{"argument_date":"2008-10-08T00:00:00Z","arguments":[{"argument_date":"2008-10-08T00:00:00Z","heading":"What happened at the argument","official_detail_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcript/2008","official_transcript_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/06-1595.pdf","paragraphs":["Eric Schnapper argued Crawford's report was protected opposition. He stated she reported specific harassment by a director. He claimed this conduct fell under the first clause of section 704(a).","Ms. Blatt argued the case should resolve under the opposition clause. She stated employees do not need magic words to express opposition. She argued they do not need to initiate the interview to be protected.","Mr. Young argued Title VII resulted from a congressional compromise. He stated it balanced employee and employer interests. He warned against too broad an entry into retaliation claims."],"reargument":false,"sequence":1,"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 17, lines 27-5","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/06-1595.pdf","page_label":"file page 17, lines 27-5"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 27, lines 43-21","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/06-1595.pdf","page_label":"file page 27, lines 43-21"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 19-15","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/06-1595.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 19-15"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 7-17","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/06-1595.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 7-17"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 27-29","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/06-1595.pdf","page_label":"file page 4, lines 27-29"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 35-37","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/06-1595.pdf","page_label":"file page 4, lines 35-37"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 43-47","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/06-1595.pdf","page_label":"file page 4, lines 43-47"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 11-17","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/06-1595.pdf","page_label":"file page 5, lines 11-17"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 3-5","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/06-1595.pdf","page_label":"file page 5, lines 3-5"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 31-33","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/06-1595.pdf","page_label":"file page 5, lines 31-33"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 43-51","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/06-1595.pdf","page_label":"file page 5, lines 43-51"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 41-19","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/06-1595.pdf","page_label":"file page 6, lines 41-19"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 9-25","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/06-1595.pdf","page_label":"file page 6, lines 9-25"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 23-29","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/06-1595.pdf","page_label":"file page 7, lines 23-29"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 35-47","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/06-1595.pdf","page_label":"file page 7, lines 35-47"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 19-37","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/06-1595.pdf","page_label":"file page 8, lines 19-37"}]}],"caption":"Crawford v. Metropolitan Government of Nashville and Davidson Cty.","case_history":[{"changed_at":"2026-08-29T20:06:27.037843Z","explanation":"An official oral-argument transcript was verified.","status":"argued"}],"case_status":"argued","dek":"Vicky Crawford reported harassment to city officials. Her employer fired her. She claims retaliation. The city argues her report was not protected opposition.","dek_sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 17, lines 27-5","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/06-1595.pdf","page_label":"file page 17, lines 27-5"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 27, lines 43-21","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/06-1595.pdf","page_label":"file page 27, lines 43-21"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 19-15","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/06-1595.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 19-15"}],"dispositions":[],"latest_court_document_date":"2008-10-08T00:00:00Z","maturity":"official_transcript","official_detail_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcript/2008","official_disposition_urls":[],"official_docket_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/docket/docketfiles/html/public/06-1595.html","primary_docket":"06-1595","revisions":[{"correction_note":"Rewritten to the concise citizen-facing editorial standard.","created_at":"2026-08-31T03:22:15.700320Z","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 scope of Title VII protection. It asks if an employee's specific report of harassment qualifies as opposition to unlawful conduct. The answer defines what actions trigger anti-retaliation safeguards."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 17, lines 27-5","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/06-1595.pdf","page_label":"file page 17, lines 27-5"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 27, lines 43-21","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/06-1595.pdf","page_label":"file page 27, lines 43-21"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 19-15","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/06-1595.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 19-15"}]},{"heading":"How the case got here","paragraphs":["The Supreme Court heard oral argument in this case on October 8, 2008."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 7-17","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/06-1595.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 7-17"}]},{"heading":"What each side wants","paragraphs":["Crawford wants the Court to rule that her specific report of harassment was protected opposition. She seeks a reversal of the lower court's dismissal of her claim.","The city wants the Court to rule that her report was not protected opposition. It seeks an affirmation of the lower court's dismissal of her claim."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 17, lines 27-5","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/06-1595.pdf","page_label":"file page 17, lines 27-5"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 27, lines 43-21","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/06-1595.pdf","page_label":"file page 27, lines 43-21"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 19-15","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/06-1595.