{"argument_date":"2000-10-30T00:00:00Z","arguments":[{"argument_date":"2000-10-30T00:00:00Z","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/2000/99-7504.pdf","paragraphs":["the side that brought the case argued the case originated in South Dakota.","the opposing side argued the agency acted within its discretion.","The Chief Justice asked if discretion appeared in the regulation."],"reargument":false,"sequence":1,"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 23, lines 31-47","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2000/99-7504.pdf","page_label":"file page 23, lines 31-47"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 17-31","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2000/99-7504.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 17-31"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 5-15","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2000/99-7504.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 5-15"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 51, lines 9-11","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2000/99-7504.pdf","page_label":"file page 51, lines 9-11"}]}],"caption":"Lopez v. Davis","case_history":[{"changed_at":"2026-08-29T20:06:33.687503Z","explanation":"An official oral-argument transcript was verified.","status":"argued"}],"case_status":"argued","dek":"A federal inmate challenges a Bureau of Prisons rule that limits credit for good behavior.","dek_sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 23, lines 31-47","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2000/99-7504.pdf","page_label":"file page 23, lines 31-47"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 17-31","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2000/99-7504.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 17-31"}],"dispositions":[],"latest_court_document_date":"2000-10-30T00:00:00Z","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/99-7504.html","primary_docket":"99-7504","revisions":[{"correction_note":"Rewritten to the concise citizen-facing editorial standard.","created_at":"2026-08-31T22:54:17.798340Z","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 Bureau of Prisons controls how inmates earn time off for good behavior. This agency sets its own rules for granting these credits. The inmate argues these rules violate federal law. The agency claims its rules follow the statute."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 23, lines 31-47","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2000/99-7504.pdf","page_label":"file page 23, lines 31-47"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 17-31","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2000/99-7504.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 17-31"}]},{"heading":"How the case got here","paragraphs":["The Supreme Court heard oral argument in this case on October 30, 2000."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 5-15","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2000/99-7504.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 5-15"}]},{"heading":"What each side wants","paragraphs":["The inmate wants the court to strike down the agency rule.","The agency wants the court to keep the rule in place."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 23, lines 31-47","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2000/99-7504.pdf","page_label":"file page 23, lines 31-47"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 17-31","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2000/99-7504.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 17-31"}]},{"heading":"What each side says","paragraphs":["The inmate argues the statute limits agency discretion.","The agency argues the statute allows broad discretion."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 23, lines 31-47","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2000/99-7504.pdf","page_label":"file page 23, lines 31-47"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 17-31","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2000/99-7504.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 17-31"}]},{"heading":"What the justices asked","paragraphs":["Did the agency exercise discretion properly under the law?","Does the regulation reflect the statutory intent?"],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 51, lines 9-11","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2000/99-7504.pdf","page_label":"file page 51, lines 9-11"}]},{"heading":"Why it matters","paragraphs":["This case defines the scope of prison administrative power. It affects how inmates calculate release dates. It clarifies the balance between agency rules and statutory rights."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 23, lines 31-47","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2000/99-7504.pdf","page_label":"file page 23, lines 31-47"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 17-31","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2000/99-7504.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 17-31"}]},{"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/2000/99-7504.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 5-15"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 51, lines 9-11","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2000/99-7504.pdf","page_label":"file page 51, lines 9-11"}]}],"slug":"2000-99-7504-lopez-v-davis","term":"2000","title":"Can prison officials deny good-time credits based on internal rules?","title_sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 23, lines 31-47","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2000/99-7504.pdf","page_label":"file page 23, lines 31-47"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 17-31","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2000/99-7504.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 17-31"}],"topics":[],"undated_disposition_date_fallback":null,"updated_at":"2026-09-05T03:22:24Z"}