{"argument_date":"2006-02-22T00:00:00Z","arguments":[{"argument_date":"2006-02-22T00:00:00Z","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/2005/04-9728.pdf","paragraphs":["the side that brought the case's counsel stated the search lacked individualized suspicion.","the side that brought the case's counsel argued no adequate safeguards limited officer discretion.","California's counsel cited high recidivism rates as justification.","California's counsel argued the search is reasonable under the Fourth Amendment."],"reargument":false,"sequence":1,"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 15-1","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2005/04-9728.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 15-1"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 5-13","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2005/04-9728.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 5-13"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 34, lines 41-29","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2005/04-9728.pdf","page_label":"file page 34, lines 41-29"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 27-31","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2005/04-9728.pdf","page_label":"file page 4, lines 27-31"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 47-54","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2005/04-9728.pdf","page_label":"file page 4, lines 47-54"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 7-17","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2005/04-9728.pdf","page_label":"file page 4, lines 7-17"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 27-37","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2005/04-9728.pdf","page_label":"file page 5, lines 27-37"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 53, lines 25-45","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2005/04-9728.pdf","page_label":"file page 53, lines 25-45"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 37-45","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2005/04-9728.pdf","page_label":"file page 6, lines 37-45"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 49-7","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2005/04-9728.pdf","page_label":"file page 6, lines 49-7"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 64, lines 29-37","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2005/04-9728.pdf","page_label":"file page 64, lines 29-37"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 64, lines 39-41","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2005/04-9728.pdf","page_label":"file page 64, lines 39-41"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 65, lines 33-5","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2005/04-9728.pdf","page_label":"file page 65, lines 33-5"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 66, lines 11-15","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2005/04-9728.pdf","page_label":"file page 66, lines 11-15"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 67, lines 33-54","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2005/04-9728.pdf","page_label":"file page 67, lines 33-54"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 15-15","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2005/04-9728.pdf","page_label":"file page 7, lines 15-15"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 37-45","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2005/04-9728.pdf","page_label":"file page 7, lines 37-45"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 13-13","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2005/04-9728.pdf","page_label":"file page 8, lines 13-13"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 27-31","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2005/04-9728.pdf","page_label":"file page 8, lines 27-31"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 47-3","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2005/04-9728.pdf","page_label":"file page 8, lines 47-3"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 7-9","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2005/04-9728.pdf","page_label":"file page 8, lines 7-9"}]}],"caption":"Samson v. California","case_history":[{"changed_at":"2026-08-29T20:06:28.705991Z","explanation":"An official oral-argument transcript was verified.","status":"argued"},{"changed_at":"2026-08-29T20:06:28.737867Z","explanation":"An official oral-argument transcript was verified.","status":"argued"}],"case_status":"argued","dek":"California law allows officers to search parolees without specific evidence of crime. the side that brought the case argues this violates the Fourth Amendment.","dek_sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 15-1","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2005/04-9728.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 15-1"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 34, lines 41-29","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2005/04-9728.pdf","page_label":"file page 34, lines 41-29"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 53, lines 25-45","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2005/04-9728.pdf","page_label":"file page 53, lines 25-45"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 64, lines 39-41","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2005/04-9728.pdf","page_label":"file page 64, lines 39-41"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 65, lines 33-5","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2005/04-9728.pdf","page_label":"file page 65, lines 33-5"}],"dispositions":[],"latest_court_document_date":"2006-02-22T00:00:00Z","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/04-9728.html","primary_docket":"04-9728","revisions":[{"correction_note":"Rewritten to the concise citizen-facing editorial standard.","created_at":"2026-08-31T13:50:49.820642Z","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":["This case tests the scope of the Fourth Amendment. It asks if a state can require parolees to accept warrantless searches based solely on their status."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 15-1","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2005/04-9728.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 15-1"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 34, lines 41-29","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2005/04-9728.pdf","page_label":"file page 34, lines 41-29"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 53, lines 25-45","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2005/04-9728.pdf","page_label":"file page 53, lines 25-45"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 64, lines 39-41","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2005/04-9728.pdf","page_label":"file page 64, lines 39-41"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 65, lines 33-5","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2005/04-9728.pdf","page_label":"file page 65, lines 33-5"}]},{"heading":"How the case got here","paragraphs":["The Supreme Court heard oral argument in this case on February 22, 2006."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 5-13","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2005/04-9728.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 5-13"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 67, lines 33-54","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2005/04-9728.pdf","page_label":"file page 67, lines 33-54"}]},{"heading":"What each side wants","paragraphs":["the side that brought the case wants the search declared unconstitutional.","California wants the search upheld as reasonable."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 15-1","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2005/04-9728.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 15-1"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 34, lines 41-29","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2005/04-9728.pdf","page_label":"file page 34, lines 41-29"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 53, lines 25-45","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2005/04-9728.pdf","page_label":"file page 53, lines 25-45"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 64, lines 39-41","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2005/04-9728.pdf","page_label":"file page 64, lines 39-41"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 65, lines 33-5","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2005/04-9728.pdf","page_label":"file page 65, lines 33-5"}]},{"heading":"What each side says","paragraphs":["the side that brought the case argues the officer had unlimited discretion to search.","California argues parole is a privilege exchanged for search consent."