{"argument_date":"2005-11-28T00:00:00Z","arguments":[{"argument_date":"2005-11-28T00:00:00Z","heading":"What happened at the argument","official_detail_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcript/2005","official_transcript_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2005/04-1186.pdf","paragraphs":["Andrew Frey argued for the side that brought the case, Wachovia Bank.","He stated the main office location defines the bank's state citizenship.","He rejected the idea that every branch office creates a new state of citizenship.","Chief Justice Roberts questioned whether the main office address changes with charter amendments."],"reargument":false,"sequence":1,"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 10, lines 15-31","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2005/04-1186.pdf","page_label":"file page 10, lines 15-31"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 11, lines 5-9","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2005/04-1186.pdf","page_label":"file page 11, lines 5-9"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 13, lines 43-47","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2005/04-1186.pdf","page_label":"file page 13, lines 43-47"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 20, lines 21-35","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2005/04-1186.pdf","page_label":"file page 20, lines 21-35"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 15-39","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2005/04-1186.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 15-39"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 41-43","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2005/04-1186.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 41-43"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 5-13","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2005/04-1186.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 5-13"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 32, lines 43-25","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2005/04-1186.pdf","page_label":"file page 32, lines 43-25"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 31-35","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2005/04-1186.pdf","page_label":"file page 7, lines 31-35"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 49-3","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2005/04-1186.pdf","page_label":"file page 7, lines 49-3"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 13-17","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2005/04-1186.pdf","page_label":"file page 8, lines 13-17"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 21-25","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2005/04-1186.pdf","page_label":"file page 8, lines 21-25"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 43-43","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2005/04-1186.pdf","page_label":"file page 8, lines 43-43"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 13-17","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2005/04-1186.pdf","page_label":"file page 9, lines 13-17"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 3-9","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2005/04-1186.pdf","page_label":"file page 9, lines 3-9"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 33-39","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2005/04-1186.pdf","page_label":"file page 9, lines 33-39"}]}],"caption":"Wachovia Bank, N.A. v. Schmidt","case_history":[{"changed_at":"2026-08-29T20:06:28.943960Z","explanation":"An official oral-argument transcript was verified.","status":"argued"}],"case_status":"argued","dek":"Wachovia Bank argues its main office defines its state citizenship. Schmidt argues every branch location counts.","dek_sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 20, lines 21-35","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2005/04-1186.pdf","page_label":"file page 20, lines 21-35"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 15-39","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2005/04-1186.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 15-39"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 32, lines 43-25","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2005/04-1186.pdf","page_label":"file page 32, lines 43-25"}],"dispositions":[],"latest_court_document_date":"2005-11-28T00:00:00Z","maturity":"official_transcript","official_detail_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcript/2005","official_disposition_urls":[],"official_docket_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/docket/docketfiles/html/public/04-1186.html","primary_docket":"04-1186","revisions":[{"correction_note":"Rewritten to the concise citizen-facing editorial standard.","created_at":"2026-08-31T14:07:27.312694Z","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 how federal courts determine a national bank's state citizenship. This status controls whether a federal court has jurisdiction over the bank."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 20, lines 21-35","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2005/04-1186.pdf","page_label":"file page 20, lines 21-35"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 15-39","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2005/04-1186.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 15-39"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 32, lines 43-25","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2005/04-1186.pdf","page_label":"file page 32, lines 43-25"}]},{"heading":"How the case got here","paragraphs":["The Supreme Court heard oral argument in this case on November 28, 2005."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 5-13","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2005/04-1186.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 5-13"}]},{"heading":"What each side wants","paragraphs":["Wachovia Bank wants the Court to limit state citizenship to the main office location.","Schmidt wants the Court to count every branch office location as a state of citizenship."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 20, lines 21-35","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2005/04-1186.pdf","page_label":"file page 20, lines 21-35"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 15-39","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2005/04-1186.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 15-39"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 32, lines 43-25","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2005/04-1186.pdf","page_label":"file page 32, lines 43-25"}]},{"heading":"What each side says","paragraphs":["Wachovia Bank argues the main office defines the bank's state citizenship under federal law.","Schmidt argues the bank is a citizen of every state where it maintains a branch."