{"argument_date":"2009-04-21T00:00:00Z","arguments":[{"argument_date":"2009-04-21T00:00:00Z","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/2008/08-479.pdf","paragraphs":["The school argued the search was reasonable due to a health risk.","The student argued the search required greater justification under the Fourth Amendment.","Justice Souter questioned the assumption that all drugs pose a health risk.","Justice Scalia asked about prior incidents involving students and medication."],"reargument":false,"sequence":1,"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 24, lines 21-41","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/08-479.pdf","page_label":"file page 24, lines 21-41"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 19-33","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/08-479.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 19-33"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 35-39","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/08-479.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 35-39"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 49-5","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/08-479.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 49-5"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 7-17","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/08-479.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 7-17"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 37, lines 3-21","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/08-479.pdf","page_label":"file page 37, lines 3-21"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 23-29","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/08-479.pdf","page_label":"file page 4, lines 23-29"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 33-39","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/08-479.pdf","page_label":"file page 4, lines 33-39"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 21-27","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/08-479.pdf","page_label":"file page 5, lines 21-27"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 5-11","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/08-479.pdf","page_label":"file page 5, lines 5-11"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 51-17","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/08-479.pdf","page_label":"file page 5, lines 51-17"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 21-33","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/08-479.pdf","page_label":"file page 6, lines 21-33"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 45-15","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/08-479.pdf","page_label":"file page 6, lines 45-15"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 60, lines 29-11","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/08-479.pdf","page_label":"file page 60, lines 29-11"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 61, lines 13-21","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/08-479.pdf","page_label":"file page 61, lines 13-21"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 61, lines 35-41","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/08-479.pdf","page_label":"file page 61, lines 35-41"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 62, lines 19-11","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/08-479.pdf","page_label":"file page 62, lines 19-11"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 63, lines 25-27","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/08-479.pdf","page_label":"file page 63, lines 25-27"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 64, lines 17-21","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/08-479.pdf","page_label":"file page 64, lines 17-21"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 65, lines 11-13","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/08-479.pdf","page_label":"file page 65, lines 11-13"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 47-51","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/08-479.pdf","page_label":"file page 7, lines 47-51"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 35-35","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/08-479.pdf","page_label":"file page 8, lines 35-35"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 5-13","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/08-479.pdf","page_label":"file page 8, lines 5-13"}]}],"caption":"Safford Unified School Dist. #1 v. Redding","case_history":[{"changed_at":"2026-08-29T20:06:26.350835Z","explanation":"An official oral-argument transcript was verified.","status":"argued"},{"changed_at":"2026-08-29T20:06:26.362640Z","explanation":"An official oral-argument transcript was verified.","status":"argued"}],"case_status":"argued","dek":"School officials argue a health risk justified the search. The student argues the search lacked specific evidence.","dek_sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 24, lines 21-41","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/08-479.pdf","page_label":"file page 24, lines 21-41"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 19-33","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/08-479.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 19-33"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 37, lines 3-21","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/08-479.pdf","page_label":"file page 37, lines 3-21"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 60, lines 29-11","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/08-479.pdf","page_label":"file page 60, lines 29-11"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 62, lines 19-11","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/08-479.pdf","page_label":"file page 62, lines 19-11"}],"dispositions":[],"latest_court_document_date":"2009-04-21T00:00:00Z","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/08-479.html","primary_docket":"08-479","revisions":[{"correction_note":"Rewritten to the concise citizen-facing editorial standard.","created_at":"2026-08-31T02:17:33.943674Z","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":["Safford Unified School District v. Redding"],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 24, lines 21-41","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/08-479.pdf","page_label":"file page 24, lines 21-41"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 19-33","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/08-479.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 19-33"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 37, lines 3-21","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/08-479.pdf","page_label":"file page 37, lines 3-21"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 60, lines 29-11","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/08-479.pdf","page_label":"file page 60, lines 29-11"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 62, lines 19-11","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/08-479.pdf","page_label":"file page 62, lines 19-11"}]},{"heading":"How the case got here","paragraphs":["The Supreme Court heard oral argument in this case on April 21, 2009."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 7-17","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/08-479.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 7-17"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 65, lines 11-13","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/08-479.pdf","page_label":"file page 65, lines 11-13"}]},{"heading":"What each side wants","paragraphs":["The school district wants the Court to uphold the search as constitutional.","The student wants the Court to rule the search violated her rights."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 24, lines 21-41","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/08-479.pdf","page_label":"file page 24, lines 21-41"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 19-33","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/08-479.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 19-33"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 37, lines 3-21","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/08-479.pdf","page_label":"file page 37, lines 3-21"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 60, lines 29-11","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/08-479.pdf","page_label":"file page 60, lines 29-11"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 62, lines 19-11","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/08-479.pdf","page_label":"file page 62, lines 19-11"}]},{"heading":"What each side says","paragraphs":["The school argues the search was reasonable because the drugs posed a health risk.","The student argues the search was too intrusive without specific evidence of danger."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 24, lines 21-41","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/08-479.pdf","page_label":"file page 24, lines 21-41"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 19-33","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/08-479.