{"argument_date":"2008-12-02T00:00:00Z","arguments":[{"argument_date":"2008-12-02T00:00:00Z","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/2008/07-1125.pdf","paragraphs":["Charles Rothfeld argued for the sides that brought the case.","Ms. Hodge argued for the opposing sides.","Justices questioned the statutory basis of the claims."],"reargument":false,"sequence":1,"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 11, lines 17-19","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/07-1125.pdf","page_label":"file page 11, lines 17-19"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 11, lines 25-35","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/07-1125.pdf","page_label":"file page 11, lines 25-35"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 11, lines 7-13","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/07-1125.pdf","page_label":"file page 11, lines 7-13"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 27, lines 43-7","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/07-1125.pdf","page_label":"file page 27, lines 43-7"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 19-25","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/07-1125.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 19-25"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 27-29","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/07-1125.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 27-29"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 41-41","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/07-1125.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 41-41"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 43-47","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/07-1125.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 43-47"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 49-49","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/07-1125.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 49-49"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 7-17","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/07-1125.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 7-17"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 51-21","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/07-1125.pdf","page_label":"file page 4, lines 51-21"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 45-51","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/07-1125.pdf","page_label":"file page 5, lines 45-51"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 7-9","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/07-1125.pdf","page_label":"file page 6, lines 7-9"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 27-31","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/07-1125.pdf","page_label":"file page 7, lines 27-31"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 11-51","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/07-1125.pdf","page_label":"file page 8, lines 11-51"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 29-33","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/07-1125.pdf","page_label":"file page 9, lines 29-33"}]}],"caption":"Fitzgerald v. Barnstable School Comm.","case_history":[{"changed_at":"2026-08-29T20:06:26.742446Z","explanation":"An official oral-argument transcript was verified.","status":"argued"}],"case_status":"argued","dek":"the sides that brought the case seek to sue under the Equal Protection Clause. the opposing sides argue Title IX bars that path.","dek_sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 27, lines 43-7","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/07-1125.pdf","page_label":"file page 27, lines 43-7"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 19-25","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/07-1125.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 19-25"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 43-47","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/07-1125.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 43-47"}],"dispositions":[],"latest_court_document_date":"2008-12-02T00:00:00Z","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/07-1125.html","primary_docket":"07-1125","revisions":[{"correction_note":"Rewritten to the concise citizen-facing editorial standard.","created_at":"2026-08-31T02:58:18.416192Z","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 whether Title IX displaces Section 1983 claims. the sides that brought the case want to sue for sex discrimination. the opposing sides want to limit remedies to Title IX."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 27, lines 43-7","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/07-1125.pdf","page_label":"file page 27, lines 43-7"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 19-25","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/07-1125.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 19-25"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 43-47","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/07-1125.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 43-47"}]},{"heading":"How the case got here","paragraphs":["The Supreme Court heard oral argument in this case on December 2, 2008."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 7-17","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/07-1125.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 7-17"}]},{"heading":"What each side wants","paragraphs":["the sides that brought the case want to sue under the Equal Protection Clause.","the opposing sides want to bar Section 1983 claims."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 27, lines 43-7","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/07-1125.pdf","page_label":"file page 27, lines 43-7"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 19-25","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/07-1125.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 19-25"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 43-47","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/07-1125.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 43-47"}]},{"heading":"What each side says","paragraphs":["the sides that brought the case argue Title IX covers broader discrimination than the Constitution.","the opposing sides argue Title IX provides the exclusive remedy."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 27, lines 43-7","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/07-1125.pdf","page_label":"file page 27, lines 43-7"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 19-25","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/07-1125.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 19-25"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 43-47","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/07-1125.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 43-47"}]},{"heading":"What the justices asked","paragraphs":["Chief Justice Roberts asked if Congress omitted a cause of action.","Justice Breyer asked if the complaint alleged specific exclusion."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 11, lines 17-19","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/07-1125.pdf","page_label":"file page 11, lines 17-19"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 11, lines 25-35","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/07-1125.pdf","page_label":"file page 11, lines 25-35"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 11, lines 7-13","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/07-1125.pdf","page_label":"file page 11, lines 7-13"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 27-29","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/07-1125.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 27-29"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 41-41","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/07-1125.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 41-41"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 49-49","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/07-1125.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 49-49"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 51-21","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/07-1125.pdf","page_label":"file page 4, lines 51-21"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 45-51","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/07-1125.pdf","page_label":"file page 5, lines 45-51"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 7-9","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/07-1125.pdf","page_label":"file page 6, lines 7-9"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 27-31","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/07-1125.pdf","page_label":"file page 7, lines 27-31"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 11-51","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/07-1125.pdf","page_label":"file page 8, lines 11-51"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 29-33","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/07-1125.pdf","page_label":"file page 9, lines 29-33"}]},{"heading":"Why it matters","paragraphs":["This dispute defines the scope of federal anti-discrimination remedies. It determines which legal path students use to challenge bias. The outcome shapes future litigation strategies for schools and families."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 27, lines 43-7","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/07-1125.pdf","page_label":"file page 27, lines 43-7"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 19-25","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/07-1125.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 19-25"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 43-47","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/07-1125.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 43-47"}]},{"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 11, lines 17-19","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/07-1125.pdf","page_label":"file page 11, lines 17-19"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 11, lines 25-35","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/07-1125.pdf","page_label":"file page 11, lines 25-35"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 11, lines 7-13","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/07-1125.pdf","page_label":"file page 11, lines 7-13"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 27-29","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/07-1125.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 27-29"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 41-41","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/07-1125.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 41-41"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 49-49","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/07-1125.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 49-49"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 7-17","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/07-1125.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 7-17"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 51-21","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/07-1125.pdf","page_label":"file page 4, lines 51-21"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 45-51","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/07-1125.pdf","page_label":"file page 5, lines 45-51"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 7-9","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/07-1125.pdf","page_label":"file page 6, lines 7-9"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 27-31","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/07-1125.pdf","page_label":"file page 7, lines 27-31"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 11-51","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/07-1125.pdf","page_label":"file page 8, lines 11-51"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 29-33","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/07-1125.pdf","page_label":"file page 9, lines 29-33"}]}],"slug":"2008-07-1125-fitzgerald-v-barnstable-school-comm","term":"2008","title":"Can Title IX block equal protection claims?","title_sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 27, lines 43-7","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/07-1125.pdf","page_label":"file page 27, lines 43-7"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 19-25","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/07-1125.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 19-25"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 43-47","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/07-1125.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 43-47"}],"topics":[],"undated_disposition_date_fallback":null,"updated_at":"2026-09-05T03:22:24Z"}