{"argument_date":"2007-02-21T00:00:00Z","arguments":[{"argument_date":"2007-02-21T00:00:00Z","heading":"What happened at the argument","official_detail_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcript/2006","official_transcript_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2006/05-1056.pdf","paragraphs":["Microsoft's counsel argued that patent law protects against making components in the U.S.","AT&T's counsel argued that Microsoft supplies the precise machine-readable sequence of commands.","Justice Kennedy asked if the disk, not the information, is the component."],"reargument":false,"sequence":1,"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 16, lines 43-9","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2006/05-1056.pdf","page_label":"file page 16, lines 43-9"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 28, lines 3-39","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2006/05-1056.pdf","page_label":"file page 28, lines 3-39"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 17-31","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2006/05-1056.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 17-31"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 33-51","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2006/05-1056.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 33-51"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 7-15","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2006/05-1056.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 7-15"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 29-33","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2006/05-1056.pdf","page_label":"file page 4, lines 29-33"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 47-49","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2006/05-1056.pdf","page_label":"file page 4, lines 47-49"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 7-15","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2006/05-1056.pdf","page_label":"file page 4, lines 7-15"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 21-25","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2006/05-1056.pdf","page_label":"file page 5, lines 21-25"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 31-33","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2006/05-1056.pdf","page_label":"file page 5, lines 31-33"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 47-51","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2006/05-1056.pdf","page_label":"file page 5, lines 47-51"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 49-7","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2006/05-1056.pdf","page_label":"file page 6, lines 49-7"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 39-41","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2006/05-1056.pdf","page_label":"file page 7, lines 39-41"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 47-47","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2006/05-1056.pdf","page_label":"file page 7, lines 47-47"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 19-35","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2006/05-1056.pdf","page_label":"file page 8, lines 19-35"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 9-11","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2006/05-1056.pdf","page_label":"file page 8, lines 9-11"}]}],"caption":"Microsoft Corp. v. AT&T Corp.","case_history":[{"changed_at":"2026-08-29T20:06:36.275330Z","explanation":"An official oral-argument transcript was verified.","status":"argued"}],"case_status":"argued","dek":"Microsoft and AT&T dispute whether sending digital code overseas counts as exporting components.","dek_sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 16, lines 43-9","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2006/05-1056.pdf","page_label":"file page 16, lines 43-9"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 28, lines 3-39","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2006/05-1056.pdf","page_label":"file page 28, lines 3-39"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 17-31","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2006/05-1056.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 17-31"}],"dispositions":[],"latest_court_document_date":"2007-02-21T00:00:00Z","maturity":"official_transcript","official_detail_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcript/2006","official_disposition_urls":[],"official_docket_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/docket/docketfiles/html/public/05-1056.html","primary_docket":"05-1056","revisions":[{"correction_note":"Rewritten to the concise citizen-facing editorial standard.","created_at":"2026-08-31T12:43:54.762542Z","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":["Microsoft argues that digital code is not a physical component. AT&T argues that the code itself is the critical component."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 16, lines 43-9","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2006/05-1056.pdf","page_label":"file page 16, lines 43-9"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 28, lines 3-39","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2006/05-1056.pdf","page_label":"file page 28, lines 3-39"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 17-31","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2006/05-1056.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 17-31"}]},{"heading":"How the case got here","paragraphs":["The Supreme Court heard oral argument in this case on February 21, 2007."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 7-15","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2006/05-1056.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 7-15"}]},{"heading":"What each side wants","paragraphs":["Microsoft wants the Court to rule that digital code is not a component.","AT&T wants the Court to rule that digital code is a component."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 16, lines 43-9","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2006/05-1056.pdf","page_label":"file page 16, lines 43-9"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 28, lines 3-39","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2006/05-1056.pdf","page_label":"file page 28, lines 3-39"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 17-31","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2006/05-1056.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 17-31"}]},{"heading":"What each side says","paragraphs":["Microsoft argues that Section 271(f) covers only physical parts shipped abroad.","AT&T argues that the object code is the critical component sent from the U.S."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 16, lines 43-9","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2006/05-1056.pdf","page_label":"file page 16, lines 43-9"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 28, lines 3-39","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2006/05-1056.pdf","page_label":"file page 28, lines 3-39"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 17-31","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2006/05-1056.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 17-31"}]},{"heading":"What the justices asked","paragraphs":["Justice Scalia asked if precedent exists for the parties' stipulation.","Justice Scalia asked if a bet on a court outcome creates standing."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 33-51","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2006/05-1056.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 33-51"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 29-33","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2006/05-1056.pdf","page_label":"file page 4, lines 29-33"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 47-49","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2006/05-1056.pdf","page_label":"file page 4, lines 47-49"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 7-15","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2006/05-1056.pdf","page_label":"file page 4, lines 7-15"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 21-25","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2006/05-1056.pdf","page_label":"file page 5, lines 21-25"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 31-33","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2006/05-1056.pdf","page_label":"file page 5, lines 31-33"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 47-51","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2006/05-1056.pdf","page_label":"file page 5, lines 47-51"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 49-7","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2006/05-1056.pdf","page_label":"file page 6, lines 49-7"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 39-41","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2006/05-1056.pdf","page_label":"file page 7, lines 39-41"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 47-47","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2006/05-1056.pdf","page_label":"file page 7, lines 47-47"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 19-35","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2006/05-1056.pdf","page_label":"file page 8, lines 19-35"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 9-11","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2006/05-1056.pdf","page_label":"file page 8, lines 9-11"}]},{"heading":"Why it matters","paragraphs":["This case defines the scope of U.S. patent law for digital products. It determines whether companies can avoid liability by sending code abroad. The outcome shapes global software distribution and patent enforcement."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 16, lines 43-9","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2006/05-1056.pdf","page_label":"file page 16, lines 43-9"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 28, lines 3-39","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2006/05-1056.pdf","page_label":"file page 28, lines 3-39"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 17-31","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2006/05-1056.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 17-31"}]},{"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 33-51","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2006/05-1056.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 33-51"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 7-15","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2006/05-1056.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 7-15"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 29-33","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2006/05-1056.pdf","page_label":"file page 4, lines 29-33"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 47-49","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2006/05-1056.pdf","page_label":"file page 4, lines 47-49"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 7-15","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2006/05-1056.pdf","page_label":"file page 4, lines 7-15"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 21-25","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2006/05-1056.pdf","page_label":"file page 5, lines 21-25"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 31-33","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2006/05-1056.pdf","page_label":"file page 5, lines 31-33"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 47-51","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2006/05-1056.pdf","page_label":"file page 5, lines 47-51"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 49-7","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2006/05-1056.pdf","page_label":"file page 6, lines 49-7"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 39-41","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2006/05-1056.pdf","page_label":"file page 7, lines 39-41"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 47-47","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2006/05-1056.pdf","page_label":"file page 7, lines 47-47"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 19-35","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2006/05-1056.pdf","page_label":"file page 8, lines 19-35"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 9-11","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2006/05-1056.pdf","page_label":"file page 8, lines 9-11"}]}],"slug":"2006-05-1056-microsoft-corp-v-at-t-corp","term":"2006","title":"Does shipping software code abroad violate U.S. patent law?","title_sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 16, lines 43-9","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2006/05-1056.pdf","page_label":"file page 16, lines 43-9"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 28, lines 3-39","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2006/05-1056.pdf","page_label":"file page 28, lines 3-39"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 17-31","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2006/05-1056.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 17-31"}],"topics":[],"undated_disposition_date_fallback":null,"updated_at":"2026-09-05T03:22:24Z"}