{"argument_date":"2002-01-15T00:00:00Z","arguments":[{"argument_date":"2002-01-15T00:00:00Z","heading":"What happened at the argument","official_detail_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcript/2001","official_transcript_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2001/00-1853.pdf","paragraphs":["Mr. Minear argued the lower court erred in finding the complaint insufficient.","He cited Conley v. Gibson to support the view that notice is essential.","Ms. Brody stated the case asks if an inference of discrimination is required.","She noted the side that brought the case alleged termination based on national origin and age."],"reargument":false,"sequence":1,"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 17, lines 25-43","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2001/00-1853.pdf","page_label":"file page 17, lines 25-43"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 26, lines 21-1","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2001/00-1853.pdf","page_label":"file page 26, lines 21-1"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 15-29","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2001/00-1853.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 15-29"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 5-13","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2001/00-1853.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 5-13"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 50, lines 33-43","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2001/00-1853.pdf","page_label":"file page 50, lines 33-43"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 51, lines 33-35","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2001/00-1853.pdf","page_label":"file page 51, lines 33-35"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 51, lines 5-31","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2001/00-1853.pdf","page_label":"file page 51, lines 5-31"}]}],"caption":"Swierkiewicz v. Sorema N. A.","case_history":[{"changed_at":"2026-08-29T20:06:32.606879Z","explanation":"An official oral-argument transcript was verified.","status":"argued"},{"changed_at":"2026-08-29T20:06:32.637477Z","explanation":"An official oral-argument transcript was verified.","status":"argued"}],"case_status":"argued","dek":"The dispute centers on whether a complaint must allege a specific inference of discrimination to survive a motion to dismiss.","dek_sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 17, lines 25-43","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2001/00-1853.pdf","page_label":"file page 17, lines 25-43"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 26, lines 21-1","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2001/00-1853.pdf","page_label":"file page 26, lines 21-1"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 15-29","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2001/00-1853.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 15-29"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 50, lines 33-43","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2001/00-1853.pdf","page_label":"file page 50, lines 33-43"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 51, lines 5-31","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2001/00-1853.pdf","page_label":"file page 51, lines 5-31"}],"dispositions":[],"latest_court_document_date":"2002-01-15T00:00:00Z","maturity":"official_transcript","official_detail_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcript/2001","official_disposition_urls":[],"official_docket_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/docket/docketfiles/html/public/00-1853.html","primary_docket":"00-1853","revisions":[{"correction_note":"Rewritten to the concise citizen-facing editorial standard.","created_at":"2026-08-31T22:42:35.162520Z","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 pleading standard for age and national origin discrimination claims."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 17, lines 25-43","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2001/00-1853.pdf","page_label":"file page 17, lines 25-43"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 26, lines 21-1","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2001/00-1853.pdf","page_label":"file page 26, lines 21-1"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 15-29","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2001/00-1853.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 15-29"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 50, lines 33-43","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2001/00-1853.pdf","page_label":"file page 50, lines 33-43"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 51, lines 5-31","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2001/00-1853.pdf","page_label":"file page 51, lines 5-31"}]},{"heading":"How the case got here","paragraphs":["The Supreme Court heard oral argument in this case on January 15, 2002."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 5-13","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2001/00-1853.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 5-13"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 51, lines 33-35","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2001/00-1853.pdf","page_label":"file page 51, lines 33-35"}]},{"heading":"What each side wants","paragraphs":["the side that brought the case wants the dismissal overturned because the complaint provided adequate notice.","the opposing side wants the dismissal to stand because the complaint lacked a specific inference of discrimination."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 17, lines 25-43","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2001/00-1853.pdf","page_label":"file page 17, lines 25-43"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 26, lines 21-1","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2001/00-1853.pdf","page_label":"file page 26, lines 21-1"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 15-29","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2001/00-1853.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 15-29"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 50, lines 33-43","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2001/00-1853.pdf","page_label":"file page 50, lines 33-43"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 51, lines 5-31","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2001/00-1853.pdf","page_label":"file page 51, lines 5-31"}]},{"heading":"What each side says","paragraphs":["the side that brought the case argues that general notice of the claim is sufficient under existing precedent.","the opposing side argues that the complaint must explicitly allege an inference of discrimination to be valid."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 17, lines 25-43","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2001/00-1853.pdf","page_label":"file page 17, lines 25-43"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 26, lines 21-1","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2001/00-1853.pdf","page_label":"file page 26, lines 21-1"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 15-29","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2001/00-1853.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 15-29"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 50, lines 33-43","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2001/00-1853.pdf","page_label":"file page 50, lines 33-43"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 51, lines 5-31","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2001/00-1853.pdf","page_label":"file page 51, lines 5-31"}]},{"heading":"What the justices asked","paragraphs":["Chief Justice Rehnquist asked if the case was submitted after the argument concluded."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 51, lines 33-35","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2001/00-1853.pdf","page_label":"file page 51, lines 33-35"}]},{"heading":"Why it matters","paragraphs":["This case defines the minimum detail required in employment discrimination complaints. It determines how easily plaintiffs can access federal courts. It shapes the burden of proof for initial filings. It affects the volume of discrimination cases heard by judges. It clarifies the standard for dismissing weak claims early."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 17, lines 25-43","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2001/00-1853.pdf","page_label":"file page 17, lines 25-43"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 26, lines 21-1","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2001/00-1853.pdf","page_label":"file page 26, lines 21-1"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 15-29","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2001/00-1853.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 15-29"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 50, lines 33-43","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2001/00-1853.pdf","page_label":"file page 50, lines 33-43"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 51, lines 5-31","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2001/00-1853.pdf","page_label":"file page 51, lines 5-31"}]},{"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 5-13","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2001/00-1853.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 5-13"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 51, lines 33-35","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2001/00-1853.pdf","page_label":"file page 51, lines 33-35"}]}],"slug":"2001-00-1853-swierkiewicz-v-sorema-n-a","term":"2001","title":"Must a plaintiff state a specific inference of discrimination to survive a motion to dismiss?","title_sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 17, lines 25-43","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2001/00-1853.pdf","page_label":"file page 17, lines 25-43"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 26, lines 21-1","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2001/00-1853.pdf","page_label":"file page 26, lines 21-1"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 15-29","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2001/00-1853.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 15-29"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 50, lines 33-43","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2001/00-1853.pdf","page_label":"file page 50, lines 33-43"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 51, lines 5-31","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2001/00-1853.pdf","page_label":"file page 51, lines 5-31"}],"topics":[],"undated_disposition_date_fallback":null,"updated_at":"2026-09-05T03:22:24Z"}