{"argument_date":"2002-02-26T00:00:00Z","arguments":[{"argument_date":"2002-02-26T00:00:00Z","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/2001/01-344.pdf","paragraphs":["Mr. Kneedler argued federal law requires FDA approval for new drugs.","Mr. Hoffman presented the opposing sides' position on state waivers.","Chief Justice Rehnquist asked if pharmacists must call pharmacies for consultations.","The Court submitted the case after hearing both advocates."],"reargument":false,"sequence":1,"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 24, lines 41-35","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2001/01-344.pdf","page_label":"file page 24, lines 41-35"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 17-31","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2001/01-344.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/2001/01-344.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 5-15"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 51, lines 11-21","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2001/01-344.pdf","page_label":"file page 51, lines 11-21"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 51, lines 47-60","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2001/01-344.pdf","page_label":"file page 51, lines 47-60"}]}],"caption":"Thompson v. Western States Medical Center","case_history":[{"changed_at":"2026-08-29T20:06:32.426974Z","explanation":"An official oral-argument transcript was verified.","status":"argued"},{"changed_at":"2026-08-29T20:06:32.442284Z","explanation":"An official oral-argument transcript was verified.","status":"argued"}],"case_status":"argued","dek":"the sides that brought the case argue federal law bans unsafe drug sales. the opposing sides claim states can waive these rules for mail-order pharmacies.","dek_sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 24, lines 41-35","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2001/01-344.pdf","page_label":"file page 24, lines 41-35"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 17-31","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2001/01-344.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 17-31"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 51, lines 11-21","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2001/01-344.pdf","page_label":"file page 51, lines 11-21"}],"dispositions":[],"latest_court_document_date":"2002-02-26T00:00:00Z","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/01-344.html","primary_docket":"01-344","revisions":[{"correction_note":"Rewritten to the concise citizen-facing editorial standard.","created_at":"2026-08-31T17:07:35.302638Z","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 if federal drug safety laws override state waivers for mail-order pharmacies."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 24, lines 41-35","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2001/01-344.pdf","page_label":"file page 24, lines 41-35"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 17-31","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2001/01-344.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 17-31"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 51, lines 11-21","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2001/01-344.pdf","page_label":"file page 51, lines 11-21"}]},{"heading":"How the case got here","paragraphs":["The Supreme Court heard oral argument in this case on February 26, 2002."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 5-15","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2001/01-344.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 5-15"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 51, lines 47-60","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2001/01-344.pdf","page_label":"file page 51, lines 47-60"}]},{"heading":"What each side wants","paragraphs":["the sides that brought the case want the Court to enforce federal drug safety rules for all pharmacies.","the opposing sides want the Court to allow states to waive federal rules for mail-order pharmacies."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 24, lines 41-35","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2001/01-344.pdf","page_label":"file page 24, lines 41-35"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 17-31","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2001/01-344.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 17-31"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 51, lines 11-21","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2001/01-344.pdf","page_label":"file page 51, lines 11-21"}]},{"heading":"What each side says","paragraphs":["the sides that brought the case argue federal law requires FDA approval for all new drug sales.","the opposing sides argue states can waive federal rules for mail-order pharmacy services."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 24, lines 41-35","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2001/01-344.pdf","page_label":"file page 24, lines 41-35"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 17-31","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2001/01-344.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 17-31"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 51, lines 11-21","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2001/01-344.pdf","page_label":"file page 51, lines 11-21"}]},{"heading":"What the justices asked","paragraphs":["Does a pharmacist need to call the pharmacy to provide consultation services?","Can states waive federal drug safety requirements for mail-order pharmacies?"],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 51, lines 47-60","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2001/01-344.pdf","page_label":"file page 51, lines 47-60"}]},{"heading":"Why it matters","paragraphs":["This dispute determines if states can bypass federal drug safety standards. It affects how pharmacies sell new drugs to patients nationwide."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 24, lines 41-35","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2001/01-344.pdf","page_label":"file page 24, lines 41-35"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 17-31","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2001/01-344.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 17-31"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 51, lines 11-21","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2001/01-344.pdf","page_label":"file page 51, lines 11-21"}]},{"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/2001/01-344.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 5-15"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 51, lines 47-60","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2001/01-344.pdf","page_label":"file page 51, lines 47-60"}]}],"slug":"2001-01-344-thompson-v-western-states-medical-center","term":"2001","title":"Can states waive federal drug safety rules for mail-order pharmacies?","title_sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 24, lines 41-35","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2001/01-344.pdf","page_label":"file page 24, lines 41-35"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 17-31","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2001/01-344.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 17-31"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 51, lines 11-21","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2001/01-344.pdf","page_label":"file page 51, lines 11-21"}],"topics":[],"undated_disposition_date_fallback":null,"updated_at":"2026-09-05T03:22:24Z"}