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 19-15"}]},{"heading":"What each side says","paragraphs":["Crawford argues her report was protected under the opposition clause of Title VII. She contends she did not need to use magic words or initiate the interview to be protected.","The city argues Title VII balances employee and employer interests. It contends that broad protection allows juries to decide retaliation based on trivial statements."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 17, lines 27-5","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/06-1595.pdf","page_label":"file page 17, lines 27-5"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 27, lines 43-21","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/06-1595.pdf","page_label":"file page 27, lines 43-21"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 19-15","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/06-1595.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 19-15"}]},{"heading":"What the justices asked","paragraphs":["Justice Scalia asked if a vague statement about harassment being terrible counts as opposition. He worried this would give juries too much power to decide retaliation claims.","Justice Ginsburg asked why the Court focused on hypotheticals. She noted Crawford gave specific testimony about her boss harassing her, not just general opposition to harassment."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 27-29","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/06-1595.pdf","page_label":"file page 4, lines 27-29"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 35-37","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/06-1595.pdf","page_label":"file page 4, lines 35-37"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 43-47","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/06-1595.pdf","page_label":"file page 4, lines 43-47"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 11-17","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/06-1595.pdf","page_label":"file page 5, lines 11-17"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 3-5","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/06-1595.pdf","page_label":"file page 5, lines 3-5"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 31-33","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/06-1595.pdf","page_label":"file page 5, lines 31-33"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 43-51","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/06-1595.pdf","page_label":"file page 5, lines 43-51"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 41-19","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/06-1595.pdf","page_label":"file page 6, lines 41-19"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 9-25","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/06-1595.pdf","page_label":"file page 6, lines 9-25"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 23-29","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/06-1595.pdf","page_label":"file page 7, lines 23-29"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 35-47","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/06-1595.pdf","page_label":"file page 7, lines 35-47"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 19-37","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/06-1595.pdf","page_label":"file page 8, lines 19-37"}]},{"heading":"Why it matters","paragraphs":["The outcome defines the threshold for protected activity under Title VII. It determines whether specific reports of harassment trigger anti-retaliation protections. This shapes workplace conduct and employer liability nationwide."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 17, lines 27-5","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/06-1595.pdf","page_label":"file page 17, lines 27-5"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 27, lines 43-21","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/06-1595.pdf","page_label":"file page 27, lines 43-21"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 19-15","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/06-1595.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 19-15"}]},{"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 7-17","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/06-1595.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 7-17"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 27-29","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/06-1595.pdf","page_label":"file page 4, lines 27-29"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 35-37","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/06-1595.pdf","page_label":"file page 4, lines 35-37"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 43-47","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/06-1595.pdf","page_label":"file page 4, lines 43-47"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 11-17","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/06-1595.pdf","page_label":"file page 5, lines 11-17"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 3-5","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/06-1595.pdf","page_label":"file page 5, lines 3-5"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 31-33","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/06-1595.pdf","page_label":"file page 5, lines 31-33"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 43-51","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/06-1595.pdf","page_label":"file page 5, lines 43-51"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 41-19","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/06-1595.pdf","page_label":"file page 6, lines 41-19"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 9-25","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/06-1595.pdf","page_label":"file page 6, lines 9-25"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 23-29","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/06-1595.pdf","page_label":"file page 7, lines 23-29"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 35-47","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/06-1595.pdf","page_label":"file page 7, lines 35-47"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 19-37","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/06-1595.pdf","page_label":"file page 8, lines 19-37"}]}],"slug":"2008-06-1595-crawford-v-metropolitan-government-of-nashville-and-davidson-cty","term":"2008","title":"Does reporting harassment to a supervisor count as protected opposition under Title VII?","title_sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 17, lines 27-5","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/06-1595.pdf","page_label":"file page 17, lines 27-5"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 27, lines 43-21","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/06-1595.pdf","page_label":"file page 27, lines 43-21"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 19-15","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/06-1595.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 19-15"}],"topics":[],"undated_disposition_date_fallback":null,"updated_at":"2026-09-05T03:22:24Z"}