{"argument_date":"2006-03-21T00:00:00Z","arguments":[{"argument_date":"2006-03-21T00:00:00Z","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/2005/04-607.pdf","paragraphs":["Mr. Franklin argued the claim covers a doctor's mental correlation.","Mr. Hungar argued the claim satisfies patent law requirements.","questions_asked_by_justices"],"reargument":false,"sequence":1,"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 20, lines 41-41","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2005/04-607.pdf","page_label":"file page 20, lines 41-41"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 21, lines 5-19","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2005/04-607.pdf","page_label":"file page 21, lines 5-19"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 19-1","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2005/04-607.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 19-1"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 5-17","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2005/04-607.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 5-17"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 11-13","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2005/04-607.pdf","page_label":"file page 4, lines 11-13"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 27-33","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2005/04-607.pdf","page_label":"file page 4, lines 27-33"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 3-5","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2005/04-607.pdf","page_label":"file page 4, lines 3-5"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 39-39","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2005/04-607.pdf","page_label":"file page 4, lines 39-39"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 49-7","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2005/04-607.pdf","page_label":"file page 4, lines 49-7"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 27-35","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2005/04-607.pdf","page_label":"file page 5, lines 27-35"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 47-54","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2005/04-607.pdf","page_label":"file page 6, lines 47-54"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 39-47","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2005/04-607.pdf","page_label":"file page 7, lines 39-47"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 13-15","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2005/04-607.pdf","page_label":"file page 8, lines 13-15"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 23-25","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2005/04-607.pdf","page_label":"file page 8, lines 23-25"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 45-45","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2005/04-607.pdf","page_label":"file page 8, lines 45-45"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 5-11","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2005/04-607.pdf","page_label":"file page 9, lines 5-11"}]}],"caption":"Laboratory Corp. of America Holdings v. Metabolite Laboratories, Inc.","case_history":[{"changed_at":"2026-08-29T20:06:28.576816Z","explanation":"An official oral-argument transcript was verified.","status":"argued"}],"case_status":"argued","dek":"The parties dispute whether a patent claim covers a doctor's mental correlation of test results.","dek_sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 20, lines 41-41","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2005/04-607.pdf","page_label":"file page 20, lines 41-41"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 21, lines 5-19","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2005/04-607.pdf","page_label":"file page 21, lines 5-19"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 19-1","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2005/04-607.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 19-1"}],"dispositions":[],"latest_court_document_date":"2006-03-21T00:00:00Z","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/04-607.html","primary_docket":"04-607","revisions":[{"correction_note":"Rewritten to the concise citizen-facing editorial standard.","created_at":"2026-08-31T13:44:00.216778Z","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 concerns a patent claim for a medical test. The parties argue over the scope of that claim."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 20, lines 41-41","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2005/04-607.pdf","page_label":"file page 20, lines 41-41"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 21, lines 5-19","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2005/04-607.pdf","page_label":"file page 21, lines 5-19"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 19-1","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2005/04-607.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 19-1"}]},{"heading":"How the case got here","paragraphs":["The Supreme Court heard oral argument in this case on March 21, 2006."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 5-17","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2005/04-607.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 5-17"}]},{"heading":"What each side wants","paragraphs":["the side that brought the case wants the Court to reverse the lower-court action.","the opposing side wants the Court to affirm the lower-court action."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 20, lines 41-41","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2005/04-607.pdf","page_label":"file page 20, lines 41-41"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 21, lines 5-19","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2005/04-607.pdf","page_label":"file page 21, lines 5-19"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 19-1","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2005/04-607.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 19-1"}]},{"heading":"What each side says","paragraphs":["the side that brought the case argues the claim covers a doctor's mental correlation.","the opposing side argues the claim satisfies patent law requirements."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 20, lines 41-41","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2005/04-607.pdf","page_label":"file page 20, lines 41-41"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 21, lines 5-19","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2005/04-607.pdf","page_label":"file page 21, lines 5-19"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 19-1","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2005/04-607.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 19-1"}]},{"heading":"What the justices asked","paragraphs":["Justice Kennedy asked where the lower-court opinion is wrong.","Justice Ginsburg asked if the case is a definiteness case."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 11-13","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2005/04-607.pdf","page_label":"file page 4, lines 11-13"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 27-33","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2005/04-607.pdf","page_label":"file page 4, lines 27-33"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 3-5","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2005/04-607.pdf","page_label":"file page 4, lines 3-5"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 39-39","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2005/04-607.pdf","page_label":"file page 4, lines 39-39"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 49-7","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2005/04-607.pdf","page_label":"file page 4, lines 49-7"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 27-35","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2005/04-607.pdf","page_label":"file page 5, lines 27-35"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 47-54","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2005/04-607.pdf","page_label":"file page 6, lines 47-54"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 39-47","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2005/04-607.pdf","page_label":"file page 7, lines 39-47"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 13-15","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2005/04-607.pdf","page_label":"file page 8, lines 13-15"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 23-25","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2005/04-607.pdf","page_label":"file page 8, lines 23-25"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 45-45","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2005/04-607.pdf","page_label":"file page 8, lines 45-45"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 5-11","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2005/04-607.pdf","page_label":"file page 9, lines 5-11"}]},{"heading":"Why it matters","paragraphs":["The outcome defines the scope of medical test patents. It affects how doctors interpret test results. It impacts the cost of medical diagnostics."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 20, lines 41-41","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2005/04-607.pdf","page_label":"file page 20, lines 41-41"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 21, lines 5-19","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2005/04-607.pdf","page_label":"file page 21, lines 5-19"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 19-1","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2005/04-607.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 19-1"}]},{"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 5-17","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2005/04-607.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 5-17"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 11-13","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2005/04-607.pdf","page_label":"file page 4, lines 11-13"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 27-33","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2005/04-607.pdf","page_label":"file page 4, lines 27-33"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 3-5","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2005/04-607.pdf","page_label":"file page 4, lines 3-5"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 39-39","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2005/04-607.pdf","page_label":"file page 4, lines 39-39"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 49-7","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2005/04-607.pdf","page_label":"file page 4, lines 49-7"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 27-35","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2005/04-607.pdf","page_label":"file page 5, lines 27-35"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 47-54","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2005/04-607.pdf","page_label":"file page 6, lines 47-54"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 39-47","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2005/04-607.pdf","page_label":"file page 7, lines 39-47"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 13-15","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2005/04-607.pdf","page_label":"file page 8, lines 13-15"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 23-25","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2005/04-607.pdf","page_label":"file page 8, lines 23-25"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 45-45","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2005/04-607.pdf","page_label":"file page 8, lines 45-45"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 5-11","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2005/04-607.pdf","page_label":"file page 9, lines 5-11"}]}],"slug":"2005-04-607-laboratory-corp-of-america-holdings-v-metabolite-laboratories-inc","term":"2005","title":"Does a patent cover a doctor's mental correlation of test results?","title_sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 20, lines 41-41","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2005/04-607.pdf","page_label":"file page 20, lines 41-41"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 21, lines 5-19","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2005/04-607.pdf","page_label":"file page 21, lines 5-19"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 19-1","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2005/04-607.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 19-1"}],"topics":[],"undated_disposition_date_fallback":null,"updated_at":"2026-09-05T03:22:24Z"}