{"argument_date":"2003-11-12T00:00:00Z","arguments":[{"argument_date":"2003-11-12T00:00:00Z","heading":"What happened at the argument","official_detail_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcript/2003","official_transcript_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2003/02-1348.pdf","paragraphs":["Andrew Harakas represented Olympic Airways. He stated that the Warsaw Convention sets specific circumstances for liability. He argued that the drafters created a treaty over seventy years ago. He emphasized the treaty's specific limits on carrier responsibility.","Ms. Mcdowell represented Rubina Husain. She stated that a flight attendant's refusal to assist an ill passenger can be an accident. She argued that this refusal fits the Warsaw Convention's definition. She linked the inaction directly to the passenger's injury.","Mr. Farr argued that Article 17 imposes liability in specific situations. He stated that leaving a passenger in medical jeopardy triggers this liability. He claimed that failing to take basic measures to alleviate harm is actionable. He focused on the airline's knowledge of the danger."],"reargument":false,"sequence":1,"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 28, lines 21-41","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2003/02-1348.pdf","page_label":"file page 28, lines 21-41"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 17-17","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2003/02-1348.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 17-17"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 19-43","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2003/02-1348.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 19-43"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 5-15","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2003/02-1348.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 5-15"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 44, lines 11-5","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2003/02-1348.pdf","page_label":"file page 44, lines 11-5"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 50, lines 3-3","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2003/02-1348.pdf","page_label":"file page 50, lines 3-3"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 53, lines 3-25","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2003/02-1348.pdf","page_label":"file page 53, lines 3-25"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 55, lines 27-31","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2003/02-1348.pdf","page_label":"file page 55, lines 27-31"}]}],"caption":"Olympic Airways v. Husain","case_history":[{"changed_at":"2026-08-29T20:06:30.917023Z","explanation":"An official oral-argument transcript was verified.","status":"argued"},{"changed_at":"2026-08-29T20:06:30.944753Z","explanation":"An official oral-argument transcript was verified.","status":"argued"}],"case_status":"argued","dek":"Olympic Airways argues that inaction is not an accident. Rubina Husain claims that leaving a sick passenger alone creates liability.","dek_sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 28, lines 21-41","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2003/02-1348.pdf","page_label":"file page 28, lines 21-41"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 17-17","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2003/02-1348.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 17-17"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 19-43","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2003/02-1348.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 19-43"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 44, lines 11-5","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2003/02-1348.pdf","page_label":"file page 44, lines 11-5"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 50, lines 3-3","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2003/02-1348.pdf","page_label":"file page 50, lines 3-3"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 53, lines 3-25","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2003/02-1348.pdf","page_label":"file page 53, lines 3-25"}],"dispositions":[],"latest_court_document_date":"2003-11-12T00:00:00Z","maturity":"official_transcript","official_detail_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcript/2003","official_disposition_urls":[],"official_docket_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/docket/docketfiles/html/public/02-1348.html","primary_docket":"02-1348","revisions":[{"correction_note":"Rewritten to the concise citizen-facing editorial standard.","created_at":"2026-08-31T16:06:23.049208Z","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":["The case tests the scope of the Warsaw Convention. It asks if an airline's failure to act constitutes an accident. The treaty governs liability for passenger injuries."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 28, lines 21-41","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2003/02-1348.pdf","page_label":"file page 28, lines 21-41"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 17-17","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2003/02-1348.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 17-17"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 19-43","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2003/02-1348.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 19-43"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 44, lines 11-5","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2003/02-1348.pdf","page_label":"file page 44, lines 11-5"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 50, lines 3-3","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2003/02-1348.pdf","page_label":"file page 50, lines 3-3"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 53, lines 3-25","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2003/02-1348.pdf","page_label":"file page 53, lines 3-25"}]},{"heading":"How the case got here","paragraphs":["The Supreme Court heard oral argument in this case on November 12, 2003."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 5-15","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2003/02-1348.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 5-15"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 55, lines 27-31","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2003/02-1348.pdf","page_label":"file page 55, lines 27-31"}]},{"heading":"What each side wants","paragraphs":["Olympic Airways wants the Court to rule that inaction is not an accident.","Rubina Husain wants the Court to rule that leaving a sick passenger alone is an accident."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 28, lines 21-41","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2003/02-1348.pdf","page_label":"file page 28, lines 21-41"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 17-17","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2003/02-1348.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 17-17"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 19-43","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2003/02-1348.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 19-43"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 44, lines 11-5","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2003/02-1348.pdf","page_label":"file page 44, lines 11-5"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 50, lines 3-3","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2003/02-1348.pdf","page_label":"file page 50, lines 3-3"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 53, lines 3-25","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2003/02-1348.pdf","page_label":"file page 53, lines 3-25"}]},{"heading":"What each side says","paragraphs":["Olympic Airways argues that the Warsaw Convention requires a sudden, external event to create liability.","Rubina Husain argues that knowingly leaving a passenger in medical jeopardy creates liability under Article 17."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 28, lines 21-41","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2003/02-1348.pdf","page_label":"file page 28, lines 21-41"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 17-17","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2003/02-1348.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 17-17"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 19-43","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2003/02-1348.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 19-43"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 44, lines 11-5","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2003/02-1348.pdf","page_label":"file page 44, lines 11-5"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 50, lines 3-3","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2003/02-1348.pdf","page_label":"file page 50, lines 3-3"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 53, lines 3-25","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2003/02-1348.pdf","page_label":"file page 53, lines 3-25"}]},{"heading":"What the justices asked","paragraphs":["Chief Justice Rehnquist asked Mr. Harakas if he was pronouncing his name correctly.","Chief Justice Rehnquist asked Mr. Harakas to confirm his identity."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 5-15","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2003/02-1348.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 5-15"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 55, lines 27-31","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2003/02-1348.pdf","page_label":"file page 55, lines 27-31"}]},{"heading":"Why it matters","paragraphs":["The outcome defines when airlines face liability for passenger health. It clarifies the meaning of accident in international air travel. It sets a standard for airline duty of care."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 28, lines 21-41","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2003/02-1348.pdf","page_label":"file page 28, lines 21-41"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 17-17","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2003/02-1348.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 17-17"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 19-43","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2003/02-1348.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 19-43"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 44, lines 11-5","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2003/02-1348.pdf","page_label":"file page 44, lines 11-5"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 50, lines 3-3","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2003/02-1348.pdf","page_label":"file page 50, lines 3-3"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 53, lines 3-25","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2003/02-1348.pdf","page_label":"file page 53, lines 3-25"}]},{"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/2003/02-1348.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 5-15"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 55, lines 27-31","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2003/02-1348.pdf","page_label":"file page 55, lines 27-31"}]}],"slug":"2003-02-1348-olympic-airways-v-husain","term":"2003","title":"Does a flight attendant's refusal to help an ill passenger count as an accident under the Warsaw Convention?","title_sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 28, lines 21-41","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2003/02-1348.pdf","page_label":"file page 28, lines 21-41"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 17-17","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2003/02-1348.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 17-17"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 19-43","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2003/02-1348.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 19-43"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 44, lines 11-5","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2003/02-1348.pdf","page_label":"file page 44, lines 11-5"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 50, lines 3-3","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2003/02-1348.pdf","page_label":"file page 50, lines 3-3"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 53, lines 3-25","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2003/02-1348.pdf","page_label":"file page 53, lines 3-25"}],"topics":[],"undated_disposition_date_fallback":null,"updated_at":"2026-09-05T03:22:24Z"}