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 15-1","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2005/04-9728.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 15-1"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 34, lines 41-29","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2005/04-9728.pdf","page_label":"file page 34, lines 41-29"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 53, lines 25-45","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2005/04-9728.pdf","page_label":"file page 53, lines 25-45"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 64, lines 39-41","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2005/04-9728.pdf","page_label":"file page 64, lines 39-41"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 65, lines 33-5","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2005/04-9728.pdf","page_label":"file page 65, lines 33-5"}]},{"heading":"What the justices asked","paragraphs":["Justice Scalia asked if refusing a search is a dire consequence.","Justice Kennedy asked if a parole officer could threaten revocation to force consent."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 27-31","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2005/04-9728.pdf","page_label":"file page 4, lines 27-31"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 47-54","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2005/04-9728.pdf","page_label":"file page 4, lines 47-54"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 7-17","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2005/04-9728.pdf","page_label":"file page 4, lines 7-17"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 27-37","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2005/04-9728.pdf","page_label":"file page 5, lines 27-37"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 37-45","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2005/04-9728.pdf","page_label":"file page 6, lines 37-45"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 49-7","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2005/04-9728.pdf","page_label":"file page 6, lines 49-7"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 64, lines 29-37","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2005/04-9728.pdf","page_label":"file page 64, lines 29-37"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 66, lines 11-15","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2005/04-9728.pdf","page_label":"file page 66, lines 11-15"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 67, lines 33-54","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2005/04-9728.pdf","page_label":"file page 67, lines 33-54"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 15-15","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2005/04-9728.pdf","page_label":"file page 7, lines 15-15"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 37-45","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2005/04-9728.pdf","page_label":"file page 7, lines 37-45"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 13-13","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2005/04-9728.pdf","page_label":"file page 8, lines 13-13"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 27-31","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2005/04-9728.pdf","page_label":"file page 8, lines 27-31"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 47-3","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2005/04-9728.pdf","page_label":"file page 8, lines 47-3"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 7-9","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2005/04-9728.pdf","page_label":"file page 8, lines 7-9"}]},{"heading":"Why it matters","paragraphs":["This dispute defines the limits of state power over released offenders. It balances public safety against individual privacy rights. The outcome shapes how states manage parole populations nationwide."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 15-1","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2005/04-9728.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 15-1"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 34, lines 41-29","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2005/04-9728.pdf","page_label":"file page 34, lines 41-29"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 53, lines 25-45","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2005/04-9728.pdf","page_label":"file page 53, lines 25-45"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 64, lines 39-41","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2005/04-9728.pdf","page_label":"file page 64, lines 39-41"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 65, lines 33-5","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2005/04-9728.pdf","page_label":"file page 65, lines 33-5"}]},{"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/2005/04-9728.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 5-13"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 27-31","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2005/04-9728.pdf","page_label":"file page 4, lines 27-31"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 47-54","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2005/04-9728.pdf","page_label":"file page 4, lines 47-54"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 7-17","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2005/04-9728.pdf","page_label":"file page 4, lines 7-17"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 27-37","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2005/04-9728.pdf","page_label":"file page 5, lines 27-37"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 37-45","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2005/04-9728.pdf","page_label":"file page 6, lines 37-45"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 49-7","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2005/04-9728.pdf","page_label":"file page 6, lines 49-7"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 64, lines 29-37","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2005/04-9728.pdf","page_label":"file page 64, lines 29-37"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 66, lines 11-15","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2005/04-9728.pdf","page_label":"file page 66, lines 11-15"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 67, lines 33-54","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2005/04-9728.pdf","page_label":"file page 67, lines 33-54"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 15-15","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2005/04-9728.pdf","page_label":"file page 7, lines 15-15"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 37-45","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2005/04-9728.pdf","page_label":"file page 7, lines 37-45"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 13-13","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2005/04-9728.pdf","page_label":"file page 8, lines 13-13"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 27-31","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2005/04-9728.pdf","page_label":"file page 8, lines 27-31"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 47-3","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2005/04-9728.pdf","page_label":"file page 8, lines 47-3"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 7-9","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2005/04-9728.pdf","page_label":"file page 8, lines 7-9"}]}],"slug":"2005-04-9728-samson-v-california","term":"2005","title":"Can police search parolees without individualized suspicion?","title_sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 15-1","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2005/04-9728.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 15-1"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 34, lines 41-29","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2005/04-9728.pdf","page_label":"file page 34, lines 41-29"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 53, lines 25-45","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2005/04-9728.pdf","page_label":"file page 53, lines 25-45"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 64, lines 39-41","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2005/04-9728.pdf","page_label":"file page 64, lines 39-41"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 65, lines 33-5","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2005/04-9728.pdf","page_label":"file page 65, lines 33-5"}],"topics":[],"undated_disposition_date_fallback":null,"updated_at":"2026-09-05T03:22:24Z"}