{"argument_date":"2003-11-10T00:00:00Z","arguments":[{"argument_date":"2003-11-10T00:00:00Z","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/2003/02-693.pdf","paragraphs":["Mr. Goldstein stated the parties agree the statute has a mistake.","Ms. Blatt stated the code lacks authority for this payment.","The Chief Justice noted the case was submitted."],"reargument":false,"sequence":1,"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 28, lines 7-35","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2003/02-693.pdf","page_label":"file page 28, lines 7-35"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 17-11","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2003/02-693.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 17-11"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 5-15","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2003/02-693.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 5-15"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 49, lines 27-31","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2003/02-693.pdf","page_label":"file page 49, lines 27-31"}]}],"caption":"Lamie v. United States Trustee","case_history":[{"changed_at":"2026-08-29T20:06:30.888351Z","explanation":"An official oral-argument transcript was verified.","status":"argued"}],"case_status":"argued","dek":"The dispute centers on whether bankruptcy law allows a debtor's attorney to be paid from funds meant for creditors.","dek_sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 28, lines 7-35","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2003/02-693.pdf","page_label":"file page 28, lines 7-35"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 17-11","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2003/02-693.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 17-11"}],"dispositions":[],"latest_court_document_date":"2003-11-10T00:00:00Z","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/02-693.html","primary_docket":"02-693","revisions":[{"correction_note":"Rewritten to the concise citizen-facing editorial standard.","created_at":"2026-08-31T22:28:12.036205Z","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 a specific bankruptcy statute. The lower court ruled against the debtor. the side that brought the case seeks to overturn that result."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 28, lines 7-35","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2003/02-693.pdf","page_label":"file page 28, lines 7-35"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 17-11","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2003/02-693.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 17-11"}]},{"heading":"How the case got here","paragraphs":["The Supreme Court heard oral argument in this case on November 10, 2003."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 5-15","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2003/02-693.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 5-15"}]},{"heading":"What each side wants","paragraphs":["the side that brought the case wants the lower court's action overturned.","The government wants the lower court's action to stand."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 28, lines 7-35","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2003/02-693.pdf","page_label":"file page 28, lines 7-35"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 17-11","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2003/02-693.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 17-11"}]},{"heading":"What each side says","paragraphs":["the side that brought the case argues the statute contains a mistake.","The government argues the statute lacks authority for this payment."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 28, lines 7-35","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2003/02-693.pdf","page_label":"file page 28, lines 7-35"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 17-11","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2003/02-693.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 17-11"}]},{"heading":"What the justices asked","paragraphs":["The Chief Justice asked if the parties agreed on the statute's error."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 49, lines 27-31","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2003/02-693.pdf","page_label":"file page 49, lines 27-31"}]},{"heading":"Why it matters","paragraphs":["This issue determines how bankruptcy estates fund legal representation. It affects the financial resources available to creditors. It shapes the rights of debtors in Chapter 7 cases."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 28, lines 7-35","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2003/02-693.pdf","page_label":"file page 28, lines 7-35"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 17-11","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2003/02-693.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 17-11"}]},{"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/2003/02-693.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 5-15"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 49, lines 27-31","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2003/02-693.pdf","page_label":"file page 49, lines 27-31"}]}],"slug":"2003-02-693-lamie-v-united-states-trustee","term":"2003","title":"Can a Chapter 7 debtor's lawyer use estate funds for fees?","title_sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 28, lines 7-35","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2003/02-693.pdf","page_label":"file page 28, lines 7-35"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 17-11","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2003/02-693.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 17-11"}],"topics":[],"undated_disposition_date_fallback":null,"updated_at":"2026-09-05T03:22:24Z"}