{"argument_date":"2005-11-02T00:00:00Z","arguments":[{"argument_date":"2005-11-02T00:00:00Z","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/2005/04-881.pdf","paragraphs":["Ms. Blatt asserted the Higher Education Act waives time limits for student loan collection.","Mr. Wolfman argued the Social Security Act bans benefit attachment unless expressly overridden.","questions_asked_by_justices"],"reargument":false,"sequence":1,"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 26, lines 9-25","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2005/04-881.pdf","page_label":"file page 26, lines 9-25"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 15-21","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2005/04-881.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 15-21"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 5-13","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2005/04-881.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 5-13"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 23-33","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2005/04-881.pdf","page_label":"file page 4, lines 23-33"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 37-45","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2005/04-881.pdf","page_label":"file page 4, lines 37-45"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 27-35","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2005/04-881.pdf","page_label":"file page 5, lines 27-35"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 39-43","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2005/04-881.pdf","page_label":"file page 5, lines 39-43"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 1-9","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2005/04-881.pdf","page_label":"file page 6, lines 1-9"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 15-17","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2005/04-881.pdf","page_label":"file page 6, lines 15-17"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 29-29","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2005/04-881.pdf","page_label":"file page 6, lines 29-29"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 35-35","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2005/04-881.pdf","page_label":"file page 6, lines 35-35"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 47-1","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2005/04-881.pdf","page_label":"file page 7, lines 47-1"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 19-21","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2005/04-881.pdf","page_label":"file page 8, lines 19-21"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 41-41","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2005/04-881.pdf","page_label":"file page 8, lines 41-41"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 5-7","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2005/04-881.pdf","page_label":"file page 8, lines 5-7"}]}],"caption":"Lockhart v. United States","case_history":[{"changed_at":"2026-08-29T20:06:29.137039Z","explanation":"An official oral-argument transcript was verified.","status":"argued"}],"case_status":"argued","dek":"The dispute centers on whether a specific statute overrides the general ban on collecting student loans from Social Security benefits.","dek_sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 26, lines 9-25","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2005/04-881.pdf","page_label":"file page 26, lines 9-25"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 15-21","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2005/04-881.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 15-21"}],"dispositions":[],"latest_court_document_date":"2005-11-02T00:00:00Z","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/04-881.html","primary_docket":"04-881","revisions":[{"correction_note":"Rewritten to the concise citizen-facing editorial standard.","created_at":"2026-08-31T14:12:52.785670Z","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 if a specific law can override a general ban on debt collection from Social Security benefits."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 26, lines 9-25","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2005/04-881.pdf","page_label":"file page 26, lines 9-25"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 15-21","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2005/04-881.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 15-21"}]},{"heading":"How the case got here","paragraphs":["The Supreme Court heard oral argument in this case on November 2, 2005."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 5-13","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2005/04-881.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 5-13"}]},{"heading":"What each side wants","paragraphs":["the side that brought the case wants the Court to reverse the lower court judgment.","The government wants the Court to affirm the lower court judgment."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 26, lines 9-25","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2005/04-881.pdf","page_label":"file page 26, lines 9-25"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 15-21","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2005/04-881.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 15-21"}]},{"heading":"What each side says","paragraphs":["the side that brought the case argues the Social Security Act bans benefit attachment unless Congress expressly refers to it.","The government argues the Higher Education Act waives time limits for student loan collection."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 26, lines 9-25","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2005/04-881.pdf","page_label":"file page 26, lines 9-25"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 15-21","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2005/04-881.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 15-21"}]},{"heading":"What the justices asked","paragraphs":["Justice Breyer asked what remedy exists for the situation.","Justice Scalia asked if one Congress can bind a future Congress through statutory language."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 23-33","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2005/04-881.pdf","page_label":"file page 4, lines 23-33"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 37-45","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2005/04-881.pdf","page_label":"file page 4, lines 37-45"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 27-35","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2005/04-881.pdf","page_label":"file page 5, lines 27-35"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 39-43","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2005/04-881.pdf","page_label":"file page 5, lines 39-43"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 1-9","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2005/04-881.pdf","page_label":"file page 6, lines 1-9"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 15-17","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2005/04-881.pdf","page_label":"file page 6, lines 15-17"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 29-29","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2005/04-881.pdf","page_label":"file page 6, lines 29-29"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 35-35","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2005/04-881.pdf","page_label":"file page 6, lines 35-35"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 47-1","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2005/04-881.pdf","page_label":"file page 7, lines 47-1"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 19-21","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2005/04-881.pdf","page_label":"file page 8, lines 19-21"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 41-41","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2005/04-881.pdf","page_label":"file page 8, lines 41-41"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 5-7","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2005/04-881.pdf","page_label":"file page 8, lines 5-7"}]},{"heading":"Why it matters","paragraphs":["The outcome defines the scope of federal debt collection powers against protected benefits."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 26, lines 9-25","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2005/04-881.pdf","page_label":"file page 26, lines 9-25"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 15-21","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2005/04-881.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 15-21"}]},{"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/2005/04-881.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 5-13"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 23-33","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2005/04-881.pdf","page_label":"file page 4, lines 23-33"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 37-45","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2005/04-881.pdf","page_label":"file page 4, lines 37-45"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 27-35","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2005/04-881.pdf","page_label":"file page 5, lines 27-35"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 39-43","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2005/04-881.pdf","page_label":"file page 5, lines 39-43"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 1-9","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2005/04-881.pdf","page_label":"file page 6, lines 1-9"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 15-17","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2005/04-881.pdf","page_label":"file page 6, lines 15-17"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 29-29","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2005/04-881.pdf","page_label":"file page 6, lines 29-29"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 35-35","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2005/04-881.pdf","page_label":"file page 6, lines 35-35"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 47-1","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2005/04-881.pdf","page_label":"file page 7, lines 47-1"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 19-21","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2005/04-881.pdf","page_label":"file page 8, lines 19-21"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 41-41","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2005/04-881.pdf","page_label":"file page 8, lines 41-41"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 5-7","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2005/04-881.pdf","page_label":"file page 8, lines 5-7"}]}],"slug":"2005-04-881-lockhart-v-united-states","term":"2005","title":"Can Congress waive the Social Security Act's ban on debt collection?","title_sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 26, lines 9-25","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2005/04-881.pdf","page_label":"file page 26, lines 9-25"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 15-21","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2005/04-881.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 15-21"}],"topics":[],"undated_disposition_date_fallback":null,"updated_at":"2026-09-05T03:22:24Z"}