{"argument_date":"2006-12-05T00:00:00Z","arguments":[{"argument_date":"2006-12-05T00:00:00Z","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/2006/05-1272.pdf","paragraphs":["Ms. Mahoney argued the Tenth Circuit correctly denied the relator a share.","Ms. Vullo argued the relator is an original source under the statute.","Justice Scalia questioned if the government should also be barred from recovery if the relator is not an original source."],"reargument":false,"sequence":1,"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 11, lines 23-47","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2006/05-1272.pdf","page_label":"file page 11, lines 23-47"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 13, lines 19-27","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2006/05-1272.pdf","page_label":"file page 13, lines 19-27"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 14, lines 37-49","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2006/05-1272.pdf","page_label":"file page 14, lines 37-49"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 16, lines 43-45","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2006/05-1272.pdf","page_label":"file page 16, lines 43-45"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 24, lines 37-23","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2006/05-1272.pdf","page_label":"file page 24, lines 37-23"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 29, lines 37-47","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2006/05-1272.pdf","page_label":"file page 29, lines 37-47"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 19-33","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2006/05-1272.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 19-33"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 35-43","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2006/05-1272.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 35-43"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 49-3","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2006/05-1272.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 49-3"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 7-17","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2006/05-1272.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 7-17"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 37-47","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2006/05-1272.pdf","page_label":"file page 5, lines 37-47"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 9-15","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2006/05-1272.pdf","page_label":"file page 5, lines 9-15"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 53, lines 39-23","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2006/05-1272.pdf","page_label":"file page 53, lines 39-23"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 55, lines 45-49","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2006/05-1272.pdf","page_label":"file page 55, lines 45-49"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 39-41","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2006/05-1272.pdf","page_label":"file page 7, lines 39-41"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 5-33","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2006/05-1272.pdf","page_label":"file page 7, lines 5-33"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 27-31","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2006/05-1272.pdf","page_label":"file page 8, lines 27-31"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 15-19","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2006/05-1272.pdf","page_label":"file page 9, lines 15-19"}]}],"caption":"Rockwell International Corp. v. United States","case_history":[{"changed_at":"2026-08-29T20:06:28.168348Z","explanation":"An official oral-argument transcript was verified.","status":"argued"},{"changed_at":"2026-08-29T20:06:28.199871Z","explanation":"An official oral-argument transcript was verified.","status":"argued"}],"case_status":"argued","dek":"Rockwell International and the United States dispute whether a relator must be an original source to share in a False Claims Act award.","dek_sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 24, lines 37-23","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2006/05-1272.pdf","page_label":"file page 24, lines 37-23"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 29, lines 37-47","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2006/05-1272.pdf","page_label":"file page 29, lines 37-47"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 19-33","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2006/05-1272.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 19-33"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 53, lines 39-23","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2006/05-1272.pdf","page_label":"file page 53, lines 39-23"}],"dispositions":[],"latest_court_document_date":"2006-12-05T00:00:00Z","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/05-1272.html","primary_docket":"05-1272","revisions":[{"correction_note":"Rewritten to the concise citizen-facing editorial standard.","created_at":"2026-08-31T12:52:19.658407Z","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 False Claims Act. It asks if a relator must be an original source to share in a fraud award. The lower court denied the relator a share. The government disagrees with that result."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 24, lines 37-23","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2006/05-1272.pdf","page_label":"file page 24, lines 37-23"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 29, lines 37-47","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2006/05-1272.pdf","page_label":"file page 29, lines 37-47"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 19-33","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2006/05-1272.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 19-33"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 53, lines 39-23","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2006/05-1272.pdf","page_label":"file page 53, lines 39-23"}]},{"heading":"How the case got here","paragraphs":["The Supreme Court heard oral argument in this case on December 5, 2006."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 7-17","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2006/05-1272.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 7-17"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 55, lines 45-49","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2006/05-1272.pdf","page_label":"file page 55, lines 45-49"}]},{"heading":"What each side wants","paragraphs":["Rockwell wants the court to deny the relator a share of the award.","The United States wants the court to allow the relator to share in the award."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 24, lines 37-23","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2006/05-1272.pdf","page_label":"file page 24, lines 37-23"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 29, lines 37-47","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2006/05-1272.pdf","page_label":"file page 29, lines 37-47"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 19-33","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2006/05-1272.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 19-33"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 53, lines 39-23","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2006/05-1272.pdf","page_label":"file page 53, lines 39-23"}]},{"heading":"What each side says","paragraphs":["Rockwell argues the relator lacked direct knowledge of the specific fraud.","The United States argues the relator qualifies as an original source under the statute."