{"argument_date":"2008-12-01T00:00:00Z","arguments":[{"argument_date":"2008-12-01T00:00:00Z","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/2008/105 Orig.pdf","paragraphs":["Kansas advocate Steve Six argued Article III distinguishes appellate and original jurisdiction.","Six claimed Congress lacks power to regulate original jurisdiction exceptions.","Colorado advocate Suthers argued the special master correctly read the fee statute.","Suthers stated Section 1821 of Title 28 is unambiguous."],"reargument":false,"sequence":1,"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 26, lines 45-25","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/105 Orig.pdf","page_label":"file page 26, lines 45-25"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 19-33","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/105 Orig.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 19-33"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 35-41","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/105 Orig.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 35-41"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 7-17","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/105 Orig.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 7-17"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 41-7","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/105 Orig.pdf","page_label":"file page 4, lines 41-7"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 31-31","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/105 Orig.pdf","page_label":"file page 5, lines 31-31"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 51-5","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/105 Orig.pdf","page_label":"file page 5, lines 51-5"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 15-23","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/105 Orig.pdf","page_label":"file page 6, lines 15-23"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 37-39","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/105 Orig.pdf","page_label":"file page 6, lines 37-39"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 45-47","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/105 Orig.pdf","page_label":"file page 6, lines 45-47"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 11-17","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/105 Orig.pdf","page_label":"file page 7, lines 11-17"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 23-23","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/105 Orig.pdf","page_label":"file page 7, lines 23-23"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 35-37","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/105 Orig.pdf","page_label":"file page 7, lines 35-37"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 13-31","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/105 Orig.pdf","page_label":"file page 8, lines 13-31"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 3-9","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/105 Orig.pdf","page_label":"file page 8, lines 3-9"}]}],"caption":"Kansas v. Colorado","case_history":[{"changed_at":"2026-08-29T20:06:36.177411Z","explanation":"An official oral-argument transcript was verified.","status":"argued"}],"case_status":"argued","dek":"Kansas and Colorado dispute whether federal statutes allow the Court to award expert fees in this original jurisdiction case.","dek_sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 26, lines 45-25","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/105 Orig.pdf","page_label":"file page 26, lines 45-25"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 19-33","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/105 Orig.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 19-33"}],"dispositions":[],"latest_court_document_date":"2008-12-01T00:00:00Z","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/105%20ORIG..html","primary_docket":"105 ORIG.","revisions":[{"correction_note":"Rewritten to the concise citizen-facing editorial standard.","created_at":"2026-08-31T21:23:02.013614Z","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":["Kansas seeks expert fees under a specific statute. Colorado argues the Court lacks power to award them in original jurisdiction cases."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 26, lines 45-25","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/105 Orig.pdf","page_label":"file page 26, lines 45-25"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 19-33","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/105 Orig.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 19-33"}]},{"heading":"How the case got here","paragraphs":["The Supreme Court heard oral argument in this case on December 1, 2008."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 7-17","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/105 Orig.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 7-17"}]},{"heading":"What each side wants","paragraphs":["Kansas wants the Court to award expert fees under the specific statute.","Colorado wants the Court to deny the fee request based on jurisdictional limits."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 26, lines 45-25","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/105 Orig.pdf","page_label":"file page 26, lines 45-25"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 19-33","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/105 Orig.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 19-33"}]},{"heading":"What each side says","paragraphs":["Kansas argues the specific statute clearly authorizes the fee award.","Colorado argues Congress cannot regulate the Court's original jurisdiction powers."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 26, lines 45-25","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/105 Orig.pdf","page_label":"file page 26, lines 45-25"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 19-33","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/105 Orig.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 19-33"}]},{"heading":"What the justices asked","paragraphs":["Justice Kennedy asked if the 1911 statute alone justifies the relief.","Justice Alito asked if the Court has discretion to set fee amounts."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 35-41","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/105 Orig.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 35-41"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 41-7","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/105 Orig.pdf","page_label":"file page 4, lines 41-7"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 31-31","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/105 Orig.pdf","page_label":"file page 5, lines 31-31"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 51-5","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/105 Orig.pdf","page_label":"file page 5, lines 51-5"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 15-23","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/105 Orig.pdf","page_label":"file page 6, lines 15-23"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 37-39","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/105 Orig.pdf","page_label":"file page 6, lines 37-39"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 45-47","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/105 Orig.pdf","page_label":"file page 6, lines 45-47"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 11-17","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/105 Orig.pdf","page_label":"file page 7, lines 11-17"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 23-23","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/105 Orig.pdf","page_label":"file page 7, lines 23-23"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 35-37","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/105 Orig.pdf","page_label":"file page 7, lines 35-37"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 13-31","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/105 Orig.pdf","page_label":"file page 8, lines 13-31"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 3-9","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/105 Orig.pdf","page_label":"file page 8, lines 3-9"}]},{"heading":"Why it matters","paragraphs":["This case defines the scope of federal fee awards in disputes between states. It clarifies the balance of power between Congress and the Supreme Court."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 26, lines 45-25","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/105 Orig.pdf","page_label":"file page 26, lines 45-25"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 19-33","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/105 Orig.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 19-33"}]},{"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 35-41","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/105 Orig.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 35-41"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 7-17","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/105 Orig.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 7-17"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 41-7","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/105 Orig.pdf","page_label":"file page 4, lines 41-7"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 31-31","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/105 Orig.pdf","page_label":"file page 5, lines 31-31"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 51-5","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/105 Orig.pdf","page_label":"file page 5, lines 51-5"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 15-23","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/105 Orig.pdf","page_label":"file page 6, lines 15-23"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 37-39","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/105 Orig.pdf","page_label":"file page 6, lines 37-39"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 45-47","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/105 Orig.pdf","page_label":"file page 6, lines 45-47"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 11-17","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/105 Orig.pdf","page_label":"file page 7, lines 11-17"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 23-23","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/105 Orig.pdf","page_label":"file page 7, lines 23-23"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 35-37","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/105 Orig.pdf","page_label":"file page 7, lines 35-37"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 13-31","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/105 Orig.pdf","page_label":"file page 8, lines 13-31"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 3-9","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/105 Orig.pdf","page_label":"file page 8, lines 3-9"}]}],"slug":"2008-105-orig-kansas-v-colorado","term":"2008","title":"Can Congress limit the Supreme Court's original jurisdiction?","title_sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 26, lines 45-25","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/105 Orig.pdf","page_label":"file page 26, lines 45-25"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 19-33","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2008/105 Orig.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 19-33"}],"topics":[],"undated_disposition_date_fallback":null,"updated_at":"2026-09-05T03:22:24Z"}