{"argument_date":"2009-02-24T00:00:00Z","arguments":[{"argument_date":"2009-02-24T00:00:00Z","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/2008/07-1601.pdf","paragraphs":["Ms. Sullivan argued the lower court ignored statutory language.","Ms. Sullivan claimed the buyer had an attenuated connection to harm.","Mr. Stewart argued for arranger liability under the statute.","Ms. Mahoney cited the Restatement to support apportionment standards."],"reargument":false,"sequence":1,"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 10, lines 11-13","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/07-1601.pdf","page_label":"file page 10, lines 11-13"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 10, lines 23-31","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/07-1601.pdf","page_label":"file page 10, lines 23-31"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 11, lines 11-23","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/07-1601.pdf","page_label":"file page 11, lines 11-23"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 18, lines 13-23","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/07-1601.pdf","page_label":"file page 18, lines 13-23"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 26, lines 33-9","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/07-1601.pdf","page_label":"file page 26, lines 33-9"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 23-23","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/07-1601.pdf","page_label":"file page 4, lines 23-23"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 7-21","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/07-1601.pdf","page_label":"file page 4, lines 7-21"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 25-37","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/07-1601.pdf","page_label":"file page 5, lines 25-37"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 57, lines 19-29","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/07-1601.pdf","page_label":"file page 57, lines 19-29"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 57, lines 31-19","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/07-1601.pdf","page_label":"file page 57, lines 31-19"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 58, lines 21-39","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/07-1601.pdf","page_label":"file page 58, lines 21-39"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 59, lines 51-21","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/07-1601.pdf","page_label":"file page 59, lines 51-21"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 59, lines 9-21","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/07-1601.pdf","page_label":"file page 59, lines 9-21"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 41-49","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/07-1601.pdf","page_label":"file page 6, lines 41-49"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 5-15","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/07-1601.pdf","page_label":"file page 6, lines 5-15"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 60, lines 41-43","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/07-1601.pdf","page_label":"file page 60, lines 41-43"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 17-19","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/07-1601.pdf","page_label":"file page 7, lines 17-19"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 29-35","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/07-1601.pdf","page_label":"file page 7, lines 29-35"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 7-13","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/07-1601.pdf","page_label":"file page 7, lines 7-13"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 43-7","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/07-1601.pdf","page_label":"file page 8, lines 43-7"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 7-17","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/07-1601.pdf","page_label":"file page 8, lines 7-17"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 29-33","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/07-1601.pdf","page_label":"file page 9, lines 29-33"}]}],"caption":"Burlington N. & S.F.R. Co. v. United States","case_history":[{"changed_at":"2026-08-29T20:06:26.513150Z","explanation":"An official oral-argument transcript was verified.","status":"argued"},{"changed_at":"2026-08-29T20:06:26.525503Z","explanation":"An official oral-argument transcript was verified.","status":"argued"}],"case_status":"argued","dek":"Burlington Northern argues it owes no cleanup costs because it never handled the waste. The government argues the buyer pays for all disposal.","dek_sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 18, lines 13-23","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/07-1601.pdf","page_label":"file page 18, lines 13-23"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 26, lines 33-9","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/07-1601.pdf","page_label":"file page 26, lines 33-9"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 23-23","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/07-1601.pdf","page_label":"file page 4, lines 23-23"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 57, lines 31-19","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/07-1601.pdf","page_label":"file page 57, lines 31-19"}],"dispositions":[],"latest_court_document_date":"2009-02-24T00:00:00Z","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/07-1601.html","primary_docket":"07-1601","revisions":[{"correction_note":"Rewritten to the concise citizen-facing editorial standard.","created_at":"2026-08-31T02:34:03.918978Z","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 dispute centers on who pays for hazardous waste cleanup. One side claims the buyer is liable. The other side claims only the handler is liable."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 18, lines 13-23","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/07-1601.pdf","page_label":"file page 18, lines 13-23"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 26, lines 33-9","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/07-1601.pdf","page_label":"file page 26, lines 33-9"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 23-23","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/07-1601.pdf","page_label":"file page 4, lines 23-23"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 57, lines 31-19","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/07-1601.pdf","page_label":"file page 57, lines 31-19"}]},{"heading":"How the case got here","paragraphs":["The Supreme Court heard oral argument in this case on February 24, 2009."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 7-21","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/07-1601.pdf","page_label":"file page 4, lines 7-21"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 57, lines 19-29","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/07-1601.pdf","page_label":"file page 57, lines 19-29"}]},{"heading":"What each side wants","paragraphs":["Burlington Northern wants the Court to limit liability to those who handle waste.","The United States wants the Court to hold buyers liable for all cleanup costs."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 18, lines 13-23","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/07-1601.pdf","page_label":"file page 18, lines 13-23"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 26, lines 33-9","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/07-1601.pdf","page_label":"file page 26, lines 33-9"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 23-23","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/07-1601.pdf","page_label":"file page 4, lines 23-23"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 57, lines 31-19","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/07-1601.pdf","page_label":"file page 57, lines 31-19"}]},{"heading":"What each side says","paragraphs":["Burlington Northern argues the statute requires a direct connection to the harm.","The United States argues the buyer controls the waste disposal process."