{"argument_date":"2007-01-16T00:00:00Z","arguments":[{"argument_date":"2007-01-16T00:00:00Z","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/2006/06-84.pdf","paragraphs":["Ms. Mahoney argued the Ninth Circuit's interpretation of willfulness was flawed. She requested a remand to explore communications with counsel.","Mr. Shorr argued Congress intended to require knowing violations when it used specific language. He claimed the statute here lacks that explicit requirement.","Ms. Millett argued the Court of Appeals correctly included a reckless disregard component. She asserted this fits the civil context of the law."],"reargument":false,"sequence":1,"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 10, lines 19-19","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2006/06-84.pdf","page_label":"file page 10, lines 19-19"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 10, lines 49-5","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2006/06-84.pdf","page_label":"file page 10, lines 49-5"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 10, lines 5-11","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2006/06-84.pdf","page_label":"file page 10, lines 5-11"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 18, lines 37-23","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2006/06-84.pdf","page_label":"file page 18, lines 37-23"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 28, lines 19-41","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2006/06-84.pdf","page_label":"file page 28, lines 19-41"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 21-49","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2006/06-84.pdf","page_label":"file page 4, lines 21-49"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 7-19","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2006/06-84.pdf","page_label":"file page 4, lines 7-19"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 51-7","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2006/06-84.pdf","page_label":"file page 5, lines 51-7"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 35-35","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2006/06-84.pdf","page_label":"file page 6, lines 35-35"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 39-47","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2006/06-84.pdf","page_label":"file page 6, lines 39-47"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 19-33","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2006/06-84.pdf","page_label":"file page 7, lines 19-33"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 43-45","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2006/06-84.pdf","page_label":"file page 7, lines 43-45"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 3-5","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2006/06-84.pdf","page_label":"file page 8, lines 3-5"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 31-37","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2006/06-84.pdf","page_label":"file page 8, lines 31-37"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 51-3","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2006/06-84.pdf","page_label":"file page 8, lines 51-3"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 43-51","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2006/06-84.pdf","page_label":"file page 9, lines 43-51"}]}],"caption":"Safeco Ins. Co. of America v. Burr","case_history":[{"changed_at":"2026-08-29T20:06:28.049733Z","explanation":"An official oral-argument transcript was verified.","status":"argued"}],"case_status":"argued","dek":"Safeco argues willfulness requires actual knowledge. Burr argues it includes reckless disregard of legal duties.","dek_sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 18, lines 37-23","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2006/06-84.pdf","page_label":"file page 18, lines 37-23"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 28, lines 19-41","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2006/06-84.pdf","page_label":"file page 28, lines 19-41"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 21-49","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2006/06-84.pdf","page_label":"file page 4, lines 21-49"}],"dispositions":[],"latest_court_document_date":"2007-01-16T00:00:00Z","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/06-84.html","primary_docket":"06-84","revisions":[{"correction_note":"Rewritten to the concise citizen-facing editorial standard.","created_at":"2026-08-31T12:47:32.430751Z","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":["The case tests the definition of willful violation under the Fair Credit Reporting Act. Safeco seeks a narrow standard. Burr seeks a broader standard covering reckless conduct."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 18, lines 37-23","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2006/06-84.pdf","page_label":"file page 18, lines 37-23"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 28, lines 19-41","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2006/06-84.pdf","page_label":"file page 28, lines 19-41"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 21-49","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2006/06-84.pdf","page_label":"file page 4, lines 21-49"}]},{"heading":"How the case got here","paragraphs":["The Supreme Court heard oral argument in this case on January 16, 2007."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 7-19","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2006/06-84.pdf","page_label":"file page 4, lines 7-19"}]},{"heading":"What each side wants","paragraphs":["Safeco wants the Court to limit willfulness to actual knowledge of a legal violation.","Burr wants the Court to confirm willfulness includes reckless disregard of legal duties."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 18, lines 37-23","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2006/06-84.pdf","page_label":"file page 18, lines 37-23"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 28, lines 19-41","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2006/06-84.pdf","page_label":"file page 28, lines 19-41"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 21-49","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2006/06-84.pdf","page_label":"file page 4, lines 21-49"}]},{"heading":"What each side says","paragraphs":["Safeco argues Congress expressly required knowing violations elsewhere in the statute. It claims the absence of that language here implies a lower standard.","Burr argues the civil context of the statute supports a recklessness component. It claims the lower court correctly applied this broader definition."