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 24, lines 37-23","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2006/05-1272.pdf","page_label":"file page 24, lines 37-23"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 29, lines 37-47","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2006/05-1272.pdf","page_label":"file page 29, lines 37-47"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 19-33","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2006/05-1272.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 19-33"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 53, lines 39-23","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2006/05-1272.pdf","page_label":"file page 53, lines 39-23"}]},{"heading":"What the justices asked","paragraphs":["Justice Kennedy asked if a relator who knows of a plan can share in a different fraud.","Chief Justice Roberts asked if a relator can recover on a fraud found during an investigation of another fraud."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 11, lines 23-47","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2006/05-1272.pdf","page_label":"file page 11, lines 23-47"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 13, lines 19-27","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2006/05-1272.pdf","page_label":"file page 13, lines 19-27"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 14, lines 37-49","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2006/05-1272.pdf","page_label":"file page 14, lines 37-49"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 16, lines 43-45","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2006/05-1272.pdf","page_label":"file page 16, lines 43-45"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 35-43","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2006/05-1272.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 35-43"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 49-3","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2006/05-1272.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 49-3"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 37-47","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2006/05-1272.pdf","page_label":"file page 5, lines 37-47"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 9-15","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2006/05-1272.pdf","page_label":"file page 5, lines 9-15"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 55, lines 45-49","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2006/05-1272.pdf","page_label":"file page 55, lines 45-49"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 39-41","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2006/05-1272.pdf","page_label":"file page 7, lines 39-41"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 5-33","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2006/05-1272.pdf","page_label":"file page 7, lines 5-33"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 27-31","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2006/05-1272.pdf","page_label":"file page 8, lines 27-31"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 15-19","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2006/05-1272.pdf","page_label":"file page 9, lines 15-19"}]},{"heading":"Why it matters","paragraphs":["This dispute defines who can share in fraud recoveries. It affects how whistleblowers report government fraud. It shapes the financial incentives for reporting illegal conduct."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 24, lines 37-23","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2006/05-1272.pdf","page_label":"file page 24, lines 37-23"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 29, lines 37-47","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2006/05-1272.pdf","page_label":"file page 29, lines 37-47"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 19-33","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2006/05-1272.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 19-33"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 53, lines 39-23","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2006/05-1272.pdf","page_label":"file page 53, lines 39-23"}]},{"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 11, lines 23-47","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2006/05-1272.pdf","page_label":"file page 11, lines 23-47"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 13, lines 19-27","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2006/05-1272.pdf","page_label":"file page 13, lines 19-27"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 14, lines 37-49","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2006/05-1272.pdf","page_label":"file page 14, lines 37-49"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 16, lines 43-45","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2006/05-1272.pdf","page_label":"file page 16, lines 43-45"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 35-43","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2006/05-1272.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 35-43"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 49-3","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2006/05-1272.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 49-3"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 7-17","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2006/05-1272.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 7-17"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 37-47","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2006/05-1272.pdf","page_label":"file page 5, lines 37-47"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 9-15","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2006/05-1272.pdf","page_label":"file page 5, lines 9-15"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 55, lines 45-49","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2006/05-1272.pdf","page_label":"file page 55, lines 45-49"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 39-41","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2006/05-1272.pdf","page_label":"file page 7, lines 39-41"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 5-33","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2006/05-1272.pdf","page_label":"file page 7, lines 5-33"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 27-31","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2006/05-1272.pdf","page_label":"file page 8, lines 27-31"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 15-19","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2006/05-1272.pdf","page_label":"file page 9, lines 15-19"}]}],"slug":"2006-05-1272-rockwell-international-corp-v-united-states","term":"2006","title":"Can a whistleblower share in a fraud award without being an original source?","title_sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 24, lines 37-23","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2006/05-1272.pdf","page_label":"file page 24, lines 37-23"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 29, lines 37-47","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2006/05-1272.pdf","page_label":"file page 29, lines 37-47"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 19-33","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2006/05-1272.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 19-33"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 53, lines 39-23","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2006/05-1272.pdf","page_label":"file page 53, lines 39-23"}],"topics":[],"undated_disposition_date_fallback":null,"updated_at":"2026-09-05T03:22:24Z"}