{"argument_date":"2007-12-03T00:00:00Z","arguments":[{"argument_date":"2007-12-03T00:00:00Z","heading":"What happened at the argument","official_detail_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcript/2007","official_transcript_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2007/06-1221.pdf","paragraphs":["Sprint's lawyer argued that the decision-maker's actions are the only relevant facts for the case.","Mendelsohn's lawyer argued that evidence of other supervisors' bias can sometimes help prove the specific claim.","Justice Kennedy questioned whether the lower court's short order truly banned all pattern evidence."],"reargument":false,"sequence":1,"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 22, lines 23-33","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2007/06-1221.pdf","page_label":"file page 22, lines 23-33"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 19-41","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2007/06-1221.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 19-41"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 43-7","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2007/06-1221.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 43-7"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 7-17","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2007/06-1221.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 7-17"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 33, lines 29-21","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2007/06-1221.pdf","page_label":"file page 33, lines 29-21"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 17-25","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2007/06-1221.pdf","page_label":"file page 4, lines 17-25"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 15-21","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2007/06-1221.pdf","page_label":"file page 5, lines 15-21"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 37-39","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2007/06-1221.pdf","page_label":"file page 5, lines 37-39"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 45-5","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2007/06-1221.pdf","page_label":"file page 5, lines 45-5"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 11-13","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2007/06-1221.pdf","page_label":"file page 6, lines 11-13"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 19-19","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2007/06-1221.pdf","page_label":"file page 6, lines 19-19"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 27-41","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2007/06-1221.pdf","page_label":"file page 6, lines 27-41"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 60, lines 29-41","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2007/06-1221.pdf","page_label":"file page 60, lines 29-41"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 60, lines 43-51","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2007/06-1221.pdf","page_label":"file page 60, lines 43-51"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 61, lines 15-17","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2007/06-1221.pdf","page_label":"file page 61, lines 15-17"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 61, lines 3-11","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2007/06-1221.pdf","page_label":"file page 61, lines 3-11"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 62, lines 31-37","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2007/06-1221.pdf","page_label":"file page 62, lines 31-37"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 62, lines 5-21","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2007/06-1221.pdf","page_label":"file page 62, lines 5-21"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 63, lines 9-11","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2007/06-1221.pdf","page_label":"file page 63, lines 9-11"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 33-37","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2007/06-1221.pdf","page_label":"file page 7, lines 33-37"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 43-51","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2007/06-1221.pdf","page_label":"file page 7, lines 43-51"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 5-19","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2007/06-1221.pdf","page_label":"file page 7, lines 5-19"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 5-5","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2007/06-1221.pdf","page_label":"file page 8, lines 5-5"}]}],"caption":"Sprint/United Management Co. v. Mendelsohn","case_history":[{"changed_at":"2026-08-29T20:06:27.560771Z","explanation":"An official oral-argument transcript was verified.","status":"argued"},{"changed_at":"2026-08-29T20:06:27.575764Z","explanation":"An official oral-argument transcript was verified.","status":"argued"}],"case_status":"argued","dek":"Sprint argues that evidence of other supervisors' bias is irrelevant to a specific worker's claim. The worker argues this evidence helps prove their own supervisor acted unfairly.","dek_sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 22, lines 23-33","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2007/06-1221.pdf","page_label":"file page 22, lines 23-33"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 19-41","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2007/06-1221.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 19-41"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 33, lines 29-21","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2007/06-1221.pdf","page_label":"file page 33, lines 29-21"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 60, lines 43-51","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2007/06-1221.pdf","page_label":"file page 60, lines 43-51"}],"dispositions":[],"latest_court_document_date":"2007-12-03T00:00:00Z","maturity":"official_transcript","official_detail_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcript/2007","official_disposition_urls":[],"official_docket_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/docket/docketfiles/html/public/06-1221.html","primary_docket":"06-1221","revisions":[{"correction_note":"Rewritten to the concise citizen-facing editorial standard.","created_at":"2026-08-31T21:41:37.933959Z","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 how courts handle evidence of bias by other managers. The dispute centers on whether a worker can show their own supervisor acted unfairly by pointing to similar actions by different managers."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 22, lines 23-33","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2007/06-1221.pdf","page_label":"file page 22, lines 23-33"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 19-41","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2007/06-1221.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 19-41"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 33, lines 29-21","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2007/06-1221.pdf","page_label":"file page 33, lines 29-21"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 60, lines 43-51","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2007/06-1221.pdf","page_label":"file page 60, lines 43-51"}]},{"heading":"How the case got here","paragraphs":["The Supreme Court heard oral argument in this case on December 3, 2007."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 7-17","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2007/06-1221.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 7-17"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 60, lines 29-41","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2007/06-1221.pdf","page_label":"file page 60, lines 29-41"}]},{"heading":"What each side wants","paragraphs":["Sprint wants the Court to confirm that evidence of other supervisors' bias is generally irrelevant to a specific worker's claim.","Mendelsohn wants the Court to allow evidence of other supervisors' bias to help prove their own supervisor acted unfairly."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 22, lines 23-33","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2007/06-1221.pdf","page_label":"file page 22, lines 23-33"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 19-41","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2007/06-1221.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 19-41"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 33, lines 29-21","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2007/06-1221.pdf","page_label":"file page 33, lines 29-21"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 60, lines 43-51","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2007/06-1221.pdf","page_label":"file page 60, lines 43-51"}]},{"heading":"What each side says","paragraphs":["Sprint argues that an employment decision is made by the specific person who made it, so other managers' actions do not matter.","Mendelsohn argues that evidence of discrimination by other supervisors is sometimes admissible to help prove discrimination by the plaintiff's own supervisor."