{"argument_date":"2004-10-04T00:00:00Z","arguments":[{"argument_date":"2004-10-04T00:00:00Z","heading":"What happened at the argument","official_detail_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcript/2004","official_transcript_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2004/105original.pdf","paragraphs":["Kansas advocate John Draper presented three issues for the Court.","United States advocate Feldman agreed with Colorado on the river master issue.","Colorado advocate Robbins disputed the similarity of other river compacts.","Justices questioned the logic of using a ten-year model for dry years."],"reargument":false,"sequence":1,"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 10, lines 11-13","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2004/105original.pdf","page_label":"file page 10, lines 11-13"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 10, lines 33-41","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2004/105original.pdf","page_label":"file page 10, lines 33-41"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 11, lines 39-41","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2004/105original.pdf","page_label":"file page 11, lines 39-41"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 24, lines 25-9","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2004/105original.pdf","page_label":"file page 24, lines 25-9"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 15-35","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2004/105original.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 15-35"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 5-13","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2004/105original.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 5-13"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 41, lines 15-17","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2004/105original.pdf","page_label":"file page 41, lines 15-17"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 1-5","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2004/105original.pdf","page_label":"file page 5, lines 1-5"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 19-21","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2004/105original.pdf","page_label":"file page 5, lines 19-21"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 27-41","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2004/105original.pdf","page_label":"file page 5, lines 27-41"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 5-13","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2004/105original.pdf","page_label":"file page 6, lines 5-13"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 29-35","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2004/105original.pdf","page_label":"file page 7, lines 29-35"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 43-45","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2004/105original.pdf","page_label":"file page 7, lines 43-45"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 5-9","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2004/105original.pdf","page_label":"file page 7, lines 5-9"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 47-1","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2004/105original.pdf","page_label":"file page 8, lines 47-1"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 13-25","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2004/105original.pdf","page_label":"file page 9, lines 13-25"}]}],"caption":"Kansas v. Colorado","case_history":[{"changed_at":"2026-08-29T20:06:30.044093Z","explanation":"An official oral-argument transcript was verified.","status":"argued"}],"case_status":"argued","dek":"Kansas and Colorado dispute how to measure water usage and whether a new official should oversee the process.","dek_sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 24, lines 25-9","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2004/105original.pdf","page_label":"file page 24, lines 25-9"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 15-35","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2004/105original.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 15-35"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 41, lines 15-17","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2004/105original.pdf","page_label":"file page 41, lines 15-17"}],"dispositions":[],"latest_court_document_date":"2004-10-04T00:00:00Z","maturity":"official_transcript","official_detail_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcript/2004","official_disposition_urls":[],"official_docket_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/docket/docketfiles/html/public/105%20ORIG..html","primary_docket":"105 ORIG.","revisions":[{"correction_note":"Rewritten to the concise citizen-facing editorial standard.","created_at":"2026-08-31T15:30:43.088086Z","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":["Kansas argues the current water measurement method is flawed. The state wants a river master to manage the dispute. Colorado opposes appointing a new official. It argues the existing legal framework handles the issue well."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 24, lines 25-9","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2004/105original.pdf","page_label":"file page 24, lines 25-9"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 15-35","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2004/105original.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 15-35"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 41, lines 15-17","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2004/105original.pdf","page_label":"file page 41, lines 15-17"}]},{"heading":"How the case got here","paragraphs":["The Supreme Court heard oral argument in this case on October 4, 2004."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 5-13","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2004/105original.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 5-13"}]},{"heading":"What each side wants","paragraphs":["Kansas wants the Court to appoint a river master to manage the water dispute.","Colorado wants the Court to reject the appointment of a river master."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 24, lines 25-9","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2004/105original.pdf","page_label":"file page 24, lines 25-9"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 15-35","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2004/105original.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 15-35"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 41, lines 15-17","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2004/105original.pdf","page_label":"file page 41, lines 15-17"}]},{"heading":"What each side says","paragraphs":["Kansas argues the current ten-year model unfairly penalizes dry years.","Colorado argues the existing decree and model adequately conserve subsurface reservoirs."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 24, lines 25-9","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2004/105original.pdf","page_label":"file page 24, lines 25-9"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 15-35","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2004/105original.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 15-35"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 41, lines 15-17","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2004/105original.pdf","page_label":"file page 41, lines 15-17"}]},{"heading":"What the justices asked","paragraphs":["Justice Scalia asked why the Court should not average the methodology over seven years.","Justice Kennedy asked if the decree aims to conserve subsurface reservoirs."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 10, lines 11-13","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2004/105original.pdf","page_label":"file page 10, lines 11-13"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 10, lines 33-41","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2004/105original.pdf","page_label":"file page 10, lines 33-41"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 11, lines 39-41","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2004/105original.pdf","page_label":"file page 11, lines 39-41"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 1-5","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2004/105original.pdf","page_label":"file page 5, lines 1-5"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 19-21","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2004/105original.pdf","page_label":"file page 5, lines 19-21"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 27-41","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2004/105original.pdf","page_label":"file page 5, lines 27-41"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 5-13","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2004/105original.pdf","page_label":"file page 6, lines 5-13"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 29-35","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2004/105original.pdf","page_label":"file page 7, lines 29-35"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 43-45","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2004/105original.pdf","page_label":"file page 7, lines 43-45"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 5-9","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2004/105original.pdf","page_label":"file page 7, lines 5-9"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 47-1","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2004/105original.pdf","page_label":"file page 8, lines 47-1"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 13-25","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2004/105original.pdf","page_label":"file page 9, lines 13-25"}]},{"heading":"Why it matters","paragraphs":["The outcome determines how states calculate water credits during dry years. It also decides whether a new official manages interstate water disputes. This affects future resource allocation between neighboring states."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 24, lines 25-9","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2004/105original.pdf","page_label":"file page 24, lines 25-9"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 15-35","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2004/105original.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 15-35"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 41, lines 15-17","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2004/105original.pdf","page_label":"file page 41, lines 15-17"}]},{"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 10, lines 11-13","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2004/105original.pdf","page_label":"file page 10, lines 11-13"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 10, lines 33-41","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2004/105original.pdf","page_label":"file page 10, lines 33-41"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 11, lines 39-41","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2004/105original.pdf","page_label":"file page 11, lines 39-41"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 5-13","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2004/105original.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 5-13"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 1-5","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2004/105original.pdf","page_label":"file page 5, lines 1-5"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 19-21","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2004/105original.pdf","page_label":"file page 5, lines 19-21"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 27-41","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2004/105original.pdf","page_label":"file page 5, lines 27-41"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 5-13","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2004/105original.pdf","page_label":"file page 6, lines 5-13"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 29-35","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2004/105original.pdf","page_label":"file page 7, lines 29-35"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 43-45","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2004/105original.pdf","page_label":"file page 7, lines 43-45"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 5-9","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2004/105original.pdf","page_label":"file page 7, lines 5-9"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 47-1","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2004/105original.pdf","page_label":"file page 8, lines 47-1"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 13-25","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2004/105original.pdf","page_label":"file page 9, lines 13-25"}]}],"slug":"2004-105-orig-kansas-v-colorado","term":"2004","title":"Should the Court appoint a river master to manage water disputes?","title_sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 24, lines 25-9","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2004/105original.pdf","page_label":"file page 24, lines 25-9"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 15-35","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2004/105original.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 15-35"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 41, lines 15-17","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2004/105original.pdf","page_label":"file page 41, lines 15-17"}],"topics":[],"undated_disposition_date_fallback":null,"updated_at":"2026-09-05T03:22:24Z"}