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 19-33"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 37, lines 3-21","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/08-479.pdf","page_label":"file page 37, lines 3-21"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 60, lines 29-11","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/08-479.pdf","page_label":"file page 60, lines 29-11"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 62, lines 19-11","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/08-479.pdf","page_label":"file page 62, lines 19-11"}]},{"heading":"What the justices asked","paragraphs":["Justice Souter asked if a blanket assumption about drug risks is acceptable.","Justice Scalia asked if students were popping ibuprofen or aspirin before the search."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 35-39","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/08-479.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 35-39"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 49-5","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/08-479.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 49-5"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 23-29","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/08-479.pdf","page_label":"file page 4, lines 23-29"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 33-39","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/08-479.pdf","page_label":"file page 4, lines 33-39"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 21-27","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/08-479.pdf","page_label":"file page 5, lines 21-27"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 5-11","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/08-479.pdf","page_label":"file page 5, lines 5-11"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 51-17","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/08-479.pdf","page_label":"file page 5, lines 51-17"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 21-33","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/08-479.pdf","page_label":"file page 6, lines 21-33"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 45-15","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/08-479.pdf","page_label":"file page 6, lines 45-15"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 61, lines 13-21","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/08-479.pdf","page_label":"file page 61, lines 13-21"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 61, lines 35-41","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/08-479.pdf","page_label":"file page 61, lines 35-41"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 63, lines 25-27","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/08-479.pdf","page_label":"file page 63, lines 25-27"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 64, lines 17-21","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/08-479.pdf","page_label":"file page 64, lines 17-21"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 65, lines 11-13","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/08-479.pdf","page_label":"file page 65, lines 11-13"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 47-51","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/08-479.pdf","page_label":"file page 7, lines 47-51"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 35-35","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/08-479.pdf","page_label":"file page 8, lines 35-35"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 5-13","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/08-479.pdf","page_label":"file page 8, lines 5-13"}]},{"heading":"Why it matters","paragraphs":["This case defines the limits of school searches. It determines when officials can strip-search students. It balances student privacy against school safety needs."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 24, lines 21-41","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/08-479.pdf","page_label":"file page 24, lines 21-41"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 19-33","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/08-479.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 19-33"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 37, lines 3-21","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/08-479.pdf","page_label":"file page 37, lines 3-21"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 60, lines 29-11","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/08-479.pdf","page_label":"file page 60, lines 29-11"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 62, lines 19-11","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/08-479.pdf","page_label":"file page 62, lines 19-11"}]},{"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 35-39","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/08-479.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 35-39"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 49-5","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/08-479.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 49-5"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 7-17","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/08-479.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 7-17"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 23-29","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/08-479.pdf","page_label":"file page 4, lines 23-29"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 33-39","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/08-479.pdf","page_label":"file page 4, lines 33-39"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 21-27","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/08-479.pdf","page_label":"file page 5, lines 21-27"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 5-11","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/08-479.pdf","page_label":"file page 5, lines 5-11"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 51-17","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/08-479.pdf","page_label":"file page 5, lines 51-17"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 21-33","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/08-479.pdf","page_label":"file page 6, lines 21-33"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 45-15","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/08-479.pdf","page_label":"file page 6, lines 45-15"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 61, lines 13-21","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/08-479.pdf","page_label":"file page 61, lines 13-21"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 61, lines 35-41","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/08-479.pdf","page_label":"file page 61, lines 35-41"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 63, lines 25-27","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/08-479.pdf","page_label":"file page 63, lines 25-27"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 64, lines 17-21","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/08-479.pdf","page_label":"file page 64, lines 17-21"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 65, lines 11-13","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/08-479.pdf","page_label":"file page 65, lines 11-13"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 47-51","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/08-479.pdf","page_label":"file page 7, lines 47-51"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 35-35","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/08-479.pdf","page_label":"file page 8, lines 35-35"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 5-13","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/08-479.pdf","page_label":"file page 8, lines 5-13"}]}],"slug":"2008-08-479-safford-unified-school-dist-1-v-redding","term":"2008","title":"Does a school need specific evidence before strip-searching a student?","title_sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 24, lines 21-41","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/08-479.pdf","page_label":"file page 24, lines 21-41"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 19-33","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/08-479.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 19-33"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 37, lines 3-21","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/08-479.pdf","page_label":"file page 37, lines 3-21"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 60, lines 29-11","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/08-479.pdf","page_label":"file page 60, lines 29-11"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 62, lines 19-11","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/08-479.pdf","page_label":"file page 62, lines 19-11"}],"topics":[],"undated_disposition_date_fallback":null,"updated_at":"2026-09-05T03:22:24Z"}