17-7"}]},{"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 22, lines 43-45","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2000/99-1408.pdf","page_label":"file page 22, lines 43-45"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 22, lines 47-21","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2000/99-1408.pdf","page_label":"file page 22, lines 47-21"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 17-43","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2000/99-1408.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 17-43"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 5-15","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2000/99-1408.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 5-15"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 37, lines 17-7","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2000/99-1408.pdf","page_label":"file page 37, lines 17-7"}]}],"slug":"2000-99-1408-atwater-v-largo-vista","term":"2000","title":"Is a custodial arrest for a minor traffic violation reasonable under the Fourth Amendment?","title_sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 22, lines 43-45","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2000/99-1408.pdf","page_label":"file page 22, lines 43-45"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 22, lines 47-21","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2000/99-1408.pdf","page_label":"file page 22, lines 47-21"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 17-43","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2000/99-1408.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 17-43"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 37, lines 17-7","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2000/99-1408.pdf","page_label":"file page 37, lines 17-7"}],"topics":[],"undated_disposition_date_fallback":null,"updated_at":"2026-09-05T03:22:24Z"}