{"argument_date":"2004-02-25T00:00:00Z","arguments":[{"argument_date":"2004-02-25T00:00:00Z","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/2003/02-1794.pdf","paragraphs":["Ms. Blatt argued Customs officials must protect borders against dangerous items.","Ms. Blatt explained that the twenty-five percent figure relates to vehicle drug seizures.","Mr. Hubachek noted prior cases involved vehicles but not gas tanks.","Mr. Hubachek suggested smugglers might use gas tanks to hide contraband."],"reargument":false,"sequence":1,"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 27, lines 50-4","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2003/02-1794.pdf","page_label":"file page 27, lines 50-4"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 16-36","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2003/02-1794.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 16-36"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 6-14","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2003/02-1794.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 6-14"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 49, lines 20-46","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2003/02-1794.pdf","page_label":"file page 49, lines 20-46"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 53, lines 26-10","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2003/02-1794.pdf","page_label":"file page 53, lines 26-10"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 55, lines 40-42","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2003/02-1794.pdf","page_label":"file page 55, lines 40-42"}]}],"caption":"United States v. Flores-Montano.","case_history":[{"changed_at":"2026-08-29T20:06:30.441281Z","explanation":"An official oral-argument transcript was verified.","status":"argued"},{"changed_at":"2026-08-29T20:06:30.452855Z","explanation":"An official oral-argument transcript was verified.","status":"argued"}],"case_status":"argued","dek":"The dispute centers on whether border agents may open a vehicle's gas tank without a warrant or specific suspicion.","dek_sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 27, lines 50-4","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2003/02-1794.pdf","page_label":"file page 27, lines 50-4"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 16-36","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2003/02-1794.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 16-36"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 49, lines 20-46","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2003/02-1794.pdf","page_label":"file page 49, lines 20-46"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 53, lines 26-10","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2003/02-1794.pdf","page_label":"file page 53, lines 26-10"}],"dispositions":[],"latest_court_document_date":"2004-02-25T00:00:00Z","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/02-1794.html","primary_docket":"02-1794","revisions":[{"correction_note":"Rewritten to the concise citizen-facing editorial standard.","created_at":"2026-08-31T15:55:27.370273Z","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 border search authority. It asks if agents can inspect sealed fuel containers during routine vehicle checks."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 27, lines 50-4","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2003/02-1794.pdf","page_label":"file page 27, lines 50-4"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 16-36","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2003/02-1794.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 16-36"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 49, lines 20-46","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2003/02-1794.pdf","page_label":"file page 49, lines 20-46"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 53, lines 26-10","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2003/02-1794.pdf","page_label":"file page 53, lines 26-10"}]},{"heading":"How the case got here","paragraphs":["The Supreme Court heard oral argument in this case on February 25, 2004."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 6-14","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2003/02-1794.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 6-14"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 55, lines 40-42","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2003/02-1794.pdf","page_label":"file page 55, lines 40-42"}]},{"heading":"What each side wants","paragraphs":["The government wants permission to open gas tanks during border searches.","The driver wants a ban on opening gas tanks without specific suspicion."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 27, lines 50-4","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2003/02-1794.pdf","page_label":"file page 27, lines 50-4"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 16-36","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2003/02-1794.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 16-36"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 49, lines 20-46","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2003/02-1794.pdf","page_label":"file page 49, lines 20-46"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 53, lines 26-10","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2003/02-1794.pdf","page_label":"file page 53, lines 26-10"}]},{"heading":"What each side says","paragraphs":["The government argues border protection requires inspecting all vehicle compartments.","The driver argues gas tanks are private spaces requiring specific suspicion."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 27, lines 50-4","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2003/02-1794.pdf","page_label":"file page 27, lines 50-4"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 16-36","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2003/02-1794.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 16-36"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 49, lines 20-46","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2003/02-1794.pdf","page_label":"file page 49, lines 20-46"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 53, lines 26-10","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2003/02-1794.pdf","page_label":"file page 53, lines 26-10"}]},{"heading":"What the justices asked","paragraphs":["Chief Justice Rehnquist asked a hypothetical question about the search scope.","Justice Kennedy asked about the source of a twenty-five percent seizure statistic."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 55, lines 40-42","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2003/02-1794.pdf","page_label":"file page 55, lines 40-42"}]},{"heading":"Why it matters","paragraphs":["This case defines the physical limits of border inspections. It determines whether agents can open sealed fuel containers. It balances national security against personal privacy rights. It sets a standard for all future vehicle searches at borders."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 27, lines 50-4","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2003/02-1794.pdf","page_label":"file page 27, lines 50-4"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 16-36","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2003/02-1794.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 16-36"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 49, lines 20-46","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2003/02-1794.pdf","page_label":"file page 49, lines 20-46"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 53, lines 26-10","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2003/02-1794.pdf","page_label":"file page 53, lines 26-10"}]},{"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 6-14","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2003/02-1794.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 6-14"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 55, lines 40-42","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2003/02-1794.pdf","page_label":"file page 55, lines 40-42"}]}],"slug":"2003-02-1794-united-states-v-flores-montano","term":"2003","title":"Can Customs Officials Open Gas Tanks During Border Searches?","title_sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 27, lines 50-4","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2003/02-1794.pdf","page_label":"file page 27, lines 50-4"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 16-36","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2003/02-1794.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 16-36"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 49, lines 20-46","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2003/02-1794.pdf","page_label":"file page 49, lines 20-46"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 53, lines 26-10","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2003/02-1794.pdf","page_label":"file page 53, lines 26-10"}],"topics":[],"undated_disposition_date_fallback":null,"updated_at":"2026-09-05T03:22:24Z"}