{"argument_date":"2002-04-23T00:00:00Z","arguments":[{"argument_date":"2002-04-23T00:00:00Z","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/2001/01-682.pdf","paragraphs":["Mr. Robbins argued the Eighth Circuit allowed these damages.","Mr. Garre stated these statutes do not sanction punitive awards.","Mr. Nelson framed the issue as a statutory interpretation question."],"reargument":false,"sequence":1,"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 16, lines 9-33","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2001/01-682.pdf","page_label":"file page 16, lines 9-33"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 21, lines 41-17","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2001/01-682.pdf","page_label":"file page 21, lines 41-17"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 15-1","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2001/01-682.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 15-1"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 5-13","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2001/01-682.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 5-13"}]}],"caption":"Barnes v. Gorman","case_history":[{"changed_at":"2026-08-29T20:06:32.151935Z","explanation":"An official oral-argument transcript was verified.","status":"argued"}],"case_status":"argued","dek":"the sides that brought the case argue federal disability statutes bar punitive damages. the opposing sides claim these laws allow such awards against municipalities.","dek_sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 16, lines 9-33","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2001/01-682.pdf","page_label":"file page 16, lines 9-33"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 21, lines 41-17","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2001/01-682.pdf","page_label":"file page 21, lines 41-17"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 15-1","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2001/01-682.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 15-1"}],"dispositions":[],"latest_court_document_date":"2002-04-23T00:00:00Z","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/01-682.html","primary_docket":"01-682","revisions":[{"correction_note":"Rewritten to the concise citizen-facing editorial standard.","created_at":"2026-08-31T16:54:39.055846Z","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 whether federal disability laws permit punitive damages. the sides that brought the case seek to bar these awards. the opposing sides want to keep them available."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 16, lines 9-33","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2001/01-682.pdf","page_label":"file page 16, lines 9-33"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 21, lines 41-17","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2001/01-682.pdf","page_label":"file page 21, lines 41-17"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 15-1","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2001/01-682.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 15-1"}]},{"heading":"How the case got here","paragraphs":["The Supreme Court heard oral argument in this case on April 23, 2002."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 5-13","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2001/01-682.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 5-13"}]},{"heading":"What each side wants","paragraphs":["the sides that brought the case want the Court to bar punitive damages under these statutes.","the opposing sides want the Court to allow punitive damages against municipalities."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 16, lines 9-33","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2001/01-682.pdf","page_label":"file page 16, lines 9-33"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 21, lines 41-17","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2001/01-682.pdf","page_label":"file page 21, lines 41-17"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 15-1","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2001/01-682.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 15-1"}]},{"heading":"What each side says","paragraphs":["the sides that brought the case argue Congress did not authorize punitive damages in these laws.","the opposing sides argue the statutes permit awards beyond simple compensation."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 16, lines 9-33","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2001/01-682.pdf","page_label":"file page 16, lines 9-33"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 21, lines 41-17","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2001/01-682.pdf","page_label":"file page 21, lines 41-17"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 15-1","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2001/01-682.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 15-1"}]},{"heading":"What the justices asked","paragraphs":["Does the Rehabilitation Act allow punitive damages?","Does Title II of the ADA allow punitive damages?"],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 16, lines 9-33","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2001/01-682.pdf","page_label":"file page 16, lines 9-33"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 21, lines 41-17","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2001/01-682.pdf","page_label":"file page 21, lines 41-17"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 15-1","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2001/01-682.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 15-1"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 5-13","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2001/01-682.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 5-13"}]},{"heading":"Why it matters","paragraphs":["This dispute defines the financial risk for local governments. It sets the standard for disability discrimination lawsuits. It determines the scope of federal liability."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 16, lines 9-33","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2001/01-682.pdf","page_label":"file page 16, lines 9-33"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 21, lines 41-17","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2001/01-682.pdf","page_label":"file page 21, lines 41-17"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 15-1","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2001/01-682.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 15-1"}]},{"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 16, lines 9-33","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2001/01-682.pdf","page_label":"file page 16, lines 9-33"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 21, lines 41-17","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2001/01-682.pdf","page_label":"file page 21, lines 41-17"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 15-1","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2001/01-682.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 15-1"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 5-13","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2001/01-682.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 5-13"}]}],"slug":"2001-01-682-barnes-v-gorman","term":"2001","title":"Can private plaintiffs recover punitive damages under the Rehabilitation Act and ADA?","title_sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 16, lines 9-33","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2001/01-682.pdf","page_label":"file page 16, lines 9-33"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 21, lines 41-17","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2001/01-682.pdf","page_label":"file page 21, lines 41-17"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 15-1","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2001/01-682.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 15-1"}],"topics":[],"undated_disposition_date_fallback":null,"updated_at":"2026-09-05T03:22:24Z"}