{"argument_date":"2001-10-03T00:00:00Z","arguments":[{"argument_date":"2001-10-03T00:00:00Z","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/2001/99-1996.pdf","paragraphs":["Mr. Wallace noted the Plant Patent Act influenced prior debates.","Mr. Johnson argued the patents issued under section 101 are invalid.","Chief Justice Rehnquist called the case submitted."],"reargument":false,"sequence":1,"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 23, lines 9-15","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2001/99-1996.pdf","page_label":"file page 23, lines 9-15"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 17-5","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2001/99-1996.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 17-5"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 5-15","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2001/99-1996.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 5-15"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 39, lines 7-29","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2001/99-1996.pdf","page_label":"file page 39, lines 7-29"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 46, lines 7-7","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2001/99-1996.pdf","page_label":"file page 46, lines 7-7"}]}],"caption":"J. E. M. Ag Supply, Inc. v. Pioneer Hi-Bred International, Inc.","case_history":[{"changed_at":"2026-08-29T20:06:33.020263Z","explanation":"An official oral-argument transcript was verified.","status":"argued"}],"case_status":"argued","dek":"the sides that brought the case argue utility patents on plant varieties are invalid. the opposing sides defend their validity under general patent law.","dek_sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 23, lines 9-15","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2001/99-1996.pdf","page_label":"file page 23, lines 9-15"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 17-5","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2001/99-1996.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 17-5"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 39, lines 7-29","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2001/99-1996.pdf","page_label":"file page 39, lines 7-29"}],"dispositions":[],"latest_court_document_date":"2001-10-03T00:00:00Z","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/99-1996.html","primary_docket":"99-1996","revisions":[{"correction_note":"Rewritten to the concise citizen-facing editorial standard.","created_at":"2026-08-31T17:42:54.165926Z","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 general patent law covers plant varieties. the sides that brought the case seek to invalidate specific patents. the opposing sides defend those patents."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 23, lines 9-15","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2001/99-1996.pdf","page_label":"file page 23, lines 9-15"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 17-5","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2001/99-1996.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 17-5"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 39, lines 7-29","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2001/99-1996.pdf","page_label":"file page 39, lines 7-29"}]},{"heading":"How the case got here","paragraphs":["The Supreme Court heard oral argument in this case on October 3, 2001."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 5-15","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2001/99-1996.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 5-15"}]},{"heading":"What each side wants","paragraphs":["the sides that brought the case want the Court to declare the plant variety patents invalid.","the opposing sides want the Court to uphold the validity of the plant variety patents."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 23, lines 9-15","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2001/99-1996.pdf","page_label":"file page 23, lines 9-15"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 17-5","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2001/99-1996.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 17-5"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 39, lines 7-29","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2001/99-1996.pdf","page_label":"file page 39, lines 7-29"}]},{"heading":"What each side says","paragraphs":["the sides that brought the case argue section 101 does not cover these plant varieties.","the opposing sides argue section 101 covers these plant varieties."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 23, lines 9-15","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2001/99-1996.pdf","page_label":"file page 23, lines 9-15"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 17-5","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2001/99-1996.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 17-5"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 39, lines 7-29","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2001/99-1996.pdf","page_label":"file page 39, lines 7-29"}]},{"heading":"What the justices asked","paragraphs":["Does general patent law cover plant varieties?","Are the specific patents in this case valid?"],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 46, lines 7-7","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2001/99-1996.pdf","page_label":"file page 46, lines 7-7"}]},{"heading":"Why it matters","paragraphs":["The outcome defines the scope of patent protection for agricultural products. It affects how breeders secure rights to new plant varieties."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 23, lines 9-15","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2001/99-1996.pdf","page_label":"file page 23, lines 9-15"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 17-5","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2001/99-1996.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 17-5"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 39, lines 7-29","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2001/99-1996.pdf","page_label":"file page 39, lines 7-29"}]},{"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/2001/99-1996.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 5-15"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 46, lines 7-7","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2001/99-1996.pdf","page_label":"file page 46, lines 7-7"}]}],"slug":"2001-99-1996-j-e-m-ag-supply-inc-v-pioneer-hi-bred-international-inc","term":"2001","title":"Can plant varieties receive utility patents under general patent law?","title_sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 23, lines 9-15","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2001/99-1996.pdf","page_label":"file page 23, lines 9-15"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 17-5","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2001/99-1996.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 17-5"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 39, lines 7-29","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2001/99-1996.pdf","page_label":"file page 39, lines 7-29"}],"topics":[],"undated_disposition_date_fallback":null,"updated_at":"2026-09-05T03:22:24Z"}