{"argument_date":"2008-04-23T00:00:00Z","arguments":[{"argument_date":"2008-04-23T00:00:00Z","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/2007/06-1505.pdf","paragraphs":["Mr. Russell argued the case presents a narrow question about disparate impact.","Chief Justice Roberts noted the ADEA prohibition is narrower than Title VII.","Justice Kennedy asked if a nondiscriminating alternative makes a practice unreasonable.","Justice Alito questioned if a practice can be age-based and reasonable simultaneously."],"reargument":false,"sequence":1,"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 10, lines 37-7","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2007/06-1505.pdf","page_label":"file page 10, lines 37-7"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 12, lines 11-23","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2007/06-1505.pdf","page_label":"file page 12, lines 11-23"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 12, lines 3-5","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2007/06-1505.pdf","page_label":"file page 12, lines 3-5"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 12, lines 47-5","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2007/06-1505.pdf","page_label":"file page 12, lines 47-5"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 17, lines 33-37","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2007/06-1505.pdf","page_label":"file page 17, lines 33-37"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 27, lines 15-7","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2007/06-1505.pdf","page_label":"file page 27, lines 15-7"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 19-43","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2007/06-1505.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 19-43"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 45-7","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2007/06-1505.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 45-7"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 7-17","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2007/06-1505.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 7-17"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 31-37","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2007/06-1505.pdf","page_label":"file page 4, lines 31-37"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 43-45","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2007/06-1505.pdf","page_label":"file page 4, lines 43-45"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 27-51","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2007/06-1505.pdf","page_label":"file page 5, lines 27-51"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 3-3","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2007/06-1505.pdf","page_label":"file page 5, lines 3-3"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 11-23","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2007/06-1505.pdf","page_label":"file page 7, lines 11-23"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 11-17","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2007/06-1505.pdf","page_label":"file page 8, lines 11-17"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 21-29","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2007/06-1505.pdf","page_label":"file page 8, lines 21-29"}]}],"caption":"Meacham v. Knolls Atomic Power Laboratory","case_history":[{"changed_at":"2026-08-29T20:06:27.173682Z","explanation":"An official oral-argument transcript was verified.","status":"argued"}],"case_status":"argued","dek":"The dispute centers on which party must prove an employment practice was reasonable under the ADEA.","dek_sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 17, lines 33-37","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2007/06-1505.pdf","page_label":"file page 17, lines 33-37"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 27, lines 15-7","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2007/06-1505.pdf","page_label":"file page 27, lines 15-7"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 19-43","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2007/06-1505.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 19-43"}],"dispositions":[],"latest_court_document_date":"2008-04-23T00:00:00Z","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/06-1505.html","primary_docket":"06-1505","revisions":[{"correction_note":"Rewritten to the concise citizen-facing editorial standard.","created_at":"2026-08-31T03:29:16.207850Z","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 allocation of the burden of persuasion for the reasonable factor other than age defense."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 17, lines 33-37","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2007/06-1505.pdf","page_label":"file page 17, lines 33-37"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 27, lines 15-7","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2007/06-1505.pdf","page_label":"file page 27, lines 15-7"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 19-43","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2007/06-1505.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 19-43"}]},{"heading":"How the case got here","paragraphs":["The Supreme Court heard oral argument in this case on April 23, 2008."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 7-17","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2007/06-1505.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 7-17"}]},{"heading":"What each side wants","paragraphs":["the sides that brought the case want the employer to bear the burden of persuasion.","the opposing sides want the employee to bear the burden of persuasion."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 17, lines 33-37","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2007/06-1505.pdf","page_label":"file page 17, lines 33-37"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 27, lines 15-7","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2007/06-1505.pdf","page_label":"file page 27, lines 15-7"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 19-43","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2007/06-1505.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 19-43"}]},{"heading":"What each side says","paragraphs":["the sides that brought the case argue the statute makes this an affirmative defense for the employer.","the opposing sides argue the employee must prove the practice was unreasonable."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 17, lines 33-37","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2007/06-1505.pdf","page_label":"file page 17, lines 33-37"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 27, lines 15-7","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2007/06-1505.pdf","page_label":"file page 27, lines 15-7"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 19-43","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2007/06-1505.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 19-43"}]},{"heading":"What the justices asked","paragraphs":["Does a nondiscriminating alternative make a reasonable practice unreasonable?","Is it a strain to say a practice was age-based but reasonable?"],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 10, lines 37-7","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2007/06-1505.pdf","page_label":"file page 10, lines 37-7"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 12, lines 11-23","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2007/06-1505.pdf","page_label":"file page 12, lines 11-23"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 12, lines 3-5","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2007/06-1505.pdf","page_label":"file page 12, lines 3-5"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 12, lines 47-5","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2007/06-1505.pdf","page_label":"file page 12, lines 47-5"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 45-7","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2007/06-1505.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 45-7"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 31-37","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2007/06-1505.pdf","page_label":"file page 4, lines 31-37"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 43-45","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2007/06-1505.pdf","page_label":"file page 4, lines 43-45"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 27-51","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2007/06-1505.pdf","page_label":"file page 5, lines 27-51"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 3-3","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2007/06-1505.pdf","page_label":"file page 5, lines 3-3"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 11-23","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2007/06-1505.pdf","page_label":"file page 7, lines 11-23"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 11-17","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2007/06-1505.pdf","page_label":"file page 8, lines 11-17"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 21-29","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2007/06-1505.pdf","page_label":"file page 8, lines 21-29"}]},{"heading":"Why it matters","paragraphs":["This determines which party must prove the reasonableness of an employment practice."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 17, lines 33-37","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2007/06-1505.pdf","page_label":"file page 17, lines 33-37"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 27, lines 15-7","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2007/06-1505.pdf","page_label":"file page 27, lines 15-7"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 19-43","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2007/06-1505.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 19-43"}]},{"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 37-7","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2007/06-1505.pdf","page_label":"file page 10, lines 37-7"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 12, lines 11-23","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2007/06-1505.pdf","page_label":"file page 12, lines 11-23"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 12, lines 3-5","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2007/06-1505.pdf","page_label":"file page 12, lines 3-5"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 12, lines 47-5","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2007/06-1505.pdf","page_label":"file page 12, lines 47-5"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 45-7","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2007/06-1505.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 45-7"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 7-17","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2007/06-1505.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 7-17"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 31-37","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2007/06-1505.pdf","page_label":"file page 4, lines 31-37"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 43-45","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2007/06-1505.pdf","page_label":"file page 4, lines 43-45"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 27-51","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2007/06-1505.pdf","page_label":"file page 5, lines 27-51"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 3-3","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2007/06-1505.pdf","page_label":"file page 5, lines 3-3"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 11-23","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2007/06-1505.pdf","page_label":"file page 7, lines 11-23"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 11-17","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2007/06-1505.pdf","page_label":"file page 8, lines 11-17"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 21-29","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2007/06-1505.pdf","page_label":"file page 8, lines 21-29"}]}],"slug":"2007-06-1505-meacham-v-knolls-atomic-power-laboratory","term":"2007","title":"Who bears the burden of proving an age-based practice was reasonable?","title_sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 17, lines 33-37","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2007/06-1505.pdf","page_label":"file page 17, lines 33-37"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 27, lines 15-7","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2007/06-1505.pdf","page_label":"file page 27, lines 15-7"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 19-43","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2007/06-1505.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 19-43"}],"topics":[],"undated_disposition_date_fallback":null,"updated_at":"2026-09-05T03:22:24Z"}