{"argument_date":"2006-10-04T00:00:00Z","arguments":[{"argument_date":"2006-10-04T00:00:00Z","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/2006/05-669.pdf","paragraphs":["BP's counsel argued the statute covers all contract actions.","BP's counsel stated the provision applies to agency adjudications.","The government's counsel argued the statute applies only to court suits.","The government's counsel cited the presumption against government limitations."],"reargument":false,"sequence":1,"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 22, lines 15-7","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2006/05-669.pdf","page_label":"file page 22, lines 15-7"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 17-7","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2006/05-669.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 17-7"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 7-15","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2006/05-669.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 7-15"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 13-39","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2006/05-669.pdf","page_label":"file page 4, lines 13-39"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 9-9","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2006/05-669.pdf","page_label":"file page 4, lines 9-9"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 35-37","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2006/05-669.pdf","page_label":"file page 5, lines 35-37"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 41-45","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2006/05-669.pdf","page_label":"file page 5, lines 41-45"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 7-11","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2006/05-669.pdf","page_label":"file page 5, lines 7-11"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 56, lines 33-25","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2006/05-669.pdf","page_label":"file page 56, lines 33-25"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 58, lines 27-29","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2006/05-669.pdf","page_label":"file page 58, lines 27-29"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 13-13","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2006/05-669.pdf","page_label":"file page 6, lines 13-13"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 31-33","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2006/05-669.pdf","page_label":"file page 6, lines 31-33"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 7-7","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2006/05-669.pdf","page_label":"file page 6, lines 7-7"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 17-31","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2006/05-669.pdf","page_label":"file page 7, lines 17-31"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 3-13","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2006/05-669.pdf","page_label":"file page 7, lines 3-13"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 51-3","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2006/05-669.pdf","page_label":"file page 7, lines 51-3"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 7-9","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2006/05-669.pdf","page_label":"file page 8, lines 7-9"}]}],"caption":"BP America Production Co. v. Burton","case_history":[{"changed_at":"2026-08-29T20:06:36.320076Z","explanation":"An official oral-argument transcript was verified.","status":"argued"},{"changed_at":"2026-08-29T20:06:36.320112Z","explanation":"An official oral-argument transcript was verified.","status":"argued"}],"case_status":"argued","dek":"BP argues the six-year limit applies to agency proceedings. The government says it applies only to court suits.","dek_sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 22, lines 15-7","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2006/05-669.pdf","page_label":"file page 22, lines 15-7"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 17-7","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2006/05-669.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 17-7"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 56, lines 33-25","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2006/05-669.pdf","page_label":"file page 56, lines 33-25"}],"dispositions":[],"latest_court_document_date":"2006-10-04T00:00:00Z","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/05-669.html","primary_docket":"05-669","revisions":[{"correction_note":"Rewritten to the concise citizen-facing editorial standard.","created_at":"2026-08-31T13:18:04.611507Z","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":["BP America Production seeks to recover money from a government contract. The government denies the claim. The dispute centers on whether a federal time limit bars the claim. BP argues the limit applies to agency actions. The government argues the limit applies only to court suits. The Court must decide which interpretation is correct."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 22, lines 15-7","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2006/05-669.pdf","page_label":"file page 22, lines 15-7"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 17-7","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2006/05-669.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 17-7"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 56, lines 33-25","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2006/05-669.pdf","page_label":"file page 56, lines 33-25"}]},{"heading":"How the case got here","paragraphs":["The Supreme Court heard oral argument in this case on October 4, 2006."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 7-15","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2006/05-669.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 7-15"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 58, lines 27-29","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2006/05-669.pdf","page_label":"file page 58, lines 27-29"}]},{"heading":"What each side wants","paragraphs":["BP wants the Court to apply the six-year limit to agency proceedings.","The government wants the Court to limit the statute to court suits."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 22, lines 15-7","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2006/05-669.pdf","page_label":"file page 22, lines 15-7"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 17-7","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2006/05-669.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 17-7"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 56, lines 33-25","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2006/05-669.pdf","page_label":"file page 56, lines 33-25"}]},{"heading":"What each side says","paragraphs":["BP argues the statute covers all contract actions, including agency adjudications.","The government argues the statute applies only to suits in court."