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 18, lines 37-23","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2006/06-84.pdf","page_label":"file page 18, lines 37-23"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 28, lines 19-41","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2006/06-84.pdf","page_label":"file page 28, lines 19-41"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 21-49","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2006/06-84.pdf","page_label":"file page 4, lines 21-49"}]},{"heading":"What the justices asked","paragraphs":["Justice Scalia asked about reckless disregard.","Justice Breyer questioned the clarity of the term reckless in legal contexts. He asked about the difference between standards. He noted the Model Penal Code attempted clarification based on Court opinions. He asked if parties could not have been conscious of risk given their legal consultations. He asked if actual knowledge is required."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 10, lines 19-19","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2006/06-84.pdf","page_label":"file page 10, lines 19-19"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 10, lines 49-5","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2006/06-84.pdf","page_label":"file page 10, lines 49-5"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 10, lines 5-11","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2006/06-84.pdf","page_label":"file page 10, lines 5-11"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 51-7","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2006/06-84.pdf","page_label":"file page 5, lines 51-7"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 35-35","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2006/06-84.pdf","page_label":"file page 6, lines 35-35"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 39-47","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2006/06-84.pdf","page_label":"file page 6, lines 39-47"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 19-33","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2006/06-84.pdf","page_label":"file page 7, lines 19-33"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 43-45","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2006/06-84.pdf","page_label":"file page 7, lines 43-45"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 3-5","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2006/06-84.pdf","page_label":"file page 8, lines 3-5"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 31-37","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2006/06-84.pdf","page_label":"file page 8, lines 31-37"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 51-3","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2006/06-84.pdf","page_label":"file page 8, lines 51-3"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 43-51","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2006/06-84.pdf","page_label":"file page 9, lines 43-51"}]},{"heading":"Why it matters","paragraphs":["The definition of willfulness determines liability for insurance companies. It affects how firms manage legal risk. It shapes the standard for civil penalties under the Fair Credit Reporting Act."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 18, lines 37-23","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2006/06-84.pdf","page_label":"file page 18, lines 37-23"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 28, lines 19-41","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2006/06-84.pdf","page_label":"file page 28, lines 19-41"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 21-49","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2006/06-84.pdf","page_label":"file page 4, lines 21-49"}]},{"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 19-19","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2006/06-84.pdf","page_label":"file page 10, lines 19-19"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 10, lines 49-5","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2006/06-84.pdf","page_label":"file page 10, lines 49-5"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 10, lines 5-11","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2006/06-84.pdf","page_label":"file page 10, lines 5-11"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 7-19","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2006/06-84.pdf","page_label":"file page 4, lines 7-19"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 51-7","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2006/06-84.pdf","page_label":"file page 5, lines 51-7"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 35-35","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2006/06-84.pdf","page_label":"file page 6, lines 35-35"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 39-47","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2006/06-84.pdf","page_label":"file page 6, lines 39-47"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 19-33","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2006/06-84.pdf","page_label":"file page 7, lines 19-33"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 43-45","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2006/06-84.pdf","page_label":"file page 7, lines 43-45"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 3-5","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2006/06-84.pdf","page_label":"file page 8, lines 3-5"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 31-37","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2006/06-84.pdf","page_label":"file page 8, lines 31-37"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 51-3","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2006/06-84.pdf","page_label":"file page 8, lines 51-3"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 43-51","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2006/06-84.pdf","page_label":"file page 9, lines 43-51"}]}],"slug":"2006-06-84-safeco-ins-co-of-america-v-burr","term":"2006","title":"Does willful violation require actual knowledge or include reckless disregard?","title_sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 18, lines 37-23","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2006/06-84.pdf","page_label":"file page 18, lines 37-23"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 28, lines 19-41","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2006/06-84.pdf","page_label":"file page 28, lines 19-41"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 21-49","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2006/06-84.pdf","page_label":"file page 4, lines 21-49"}],"topics":[],"undated_disposition_date_fallback":null,"updated_at":"2026-09-05T03:22:24Z"}