{"argument_date":"2008-11-03T00:00:00Z","arguments":[{"argument_date":"2008-11-03T00:00:00Z","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/2008/07-526.pdf","paragraphs":["Theodore Olson argued Congress unambiguously answered the question in the 1934 Act.","Olson stated the Narragansetts lacked a federal relationship at the time of enactment.","The government advocate argued the text supports the Secretary's action for three reasons.","The advocate cited section 5 authorizing trust land for any Indian tribe."],"reargument":false,"sequence":1,"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 11, lines 29-47","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/07-526.pdf","page_label":"file page 11, lines 29-47"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 11, lines 5-13","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/07-526.pdf","page_label":"file page 11, lines 5-13"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 12, lines 27-39","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/07-526.pdf","page_label":"file page 12, lines 27-39"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 13, lines 35-45","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/07-526.pdf","page_label":"file page 13, lines 35-45"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 14, lines 5-17","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/07-526.pdf","page_label":"file page 14, lines 5-17"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 24, lines 47-17","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/07-526.pdf","page_label":"file page 24, lines 47-17"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 17-21","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/07-526.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 17-21"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 7-15","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/07-526.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 7-15"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 23-25","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/07-526.pdf","page_label":"file page 4, lines 23-25"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 57, lines 29-13","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/07-526.pdf","page_label":"file page 57, lines 29-13"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 58, lines 15-17","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/07-526.pdf","page_label":"file page 58, lines 15-17"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 5-11","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/07-526.pdf","page_label":"file page 6, lines 5-11"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 43-5","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/07-526.pdf","page_label":"file page 7, lines 43-5"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 37-39","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/07-526.pdf","page_label":"file page 8, lines 37-39"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 47-51","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/07-526.pdf","page_label":"file page 8, lines 47-51"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 35-39","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/07-526.pdf","page_label":"file page 9, lines 35-39"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 43-47","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/07-526.pdf","page_label":"file page 9, lines 43-47"}]}],"caption":"Carcieri v. Kempthorne","case_history":[{"changed_at":"2026-08-29T20:06:26.839367Z","explanation":"An official oral-argument transcript was verified.","status":"argued"},{"changed_at":"2026-08-29T20:06:26.873622Z","explanation":"An official oral-argument transcript was verified.","status":"argued"}],"case_status":"argued","dek":"the sides that brought the case argue the statute excludes tribes not under federal jurisdiction in 1934. The government argues the text allows trust land for any tribe.","dek_sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 24, lines 47-17","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/07-526.pdf","page_label":"file page 24, lines 47-17"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 17-21","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/07-526.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 17-21"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 57, lines 29-13","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/07-526.pdf","page_label":"file page 57, lines 29-13"}],"dispositions":[],"latest_court_document_date":"2008-11-03T00:00:00Z","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/07-526.html","primary_docket":"07-526","revisions":[{"correction_note":"Rewritten to the concise citizen-facing editorial standard.","created_at":"2026-08-31T03:12:02.461268Z","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 case tests the scope of the Indian Reorganization Act. the sides that brought the case claim the law restricts trust land to tribes under federal jurisdiction in 1934. The government claims the law authorizes trust land for any tribe. The dispute centers on the phrase now under the jurisdiction of the United States."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 24, lines 47-17","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/07-526.pdf","page_label":"file page 24, lines 47-17"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 17-21","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/07-526.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 17-21"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 57, lines 29-13","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/07-526.pdf","page_label":"file page 57, lines 29-13"}]},{"heading":"How the case got here","paragraphs":["The Supreme Court heard oral argument in this case on November 3, 2008."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 7-15","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/07-526.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 7-15"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 58, lines 15-17","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/07-526.pdf","page_label":"file page 58, lines 15-17"}]},{"heading":"What each side wants","paragraphs":["the sides that brought the case want the Court to reverse the lower court's affirmation of the Secretary's action.","The government wants the Court to affirm the lower court's rejection of the sides that brought the case' claim."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 24, lines 47-17","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/07-526.pdf","page_label":"file page 24, lines 47-17"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 17-21","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/07-526.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 17-21"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 57, lines 29-13","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/07-526.pdf","page_label":"file page 57, lines 29-13"}]},{"heading":"What each side says","paragraphs":["the sides that brought the case argue the statute unambiguously limits trust land to tribes under federal jurisdiction in 1934.","The government argues the statute authorizes the Secretary to take land into trust for any Indian tribe."