{"argument_date":"2001-10-01T00:00:00Z","arguments":[{"argument_date":"2001-10-01T00:00:00Z","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/2001/00-860.pdf","paragraphs":["The inmate's counsel argued that federal law provides a remedy against private actors.","The company's counsel argued that federal law does not extend to private corporations.","The Chief Justice asked how the legal theory affects the available damages."],"reargument":false,"sequence":1,"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 19, lines 17-35","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2001/00-860.pdf","page_label":"file page 19, lines 17-35"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 27, lines 41-41","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2001/00-860.pdf","page_label":"file page 27, lines 41-41"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 17-9","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2001/00-860.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/2001/00-860.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 5-15"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 49, lines 39-58","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2001/00-860.pdf","page_label":"file page 49, lines 39-58"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 53, lines 17-11","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2001/00-860.pdf","page_label":"file page 53, lines 17-11"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 56, lines 19-23","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2001/00-860.pdf","page_label":"file page 56, lines 19-23"}]}],"caption":"Correctional Services Corp. v. Malesko","case_history":[{"changed_at":"2026-08-29T20:06:32.938910Z","explanation":"An official oral-argument transcript was verified.","status":"argued"},{"changed_at":"2026-08-29T20:06:32.958803Z","explanation":"An official oral-argument transcript was verified.","status":"argued"}],"case_status":"argued","dek":"Inmates claim private prison companies violated their rights. They seek damages. The company denies liability.","dek_sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 19, lines 17-35","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2001/00-860.pdf","page_label":"file page 19, lines 17-35"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 27, lines 41-41","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2001/00-860.pdf","page_label":"file page 27, lines 41-41"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 17-9","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2001/00-860.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 17-9"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 49, lines 39-58","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2001/00-860.pdf","page_label":"file page 49, lines 39-58"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 53, lines 17-11","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2001/00-860.pdf","page_label":"file page 53, lines 17-11"}],"dispositions":[],"latest_court_document_date":"2001-10-01T00:00:00Z","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/00-860.html","primary_docket":"00-860","revisions":[{"correction_note":"Rewritten to the concise citizen-facing editorial standard.","created_at":"2026-08-31T17:43:36.122309Z","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 scope of federal remedies. It asks if private firms face direct lawsuits for constitutional harms."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 19, lines 17-35","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2001/00-860.pdf","page_label":"file page 19, lines 17-35"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 27, lines 41-41","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2001/00-860.pdf","page_label":"file page 27, lines 41-41"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 17-9","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2001/00-860.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 17-9"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 49, lines 39-58","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2001/00-860.pdf","page_label":"file page 49, lines 39-58"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 53, lines 17-11","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2001/00-860.pdf","page_label":"file page 53, lines 17-11"}]},{"heading":"How the case got here","paragraphs":["The Supreme Court heard oral argument in this case on October 1, 2001."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 5-15","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2001/00-860.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 5-15"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 56, lines 19-23","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2001/00-860.pdf","page_label":"file page 56, lines 19-23"}]},{"heading":"What each side wants","paragraphs":["The inmate wants a direct damages remedy against the private company.","The company wants to avoid direct liability for constitutional violations."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 19, lines 17-35","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2001/00-860.pdf","page_label":"file page 19, lines 17-35"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 27, lines 41-41","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2001/00-860.pdf","page_label":"file page 27, lines 41-41"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 17-9","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2001/00-860.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 17-9"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 49, lines 39-58","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2001/00-860.pdf","page_label":"file page 49, lines 39-58"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 53, lines 17-11","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2001/00-860.pdf","page_label":"file page 53, lines 17-11"}]},{"heading":"What each side says","paragraphs":["The inmate argues federal law creates a remedy against private actors.","The company argues federal law does not extend to private corporations."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 19, lines 17-35","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2001/00-860.pdf","page_label":"file page 19, lines 17-35"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 27, lines 41-41","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2001/00-860.pdf","page_label":"file page 27, lines 41-41"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 17-9","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2001/00-860.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 17-9"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 49, lines 39-58","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2001/00-860.pdf","page_label":"file page 49, lines 39-58"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 53, lines 17-11","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2001/00-860.pdf","page_label":"file page 53, lines 17-11"}]},{"heading":"What the justices asked","paragraphs":["Does the federal remedy apply to private entities performing government functions?","How does the legal theory affect the available damages?"],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 56, lines 19-23","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2001/00-860.pdf","page_label":"file page 56, lines 19-23"}]},{"heading":"Why it matters","paragraphs":["This dispute defines the scope of federal accountability. It determines whether private firms face direct legal liability for constitutional harms. The outcome shapes inmate rights and private sector obligations."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 19, lines 17-35","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2001/00-860.pdf","page_label":"file page 19, lines 17-35"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 27, lines 41-41","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2001/00-860.pdf","page_label":"file page 27, lines 41-41"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 17-9","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2001/00-860.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 17-9"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 49, lines 39-58","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2001/00-860.pdf","page_label":"file page 49, lines 39-58"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 53, lines 17-11","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2001/00-860.pdf","page_label":"file page 53, lines 17-11"}]},{"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/2001/00-860.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 5-15"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 56, lines 19-23","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2001/00-860.pdf","page_label":"file page 56, lines 19-23"}]}],"slug":"2001-00-860-correctional-services-corp-v-malesko","term":"2001","title":"Can inmates sue private prison companies for constitutional violations?","title_sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 19, lines 17-35","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2001/00-860.pdf","page_label":"file page 19, lines 17-35"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 27, lines 41-41","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2001/00-860.pdf","page_label":"file page 27, lines 41-41"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 17-9","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2001/00-860.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 17-9"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 49, lines 39-58","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2001/00-860.pdf","page_label":"file page 49, lines 39-58"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 53, lines 17-11","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2001/00-860.pdf","page_label":"file page 53, lines 17-11"}],"topics":[],"undated_disposition_date_fallback":null,"updated_at":"2026-09-05T03:22:24Z"}