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 18, lines 13-23","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/07-1601.pdf","page_label":"file page 18, lines 13-23"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 26, lines 33-9","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/07-1601.pdf","page_label":"file page 26, lines 33-9"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 23-23","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/07-1601.pdf","page_label":"file page 4, lines 23-23"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 57, lines 31-19","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/07-1601.pdf","page_label":"file page 57, lines 31-19"}]},{"heading":"What the justices asked","paragraphs":["Justice Ginsburg asked if ownership transfer changes liability.","Justice Kennedy asked if a driver dumping waste creates liability."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 10, lines 11-13","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/07-1601.pdf","page_label":"file page 10, lines 11-13"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 10, lines 23-31","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/07-1601.pdf","page_label":"file page 10, lines 23-31"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 11, lines 11-23","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/07-1601.pdf","page_label":"file page 11, lines 11-23"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 25-37","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/07-1601.pdf","page_label":"file page 5, lines 25-37"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 57, lines 19-29","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/07-1601.pdf","page_label":"file page 57, lines 19-29"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 58, lines 21-39","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/07-1601.pdf","page_label":"file page 58, lines 21-39"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 59, lines 51-21","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/07-1601.pdf","page_label":"file page 59, lines 51-21"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 59, lines 9-21","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/07-1601.pdf","page_label":"file page 59, lines 9-21"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 41-49","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/07-1601.pdf","page_label":"file page 6, lines 41-49"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 5-15","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/07-1601.pdf","page_label":"file page 6, lines 5-15"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 60, lines 41-43","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/07-1601.pdf","page_label":"file page 60, lines 41-43"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 17-19","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/07-1601.pdf","page_label":"file page 7, lines 17-19"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 29-35","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/07-1601.pdf","page_label":"file page 7, lines 29-35"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 7-13","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/07-1601.pdf","page_label":"file page 7, lines 7-13"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 43-7","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/07-1601.pdf","page_label":"file page 8, lines 43-7"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 7-17","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/07-1601.pdf","page_label":"file page 8, lines 7-17"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 29-33","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/07-1601.pdf","page_label":"file page 9, lines 29-33"}]},{"heading":"Why it matters","paragraphs":["This case defines who pays for hazardous waste cleanup. It determines financial responsibility for industrial pollution. It affects how companies manage waste disposal contracts."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 18, lines 13-23","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/07-1601.pdf","page_label":"file page 18, lines 13-23"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 26, lines 33-9","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/07-1601.pdf","page_label":"file page 26, lines 33-9"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 23-23","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/07-1601.pdf","page_label":"file page 4, lines 23-23"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 57, lines 31-19","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/07-1601.pdf","page_label":"file page 57, lines 31-19"}]},{"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 11-13","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/07-1601.pdf","page_label":"file page 10, lines 11-13"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 10, lines 23-31","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/07-1601.pdf","page_label":"file page 10, lines 23-31"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 11, lines 11-23","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/07-1601.pdf","page_label":"file page 11, lines 11-23"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 7-21","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/07-1601.pdf","page_label":"file page 4, lines 7-21"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 25-37","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/07-1601.pdf","page_label":"file page 5, lines 25-37"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 57, lines 19-29","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/07-1601.pdf","page_label":"file page 57, lines 19-29"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 58, lines 21-39","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/07-1601.pdf","page_label":"file page 58, lines 21-39"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 59, lines 51-21","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/07-1601.pdf","page_label":"file page 59, lines 51-21"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 59, lines 9-21","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/07-1601.pdf","page_label":"file page 59, lines 9-21"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 41-49","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/07-1601.pdf","page_label":"file page 6, lines 41-49"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 5-15","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/07-1601.pdf","page_label":"file page 6, lines 5-15"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 60, lines 41-43","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/07-1601.pdf","page_label":"file page 60, lines 41-43"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 17-19","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/07-1601.pdf","page_label":"file page 7, lines 17-19"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 29-35","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/07-1601.pdf","page_label":"file page 7, lines 29-35"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 7-13","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/07-1601.pdf","page_label":"file page 7, lines 7-13"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 43-7","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/07-1601.pdf","page_label":"file page 8, lines 43-7"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 7-17","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/07-1601.pdf","page_label":"file page 8, lines 7-17"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 29-33","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/07-1601.pdf","page_label":"file page 9, lines 29-33"}]}],"slug":"2008-07-1601-burlington-n-s-f-r-co-v-united-states","term":"2008","title":"Does a buyer who never touches hazardous waste pay cleanup costs?","title_sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 18, lines 13-23","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/07-1601.pdf","page_label":"file page 18, lines 13-23"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 26, lines 33-9","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/07-1601.pdf","page_label":"file page 26, lines 33-9"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 23-23","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/07-1601.pdf","page_label":"file page 4, lines 23-23"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 57, lines 31-19","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/07-1601.pdf","page_label":"file page 57, lines 31-19"}],"topics":[],"undated_disposition_date_fallback":null,"updated_at":"2026-09-05T03:22:24Z"}