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 20, lines 21-35","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2005/04-1186.pdf","page_label":"file page 20, lines 21-35"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 15-39","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2005/04-1186.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 15-39"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 32, lines 43-25","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2005/04-1186.pdf","page_label":"file page 32, lines 43-25"}]},{"heading":"What the justices asked","paragraphs":["Chief Justice Roberts asked if the main office address changes when the charter amends it.","Justice O'Connor asked when the relevant statute was enacted in 1887."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 10, lines 15-31","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2005/04-1186.pdf","page_label":"file page 10, lines 15-31"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 11, lines 5-9","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2005/04-1186.pdf","page_label":"file page 11, lines 5-9"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 13, lines 43-47","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2005/04-1186.pdf","page_label":"file page 13, lines 43-47"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 41-43","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2005/04-1186.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 41-43"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 31-35","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2005/04-1186.pdf","page_label":"file page 7, lines 31-35"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 49-3","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2005/04-1186.pdf","page_label":"file page 7, lines 49-3"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 13-17","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2005/04-1186.pdf","page_label":"file page 8, lines 13-17"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 21-25","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2005/04-1186.pdf","page_label":"file page 8, lines 21-25"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 43-43","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2005/04-1186.pdf","page_label":"file page 8, lines 43-43"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 13-17","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2005/04-1186.pdf","page_label":"file page 9, lines 13-17"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 3-9","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2005/04-1186.pdf","page_label":"file page 9, lines 3-9"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 33-39","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2005/04-1186.pdf","page_label":"file page 9, lines 33-39"}]},{"heading":"Why it matters","paragraphs":["This dispute determines which federal courts can hear cases against national banks. It affects the geographic scope of federal jurisdiction for these institutions."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 20, lines 21-35","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2005/04-1186.pdf","page_label":"file page 20, lines 21-35"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 15-39","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2005/04-1186.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 15-39"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 32, lines 43-25","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2005/04-1186.pdf","page_label":"file page 32, lines 43-25"}]},{"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 10, lines 15-31","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2005/04-1186.pdf","page_label":"file page 10, lines 15-31"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 11, lines 5-9","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2005/04-1186.pdf","page_label":"file page 11, lines 5-9"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 13, lines 43-47","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2005/04-1186.pdf","page_label":"file page 13, lines 43-47"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 41-43","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2005/04-1186.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 41-43"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 5-13","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2005/04-1186.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 5-13"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 31-35","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2005/04-1186.pdf","page_label":"file page 7, lines 31-35"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 49-3","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2005/04-1186.pdf","page_label":"file page 7, lines 49-3"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 13-17","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2005/04-1186.pdf","page_label":"file page 8, lines 13-17"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 21-25","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2005/04-1186.pdf","page_label":"file page 8, lines 21-25"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 43-43","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2005/04-1186.pdf","page_label":"file page 8, lines 43-43"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 13-17","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2005/04-1186.pdf","page_label":"file page 9, lines 13-17"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 3-9","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2005/04-1186.pdf","page_label":"file page 9, lines 3-9"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 33-39","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2005/04-1186.pdf","page_label":"file page 9, lines 33-39"}]}],"slug":"2005-04-1186-wachovia-bank-n-a-v-schmidt","term":"2005","title":"Where is a national bank located for federal court jurisdiction?","title_sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 20, lines 21-35","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2005/04-1186.pdf","page_label":"file page 20, lines 21-35"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 15-39","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2005/04-1186.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 15-39"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 32, lines 43-25","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2005/04-1186.pdf","page_label":"file page 32, lines 43-25"}],"topics":[],"undated_disposition_date_fallback":null,"updated_at":"2026-09-05T03:22:24Z"}