{"argument_date":"2004-01-21T00:00:00Z","arguments":[{"argument_date":"2004-01-21T00:00:00Z","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/2003/03-107.pdf","paragraphs":["The government cites the Duro decision as the starting point.","The defendant claims Congress overruled the Court's sovereignty limits.","The government notes individuals can disavow Indian affiliation."],"reargument":false,"sequence":1,"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 25, lines 49-7","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2003/03-107.pdf","page_label":"file page 25, lines 49-7"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 15-19","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2003/03-107.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 15-19"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 5-13","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2003/03-107.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 5-13"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 50, lines 23-55","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2003/03-107.pdf","page_label":"file page 50, lines 23-55"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 53, lines 21-25","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2003/03-107.pdf","page_label":"file page 53, lines 21-25"}]}],"caption":"United States v. Lara","case_history":[{"changed_at":"2026-08-29T20:06:30.644163Z","explanation":"An official oral-argument transcript was verified.","status":"argued"},{"changed_at":"2026-08-29T20:06:30.673869Z","explanation":"An official oral-argument transcript was verified.","status":"argued"}],"case_status":"argued","dek":"The dispute centers on whether Congress exceeded its power when amending the Indian Civil Rights Act.","dek_sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 25, lines 49-7","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2003/03-107.pdf","page_label":"file page 25, lines 49-7"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 15-19","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2003/03-107.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 15-19"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 50, lines 23-55","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2003/03-107.pdf","page_label":"file page 50, lines 23-55"}],"dispositions":[],"latest_court_document_date":"2004-01-21T00:00:00Z","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/03-107.html","primary_docket":"03-107","revisions":[{"correction_note":"Rewritten to the concise citizen-facing editorial standard.","created_at":"2026-08-31T15:58:07.368511Z","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 boundary of federal legislative power over tribal courts."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 25, lines 49-7","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2003/03-107.pdf","page_label":"file page 25, lines 49-7"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 15-19","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2003/03-107.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 15-19"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 50, lines 23-55","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2003/03-107.pdf","page_label":"file page 50, lines 23-55"}]},{"heading":"How the case got here","paragraphs":["The Supreme Court heard oral argument in this case on January 21, 2004."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 5-13","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2003/03-107.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 5-13"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 53, lines 21-25","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2003/03-107.pdf","page_label":"file page 53, lines 21-25"}]},{"heading":"What each side wants","paragraphs":["The government wants the Court to uphold the congressional amendment.","The defendant wants the Court to strike down the amendment."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 25, lines 49-7","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2003/03-107.pdf","page_label":"file page 25, lines 49-7"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 15-19","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2003/03-107.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 15-19"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 50, lines 23-55","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2003/03-107.pdf","page_label":"file page 50, lines 23-55"}]},{"heading":"What each side says","paragraphs":["The government argues the amendment validly expands tribal jurisdiction.","The defendant argues Congress exceeded its constitutional authority."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 25, lines 49-7","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2003/03-107.pdf","page_label":"file page 25, lines 49-7"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 15-19","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2003/03-107.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 15-19"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 50, lines 23-55","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2003/03-107.pdf","page_label":"file page 50, lines 23-55"}]},{"heading":"What the justices asked","paragraphs":["The Chief Justice asked if the case was submitted."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 53, lines 21-25","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2003/03-107.pdf","page_label":"file page 53, lines 21-25"}]},{"heading":"Why it matters","paragraphs":["This case defines the balance between federal law and tribal self-governance."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 25, lines 49-7","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2003/03-107.pdf","page_label":"file page 25, lines 49-7"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 15-19","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2003/03-107.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 15-19"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 50, lines 23-55","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2003/03-107.pdf","page_label":"file page 50, lines 23-55"}]},{"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 5-13","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2003/03-107.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 5-13"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 53, lines 21-25","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2003/03-107.pdf","page_label":"file page 53, lines 21-25"}]}],"slug":"2003-03-107-united-states-v-lara","term":"2003","title":"Can Congress override tribal sovereignty limits?","title_sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 25, lines 49-7","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2003/03-107.pdf","page_label":"file page 25, lines 49-7"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 15-19","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2003/03-107.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 15-19"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 50, lines 23-55","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2003/03-107.pdf","page_label":"file page 50, lines 23-55"}],"topics":[],"undated_disposition_date_fallback":null,"updated_at":"2026-09-05T03:22:24Z"}