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 22, lines 15-7","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2006/05-669.pdf","page_label":"file page 22, lines 15-7"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 17-7","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2006/05-669.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 17-7"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 56, lines 33-25","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2006/05-669.pdf","page_label":"file page 56, lines 33-25"}]},{"heading":"What the justices asked","paragraphs":["Justice Scalia asked if administrative proceedings are distinct from actions.","Justice Scalia asked which text supports the government's view."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 13-39","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2006/05-669.pdf","page_label":"file page 4, lines 13-39"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 9-9","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2006/05-669.pdf","page_label":"file page 4, lines 9-9"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 35-37","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2006/05-669.pdf","page_label":"file page 5, lines 35-37"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 41-45","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2006/05-669.pdf","page_label":"file page 5, lines 41-45"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 7-11","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2006/05-669.pdf","page_label":"file page 5, lines 7-11"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 58, lines 27-29","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2006/05-669.pdf","page_label":"file page 58, lines 27-29"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 13-13","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2006/05-669.pdf","page_label":"file page 6, lines 13-13"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 31-33","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2006/05-669.pdf","page_label":"file page 6, lines 31-33"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 7-7","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2006/05-669.pdf","page_label":"file page 6, lines 7-7"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 17-31","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2006/05-669.pdf","page_label":"file page 7, lines 17-31"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 3-13","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2006/05-669.pdf","page_label":"file page 7, lines 3-13"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 51-3","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2006/05-669.pdf","page_label":"file page 7, lines 51-3"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 7-9","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2006/05-669.pdf","page_label":"file page 8, lines 7-9"}]},{"heading":"Why it matters","paragraphs":["This case defines the scope of federal time limits. It determines when the government can pursue contract claims. It affects how agencies handle disputes. It shapes the balance between agency and court processes."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 22, lines 15-7","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2006/05-669.pdf","page_label":"file page 22, lines 15-7"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 17-7","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2006/05-669.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 17-7"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 56, lines 33-25","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2006/05-669.pdf","page_label":"file page 56, lines 33-25"}]},{"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 7-15","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2006/05-669.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 7-15"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 13-39","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2006/05-669.pdf","page_label":"file page 4, lines 13-39"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 9-9","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2006/05-669.pdf","page_label":"file page 4, lines 9-9"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 35-37","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2006/05-669.pdf","page_label":"file page 5, lines 35-37"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 41-45","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2006/05-669.pdf","page_label":"file page 5, lines 41-45"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 7-11","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2006/05-669.pdf","page_label":"file page 5, lines 7-11"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 58, lines 27-29","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2006/05-669.pdf","page_label":"file page 58, lines 27-29"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 13-13","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2006/05-669.pdf","page_label":"file page 6, lines 13-13"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 31-33","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2006/05-669.pdf","page_label":"file page 6, lines 31-33"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 7-7","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2006/05-669.pdf","page_label":"file page 6, lines 7-7"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 17-31","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2006/05-669.pdf","page_label":"file page 7, lines 17-31"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 3-13","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2006/05-669.pdf","page_label":"file page 7, lines 3-13"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 51-3","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2006/05-669.pdf","page_label":"file page 7, lines 51-3"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 7-9","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2006/05-669.pdf","page_label":"file page 8, lines 7-9"}]}],"slug":"2006-05-669-bp-america-production-co-v-burton","term":"2006","title":"Does the federal statute of limitations bar agency contract claims?","title_sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 22, lines 15-7","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2006/05-669.pdf","page_label":"file page 22, lines 15-7"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 17-7","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2006/05-669.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 17-7"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 56, lines 33-25","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2006/05-669.pdf","page_label":"file page 56, lines 33-25"}],"topics":[],"undated_disposition_date_fallback":null,"updated_at":"2026-09-05T03:22:24Z"}