{"argument_date":"2000-11-08T00:00:00Z","arguments":[{"argument_date":"2000-11-08T00:00:00Z","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/2000/99-1434.pdf","paragraphs":["Kent Jones argued the schedule contains over 9,000 categories. He noted it uses half a million words. He stated it classifies all conceivable articles of commerce. He emphasized the international commission drafted the document. He confirmed the United States enacted it as law in 1988.","J. Peter Coll argued on behalf of the opposing side. He addressed the Chief Justice directly. He identified himself as representing Mead Corp.","Chief Justice Rehnquist opened the session. He identified the case number. He called the side that brought the case's counsel to the podium. He closed the session by stating the case was submitted."],"reargument":false,"sequence":1,"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 27, lines 29-33","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2000/99-1434.pdf","page_label":"file page 27, lines 29-33"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 17-9","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2000/99-1434.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 17-9"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 5-15","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2000/99-1434.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 5-15"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 50, lines 17-19","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2000/99-1434.pdf","page_label":"file page 50, lines 17-19"}]}],"caption":"United States v. Mead Corp.","case_history":[{"changed_at":"2026-08-29T20:06:33.750738Z","explanation":"An official oral-argument transcript was verified.","status":"argued"},{"changed_at":"2026-08-29T20:06:33.780437Z","explanation":"An official oral-argument transcript was verified.","status":"argued"}],"case_status":"argued","dek":"The government and Mead Corp. dispute the legal force of tariff classifications.","dek_sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 27, lines 29-33","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2000/99-1434.pdf","page_label":"file page 27, lines 29-33"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 17-9","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2000/99-1434.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 17-9"}],"dispositions":[],"latest_court_document_date":"2000-11-08T00:00:00Z","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/99-1434.html","primary_docket":"99-1434","revisions":[{"correction_note":"Rewritten to the concise citizen-facing editorial standard.","created_at":"2026-08-31T18:23:31.329781Z","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":["The government and Mead Corp. dispute the legal force of tariff classifications."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 27, lines 29-33","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2000/99-1434.pdf","page_label":"file page 27, lines 29-33"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 17-9","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2000/99-1434.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 17-9"}]},{"heading":"How the case got here","paragraphs":["The Supreme Court heard oral argument in this case on November 8, 2000."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 5-15","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2000/99-1434.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 5-15"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 50, lines 17-19","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2000/99-1434.pdf","page_label":"file page 50, lines 17-19"}]},{"heading":"What each side wants","paragraphs":["The government seeks to treat the schedule as non-binding.","Mead Corp. seeks to treat the schedule as binding law."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 27, lines 29-33","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2000/99-1434.pdf","page_label":"file page 27, lines 29-33"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 17-9","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2000/99-1434.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 17-9"}]},{"heading":"What each side says","paragraphs":["The government argues the schedule lacks statutory force.","Mead Corp. argues the schedule is enacted law."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 27, lines 29-33","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2000/99-1434.pdf","page_label":"file page 27, lines 29-33"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 17-9","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2000/99-1434.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 17-9"}]},{"heading":"What the justices asked","paragraphs":["Chief Justice Rehnquist asked if the case was submitted."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 50, lines 17-19","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2000/99-1434.pdf","page_label":"file page 50, lines 17-19"}]},{"heading":"Why it matters","paragraphs":["This dispute defines the legal status of tariff classifications. It affects how the government applies trade rules. It impacts how companies classify goods for import."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 27, lines 29-33","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2000/99-1434.pdf","page_label":"file page 27, lines 29-33"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 17-9","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2000/99-1434.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 17-9"}]},{"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/2000/99-1434.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 5-15"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 50, lines 17-19","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2000/99-1434.pdf","page_label":"file page 50, lines 17-19"}]}],"slug":"2000-99-1434-united-states-v-mead-corp","term":"2000","title":"Does the Harmonized Tariff Schedule bind the government?","title_sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 27, lines 29-33","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2000/99-1434.pdf","page_label":"file page 27, lines 29-33"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 17-9","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2000/99-1434.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 17-9"}],"topics":[],"undated_disposition_date_fallback":null,"updated_at":"2026-09-05T03:22:24Z"}