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 22, lines 23-33","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2007/06-1221.pdf","page_label":"file page 22, lines 23-33"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 19-41","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2007/06-1221.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 19-41"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 33, lines 29-21","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2007/06-1221.pdf","page_label":"file page 33, lines 29-21"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 60, lines 43-51","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2007/06-1221.pdf","page_label":"file page 60, lines 43-51"}]},{"heading":"What the justices asked","paragraphs":["Justice Souter asked if a connection exists between the other supervisors' actions and the specific claim.","Justice Scalia asked whether the district court explained its order based on specific evidence rules or general discretion."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 43-7","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2007/06-1221.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 43-7"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 17-25","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2007/06-1221.pdf","page_label":"file page 4, lines 17-25"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 15-21","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2007/06-1221.pdf","page_label":"file page 5, lines 15-21"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 37-39","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2007/06-1221.pdf","page_label":"file page 5, lines 37-39"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 45-5","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2007/06-1221.pdf","page_label":"file page 5, lines 45-5"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 11-13","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2007/06-1221.pdf","page_label":"file page 6, lines 11-13"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 19-19","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2007/06-1221.pdf","page_label":"file page 6, lines 19-19"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 27-41","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2007/06-1221.pdf","page_label":"file page 6, lines 27-41"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 60, lines 29-41","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2007/06-1221.pdf","page_label":"file page 60, lines 29-41"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 61, lines 15-17","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2007/06-1221.pdf","page_label":"file page 61, lines 15-17"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 61, lines 3-11","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2007/06-1221.pdf","page_label":"file page 61, lines 3-11"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 62, lines 31-37","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2007/06-1221.pdf","page_label":"file page 62, lines 31-37"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 62, lines 5-21","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2007/06-1221.pdf","page_label":"file page 62, lines 5-21"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 63, lines 9-11","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2007/06-1221.pdf","page_label":"file page 63, lines 9-11"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 33-37","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2007/06-1221.pdf","page_label":"file page 7, lines 33-37"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 43-51","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2007/06-1221.pdf","page_label":"file page 7, lines 43-51"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 5-19","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2007/06-1221.pdf","page_label":"file page 7, lines 5-19"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 5-5","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2007/06-1221.pdf","page_label":"file page 8, lines 5-5"}]},{"heading":"Why it matters","paragraphs":["This case defines how workers prove bias in individual employment disputes. It clarifies whether evidence of company-wide patterns helps or hinders a single worker's legal claim."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 22, lines 23-33","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2007/06-1221.pdf","page_label":"file page 22, lines 23-33"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 19-41","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2007/06-1221.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 19-41"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 33, lines 29-21","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2007/06-1221.pdf","page_label":"file page 33, lines 29-21"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 60, lines 43-51","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2007/06-1221.pdf","page_label":"file page 60, lines 43-51"}]},{"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 43-7","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2007/06-1221.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 43-7"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 7-17","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2007/06-1221.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 7-17"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 17-25","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2007/06-1221.pdf","page_label":"file page 4, lines 17-25"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 15-21","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2007/06-1221.pdf","page_label":"file page 5, lines 15-21"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 37-39","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2007/06-1221.pdf","page_label":"file page 5, lines 37-39"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 45-5","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2007/06-1221.pdf","page_label":"file page 5, lines 45-5"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 11-13","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2007/06-1221.pdf","page_label":"file page 6, lines 11-13"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 19-19","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2007/06-1221.pdf","page_label":"file page 6, lines 19-19"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 27-41","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2007/06-1221.pdf","page_label":"file page 6, lines 27-41"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 60, lines 29-41","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2007/06-1221.pdf","page_label":"file page 60, lines 29-41"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 61, lines 15-17","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2007/06-1221.pdf","page_label":"file page 61, lines 15-17"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 61, lines 3-11","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2007/06-1221.pdf","page_label":"file page 61, lines 3-11"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 62, lines 31-37","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2007/06-1221.pdf","page_label":"file page 62, lines 31-37"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 62, lines 5-21","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2007/06-1221.pdf","page_label":"file page 62, lines 5-21"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 63, lines 9-11","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2007/06-1221.pdf","page_label":"file page 63, lines 9-11"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 33-37","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2007/06-1221.pdf","page_label":"file page 7, lines 33-37"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 43-51","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2007/06-1221.pdf","page_label":"file page 7, lines 43-51"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 5-19","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2007/06-1221.pdf","page_label":"file page 7, lines 5-19"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 5-5","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2007/06-1221.pdf","page_label":"file page 8, lines 5-5"}]}],"slug":"2007-06-1221-sprint-united-management-co-v-mendelsohn","term":"2007","title":"Can a worker use evidence of other supervisors' bias to prove their own supervisor's discrimination?","title_sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 22, lines 23-33","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2007/06-1221.pdf","page_label":"file page 22, lines 23-33"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 19-41","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2007/06-1221.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 19-41"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 33, lines 29-21","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2007/06-1221.pdf","page_label":"file page 33, lines 29-21"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 60, lines 43-51","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2007/06-1221.pdf","page_label":"file page 60, lines 43-51"}],"topics":[],"undated_disposition_date_fallback":null,"updated_at":"2026-09-05T03:22:24Z"}