{"argument_date":"2001-10-31T00:00:00Z","arguments":[{"argument_date":"2001-10-31T00:00:00Z","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/2001/00-730.pdf","paragraphs":["Mr. Pendley argued Adarand lost a contract due to race.","Mr. Olson argued the government showed no inconsistent positions.","chief_justice_rehnquist_asked_if_the_government_showed_inconsistent_positions."],"reargument":false,"sequence":1,"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 24, lines 45-23","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2001/00-730.pdf","page_label":"file page 24, lines 45-23"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 15-45","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2001/00-730.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 15-45"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 5-13","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2001/00-730.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 5-13"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 51, lines 17-9","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2001/00-730.pdf","page_label":"file page 51, lines 17-9"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 54, lines 11-15","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2001/00-730.pdf","page_label":"file page 54, lines 11-15"}]}],"caption":"Adarand Constructors, Inc. v. Mineta","case_history":[{"changed_at":"2026-08-29T20:06:32.847776Z","explanation":"An official oral-argument transcript was verified.","status":"argued"},{"changed_at":"2026-08-29T20:06:32.880344Z","explanation":"An official oral-argument transcript was verified.","status":"argued"}],"case_status":"argued","dek":"Adarand Constructors seeks to overturn a federal contract denial. The government defends the race-based selection process.","dek_sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 24, lines 45-23","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2001/00-730.pdf","page_label":"file page 24, lines 45-23"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 15-45","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2001/00-730.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 15-45"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 51, lines 17-9","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2001/00-730.pdf","page_label":"file page 51, lines 17-9"}],"dispositions":[],"latest_court_document_date":"2001-10-31T00:00:00Z","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/00-730.html","primary_docket":"00-730","revisions":[{"correction_note":"Rewritten to the concise citizen-facing editorial standard.","created_at":"2026-08-31T17:33:35.088402Z","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":["Adarand Constructors lost a federal contract in 1989. The company claims a racial program caused the loss. The government defends the selection process. The Court must decide if this practice violates the Constitution."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 24, lines 45-23","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2001/00-730.pdf","page_label":"file page 24, lines 45-23"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 15-45","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2001/00-730.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 15-45"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 51, lines 17-9","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2001/00-730.pdf","page_label":"file page 51, lines 17-9"}]},{"heading":"How the case got here","paragraphs":["The Supreme Court heard oral argument in this case on October 31, 2001."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 5-13","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2001/00-730.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 5-13"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 54, lines 11-15","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2001/00-730.pdf","page_label":"file page 54, lines 11-15"}]},{"heading":"What each side wants","paragraphs":["Adarand wants the contract denial overturned.","The government wants the denial upheld."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 24, lines 45-23","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2001/00-730.pdf","page_label":"file page 24, lines 45-23"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 15-45","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2001/00-730.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 15-45"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 51, lines 17-9","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2001/00-730.pdf","page_label":"file page 51, lines 17-9"}]},{"heading":"What each side says","paragraphs":["Adarand argues the race-based program violated its rights.","The government argues the selection process was lawful."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 24, lines 45-23","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2001/00-730.pdf","page_label":"file page 24, lines 45-23"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 15-45","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2001/00-730.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 15-45"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 51, lines 17-9","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2001/00-730.pdf","page_label":"file page 51, lines 17-9"}]},{"heading":"What the justices asked","paragraphs":["Chief Justice Rehnquist asked if the government showed inconsistent positions."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 54, lines 11-15","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2001/00-730.pdf","page_label":"file page 54, lines 11-15"}]},{"heading":"Why it matters","paragraphs":["This case defines the limits of race-based federal contracting. It determines how agencies select contractors. It affects equal access to government business."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 24, lines 45-23","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2001/00-730.pdf","page_label":"file page 24, lines 45-23"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 15-45","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2001/00-730.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 15-45"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 51, lines 17-9","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2001/00-730.pdf","page_label":"file page 51, 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 5-13","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2001/00-730.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 5-13"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 54, lines 11-15","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2001/00-730.pdf","page_label":"file page 54, lines 11-15"}]}],"slug":"2001-00-730-adarand-constructors-inc-v-mineta","term":"2001","title":"Can a federal agency deny a contract to a white-owned firm based on race?","title_sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 24, lines 45-23","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2001/00-730.pdf","page_label":"file page 24, lines 45-23"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 15-45","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2001/00-730.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 15-45"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 51, lines 17-9","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2001/00-730.pdf","page_label":"file page 51, lines 17-9"}],"topics":[],"undated_disposition_date_fallback":null,"updated_at":"2026-09-05T03:22:24Z"}