{"argument_date":"2001-01-10T00:00:00Z","arguments":[{"argument_date":"2001-01-10T00:00:00Z","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/2000/99-1871.pdf","paragraphs":["Mr. Stewart argued the records involve the government's trustee duties.","Mr. Hitchings argued Exemption 5 excludes communications with non-agency parties.","The association claims these communications allocate valuable rights among outsiders."],"reargument":false,"sequence":1,"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 25, lines 15-9","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2000/99-1871.pdf","page_label":"file page 25, lines 15-9"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 19-41","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2000/99-1871.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 19-41"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 5-17","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2000/99-1871.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 5-17"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 40, lines 19-23","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2000/99-1871.pdf","page_label":"file page 40, lines 19-23"}]}],"caption":"Department of Interior v. Klamath Water Users Protective Assn.","case_history":[{"changed_at":"2026-08-29T20:06:33.528176Z","explanation":"An official oral-argument transcript was verified.","status":"argued"}],"case_status":"argued","dek":"The dispute centers on whether the government can withhold documents shared with non-agency groups.","dek_sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 25, lines 15-9","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2000/99-1871.pdf","page_label":"file page 25, lines 15-9"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 19-41","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2000/99-1871.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 19-41"}],"dispositions":[],"latest_court_document_date":"2001-01-10T00:00:00Z","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/99-1871.html","primary_docket":"99-1871","revisions":[{"correction_note":"Rewritten to the concise citizen-facing editorial standard.","created_at":"2026-08-31T18:10:46.573629Z","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 Department of Interior seeks to keep seven documents private. These records relate to the government's role as trustee for Indian tribes. The Klamath Water Users Protective Association wants the public to see these files. The case tests the scope of a specific FOIA exemption."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 25, lines 15-9","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2000/99-1871.pdf","page_label":"file page 25, lines 15-9"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 19-41","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2000/99-1871.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 19-41"}]},{"heading":"How the case got here","paragraphs":["The Supreme Court heard oral argument in this case on January 10, 2001."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 5-17","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2000/99-1871.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 5-17"}]},{"heading":"What each side wants","paragraphs":["The Department of Interior wants the Court to uphold the lower court's denial of the documents.","The Klamath Water Users Protective Association wants the Court to order the release of the seven documents."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 25, lines 15-9","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2000/99-1871.pdf","page_label":"file page 25, lines 15-9"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 19-41","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2000/99-1871.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 19-41"}]},{"heading":"What each side says","paragraphs":["The government argues Exemption 5 covers these trustee-related records.","The association argues Exemption 5 does not cover communications with outside parties."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 25, lines 15-9","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2000/99-1871.pdf","page_label":"file page 25, lines 15-9"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 19-41","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2000/99-1871.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 19-41"}]},{"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 40, lines 19-23","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2000/99-1871.pdf","page_label":"file page 40, lines 19-23"}]},{"heading":"Why it matters","paragraphs":["This case defines the boundary of government transparency. It determines when agencies can hide records shared with outside groups. The outcome shapes public access to federal resource management decisions."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 25, lines 15-9","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2000/99-1871.pdf","page_label":"file page 25, lines 15-9"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 19-41","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2000/99-1871.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 19-41"}]},{"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 5-17","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2000/99-1871.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 5-17"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 40, lines 19-23","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2000/99-1871.pdf","page_label":"file page 40, lines 19-23"}]}],"slug":"2000-99-1871-department-of-interior-v-klamath-water-users-protective-assn","term":"2000","title":"Does FOIA Exemption 5 shield agency communications with outside parties?","title_sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 25, lines 15-9","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2000/99-1871.pdf","page_label":"file page 25, lines 15-9"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 19-41","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2000/99-1871.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 19-41"}],"topics":[],"undated_disposition_date_fallback":null,"updated_at":"2026-09-05T03:22:24Z"}