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 24, lines 47-17","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/07-526.pdf","page_label":"file page 24, lines 47-17"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 17-21","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/07-526.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 17-21"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 57, lines 29-13","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/07-526.pdf","page_label":"file page 57, lines 29-13"}]},{"heading":"What the justices asked","paragraphs":["Justice Kennedy asked what sort of tribes were not under federal jurisdiction.","Justice Ginsburg noted the effort was ridden with mistakes according to the record."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 11, lines 29-47","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/07-526.pdf","page_label":"file page 11, lines 29-47"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 11, lines 5-13","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/07-526.pdf","page_label":"file page 11, lines 5-13"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 12, lines 27-39","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/07-526.pdf","page_label":"file page 12, lines 27-39"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 13, lines 35-45","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/07-526.pdf","page_label":"file page 13, lines 35-45"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 14, lines 5-17","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/07-526.pdf","page_label":"file page 14, lines 5-17"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 23-25","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/07-526.pdf","page_label":"file page 4, lines 23-25"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 58, lines 15-17","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/07-526.pdf","page_label":"file page 58, lines 15-17"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 5-11","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/07-526.pdf","page_label":"file page 6, lines 5-11"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 43-5","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/07-526.pdf","page_label":"file page 7, lines 43-5"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 37-39","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/07-526.pdf","page_label":"file page 8, lines 37-39"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 47-51","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/07-526.pdf","page_label":"file page 8, lines 47-51"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 35-39","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/07-526.pdf","page_label":"file page 9, lines 35-39"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 43-47","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/07-526.pdf","page_label":"file page 9, lines 43-47"}]},{"heading":"Why it matters","paragraphs":["The outcome determines whether the federal government can take land into trust for tribes not under federal jurisdiction in 1934. This affects the scope of federal authority over tribal lands. It defines the legal status of tribes seeking federal recognition and land trust status."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 24, lines 47-17","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/07-526.pdf","page_label":"file page 24, lines 47-17"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 17-21","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/07-526.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 17-21"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 57, lines 29-13","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/07-526.pdf","page_label":"file page 57, lines 29-13"}]},{"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 29-47","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/07-526.pdf","page_label":"file page 11, lines 29-47"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 11, lines 5-13","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/07-526.pdf","page_label":"file page 11, lines 5-13"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 12, lines 27-39","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/07-526.pdf","page_label":"file page 12, lines 27-39"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 13, lines 35-45","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/07-526.pdf","page_label":"file page 13, lines 35-45"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 14, lines 5-17","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/07-526.pdf","page_label":"file page 14, lines 5-17"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 7-15","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/07-526.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 7-15"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 23-25","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/07-526.pdf","page_label":"file page 4, lines 23-25"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 58, lines 15-17","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/07-526.pdf","page_label":"file page 58, lines 15-17"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 5-11","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/07-526.pdf","page_label":"file page 6, lines 5-11"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 43-5","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/07-526.pdf","page_label":"file page 7, lines 43-5"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 37-39","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/07-526.pdf","page_label":"file page 8, lines 37-39"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 47-51","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/07-526.pdf","page_label":"file page 8, lines 47-51"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 35-39","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/07-526.pdf","page_label":"file page 9, lines 35-39"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 43-47","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/07-526.pdf","page_label":"file page 9, lines 43-47"}]}],"slug":"2008-07-526-carcieri-v-kempthorne","term":"2008","title":"Does the Indian Reorganization Act allow the federal government to take land into trust for tribes not under federal jurisdiction in 1934?","title_sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 24, lines 47-17","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/07-526.pdf","page_label":"file page 24, lines 47-17"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 17-21","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/07-526.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 17-21"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 57, lines 29-13","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/07-526.pdf","page_label":"file page 57, lines 29-13"}],"topics":[],"undated_disposition_date_fallback":null,"updated_at":"2026-09-05T03:22:24Z"}