{"argument_date":"2007-04-25T00:00:00Z","arguments":[{"argument_date":"2007-04-25T00:00:00Z","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/2006/05-1284.pdf","paragraphs":["David Frederick argued the Eighth Circuit correctly allowed removal.","He stated Philip Morris follows detailed Federal Trade Commission rules.","Justice Roberts questioned if companies can use different testing methods.","He asked if the FTC would allow lower tar figures in ads."],"reargument":false,"sequence":1,"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 10, lines 43-47","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2006/05-1284.pdf","page_label":"file page 10, lines 43-47"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 11, lines 27-37","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2006/05-1284.pdf","page_label":"file page 11, lines 27-37"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 12, lines 21-27","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2006/05-1284.pdf","page_label":"file page 12, lines 21-27"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 19, lines 9-27","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2006/05-1284.pdf","page_label":"file page 19, lines 9-27"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 26, lines 29-49","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2006/05-1284.pdf","page_label":"file page 26, lines 29-49"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 19-49","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2006/05-1284.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 19-49"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 7-17","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2006/05-1284.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 7-17"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 51-3","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2006/05-1284.pdf","page_label":"file page 4, lines 51-3"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 21-31","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2006/05-1284.pdf","page_label":"file page 5, lines 21-31"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 47-3","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2006/05-1284.pdf","page_label":"file page 5, lines 47-3"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 7-9","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2006/05-1284.pdf","page_label":"file page 5, lines 7-9"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 35-41","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2006/05-1284.pdf","page_label":"file page 7, lines 35-41"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 5-25","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2006/05-1284.pdf","page_label":"file page 7, lines 5-25"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 35-45","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2006/05-1284.pdf","page_label":"file page 8, lines 35-45"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 23-27","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2006/05-1284.pdf","page_label":"file page 9, lines 23-27"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 31-49","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2006/05-1284.pdf","page_label":"file page 9, lines 31-49"}]}],"caption":"Watson v. Phillip Morris Co.","case_history":[{"changed_at":"2026-08-29T20:06:27.879435Z","explanation":"An official oral-argument transcript was verified.","status":"argued"}],"case_status":"argued","dek":"The dispute centers on whether federal regulations allow a company to remove a state tort claim to federal court.","dek_sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 19, lines 9-27","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2006/05-1284.pdf","page_label":"file page 19, lines 9-27"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 26, lines 29-49","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2006/05-1284.pdf","page_label":"file page 26, lines 29-49"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 19-49","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2006/05-1284.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 19-49"}],"dispositions":[],"latest_court_document_date":"2007-04-25T00:00:00Z","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/05-1284.html","primary_docket":"05-1284","revisions":[{"correction_note":"Rewritten to the concise citizen-facing editorial standard.","created_at":"2026-08-31T12:21:59.066121Z","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":["Watson sued Philip Morris in state court. The company sought removal to federal court. The Eighth Circuit allowed the move. The Supreme Court reviewed the lower court action."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 19, lines 9-27","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2006/05-1284.pdf","page_label":"file page 19, lines 9-27"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 26, lines 29-49","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2006/05-1284.pdf","page_label":"file page 26, lines 29-49"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 19-49","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2006/05-1284.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 19-49"}]},{"heading":"How the case got here","paragraphs":["The Supreme Court heard oral argument in this case on April 25, 2007."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 7-17","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2006/05-1284.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 7-17"}]},{"heading":"What each side wants","paragraphs":["Watson wants the case to remain in state court.","Philip Morris wants the case moved to federal court."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 19, lines 9-27","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2006/05-1284.pdf","page_label":"file page 19, lines 9-27"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 26, lines 29-49","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2006/05-1284.pdf","page_label":"file page 26, lines 29-49"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 19-49","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2006/05-1284.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 19-49"}]},{"heading":"What each side says","paragraphs":["Philip Morris argues federal regulations make it a federal officer.","Watson argues state law claims do not create federal officer status."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 19, lines 9-27","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2006/05-1284.pdf","page_label":"file page 19, lines 9-27"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 26, lines 29-49","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2006/05-1284.pdf","page_label":"file page 26, lines 29-49"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 19-49","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2006/05-1284.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 19-49"}]},{"heading":"What the justices asked","paragraphs":["Justice Scalia asked if contractors execute government law.","Justice Ginsburg asked about government contractor precedents like Agent Orange."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 10, lines 43-47","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2006/05-1284.pdf","page_label":"file page 10, lines 43-47"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 11, lines 27-37","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2006/05-1284.pdf","page_label":"file page 11, lines 27-37"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 12, lines 21-27","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2006/05-1284.pdf","page_label":"file page 12, lines 21-27"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 51-3","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2006/05-1284.pdf","page_label":"file page 4, lines 51-3"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 21-31","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2006/05-1284.pdf","page_label":"file page 5, lines 21-31"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 47-3","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2006/05-1284.pdf","page_label":"file page 5, lines 47-3"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 7-9","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2006/05-1284.pdf","page_label":"file page 5, lines 7-9"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 35-41","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2006/05-1284.pdf","page_label":"file page 7, lines 35-41"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 5-25","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2006/05-1284.pdf","page_label":"file page 7, lines 5-25"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 35-45","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2006/05-1284.pdf","page_label":"file page 8, lines 35-45"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 23-27","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2006/05-1284.pdf","page_label":"file page 9, lines 23-27"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 31-49","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2006/05-1284.pdf","page_label":"file page 9, lines 31-49"}]},{"heading":"Why it matters","paragraphs":["This case defines the scope of federal officer removal. It affects how companies use federal regulations in state lawsuits. It shapes the balance between state and federal judicial power."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 19, lines 9-27","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2006/05-1284.pdf","page_label":"file page 19, lines 9-27"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 26, lines 29-49","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2006/05-1284.pdf","page_label":"file page 26, lines 29-49"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 19-49","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2006/05-1284.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 19-49"}]},{"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 10, lines 43-47","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2006/05-1284.pdf","page_label":"file page 10, lines 43-47"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 11, lines 27-37","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2006/05-1284.pdf","page_label":"file page 11, lines 27-37"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 12, lines 21-27","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2006/05-1284.pdf","page_label":"file page 12, lines 21-27"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 7-17","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2006/05-1284.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 7-17"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 51-3","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2006/05-1284.pdf","page_label":"file page 4, lines 51-3"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 21-31","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2006/05-1284.pdf","page_label":"file page 5, lines 21-31"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 47-3","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2006/05-1284.pdf","page_label":"file page 5, lines 47-3"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 7-9","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2006/05-1284.pdf","page_label":"file page 5, lines 7-9"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 35-41","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2006/05-1284.pdf","page_label":"file page 7, lines 35-41"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 5-25","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2006/05-1284.pdf","page_label":"file page 7, lines 5-25"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 35-45","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2006/05-1284.pdf","page_label":"file page 8, lines 35-45"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 23-27","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2006/05-1284.pdf","page_label":"file page 9, lines 23-27"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 31-49","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2006/05-1284.pdf","page_label":"file page 9, lines 31-49"}]}],"slug":"2006-05-1284-watson-v-phillip-morris-co","term":"2006","title":"Can a state lawsuit against a regulated company move to federal court?","title_sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 19, lines 9-27","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2006/05-1284.pdf","page_label":"file page 19, lines 9-27"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 26, lines 29-49","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2006/05-1284.pdf","page_label":"file page 26, lines 29-49"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 19-49","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2006/05-1284.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 19-49"}],"topics":[],"undated_disposition_date_fallback":null,"updated_at":"2026-09-05T03:22:24Z"}