{"argument_date":"2011-01-18T00:00:00Z","arguments":[{"argument_date":"2011-01-18T00:00:00Z","heading":"What happened at the argument","official_detail_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcript/2010","official_transcript_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2010/09-1205.pdf","paragraphs":["the sides that brought the case argue absent class members cannot be bound without notice and opportunity to be heard.","the opposing sides argue the federal denial of class certification deserves respect in state court.","questions_asked_by_justices"],"reargument":false,"sequence":1,"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 10, lines 38-50","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2010/09-1205.pdf","page_label":"file page 10, lines 38-50"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 25, lines 38-48","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2010/09-1205.pdf","page_label":"file page 25, lines 38-48"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 20-30","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2010/09-1205.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 20-30"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 8-18","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2010/09-1205.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 8-18"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 32-50","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2010/09-1205.pdf","page_label":"file page 4, lines 32-50"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 16-18","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2010/09-1205.pdf","page_label":"file page 5, lines 16-18"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 28-36","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2010/09-1205.pdf","page_label":"file page 5, lines 28-36"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 8-10","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2010/09-1205.pdf","page_label":"file page 5, lines 8-10"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 18-20","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2010/09-1205.pdf","page_label":"file page 6, lines 18-20"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 4-6","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2010/09-1205.pdf","page_label":"file page 6, lines 4-6"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 10-16","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2010/09-1205.pdf","page_label":"file page 7, lines 10-16"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 38-44","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2010/09-1205.pdf","page_label":"file page 7, lines 38-44"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 22-28","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2010/09-1205.pdf","page_label":"file page 8, lines 22-28"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 44-10","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2010/09-1205.pdf","page_label":"file page 8, lines 44-10"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 40-52","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2010/09-1205.pdf","page_label":"file page 9, lines 40-52"}]}],"caption":"Smith v. Bayer Corp.","case_history":[{"changed_at":"2026-08-29T20:06:35.812841Z","explanation":"An official oral-argument transcript was verified.","status":"argued"}],"case_status":"argued","dek":"the sides that brought the case argue a state court cannot bind them to a federal denial of class certification. the opposing sides argue the state court must respect that federal ruling.","dek_sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 25, lines 38-48","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2010/09-1205.pdf","page_label":"file page 25, lines 38-48"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 20-30","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2010/09-1205.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 20-30"}],"dispositions":[],"latest_court_document_date":"2011-01-18T00:00:00Z","maturity":"official_transcript","official_detail_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcript/2010","official_disposition_urls":[],"official_docket_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/docket/docketfiles/html/public/09-1205.html","primary_docket":"09-1205","revisions":[{"correction_note":"Rewritten to the concise citizen-facing editorial standard.","created_at":"2026-08-31T00:19:42.650996Z","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 a state court can bind absent class members to a federal denial of class certification. the sides that brought the case argue they were not bound by the prior federal proceeding. the opposing sides argue the state court must respect the federal ruling on class standards."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 25, lines 38-48","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2010/09-1205.pdf","page_label":"file page 25, lines 38-48"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 20-30","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2010/09-1205.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 20-30"}]},{"heading":"How the case got here","paragraphs":["The Supreme Court heard oral argument in this case on January 18, 2011."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 8-18","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2010/09-1205.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 8-18"}]},{"heading":"What each side wants","paragraphs":["the sides that brought the case want the state court to ignore the federal denial of class certification.","the opposing sides want the state court to respect the federal denial of class certification."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 25, lines 38-48","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2010/09-1205.pdf","page_label":"file page 25, lines 38-48"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 20-30","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2010/09-1205.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 20-30"}]},{"heading":"What each side says","paragraphs":["the sides that brought the case argue absent class members cannot be bound without notice and opportunity to be heard.","the opposing sides argue the federal denial of class certification deserves respect in state court."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 25, lines 38-48","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2010/09-1205.pdf","page_label":"file page 25, lines 38-48"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 20-30","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2010/09-1205.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 20-30"}]},{"heading":"What the justices asked","paragraphs":["Justice Alito asked if a state court must follow a federal denial of class certification.","Justice Ginsburg asked if a federal denial of class certification deserves respect in state court."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 10, lines 38-50","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2010/09-1205.pdf","page_label":"file page 10, lines 38-50"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 32-50","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2010/09-1205.pdf","page_label":"file page 4, lines 32-50"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 16-18","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2010/09-1205.pdf","page_label":"file page 5, lines 16-18"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 28-36","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2010/09-1205.pdf","page_label":"file page 5, lines 28-36"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 8-10","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2010/09-1205.pdf","page_label":"file page 5, lines 8-10"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 18-20","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2010/09-1205.pdf","page_label":"file page 6, lines 18-20"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 4-6","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2010/09-1205.pdf","page_label":"file page 6, lines 4-6"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 10-16","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2010/09-1205.pdf","page_label":"file page 7, lines 10-16"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 38-44","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2010/09-1205.pdf","page_label":"file page 7, lines 38-44"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 22-28","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2010/09-1205.pdf","page_label":"file page 8, lines 22-28"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 44-10","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2010/09-1205.pdf","page_label":"file page 8, lines 44-10"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 40-52","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2010/09-1205.pdf","page_label":"file page 9, lines 40-52"}]},{"heading":"Why it matters","paragraphs":["This dispute determines whether state courts can bind absent class members to federal rulings. It affects the finality of class certification denials across state and federal courts. It shapes the rights of individuals in multi-district litigation."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 25, lines 38-48","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2010/09-1205.pdf","page_label":"file page 25, lines 38-48"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 20-30","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2010/09-1205.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 20-30"}]},{"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 38-50","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2010/09-1205.pdf","page_label":"file page 10, lines 38-50"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 8-18","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2010/09-1205.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 8-18"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 32-50","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2010/09-1205.pdf","page_label":"file page 4, lines 32-50"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 16-18","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2010/09-1205.pdf","page_label":"file page 5, lines 16-18"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 28-36","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2010/09-1205.pdf","page_label":"file page 5, lines 28-36"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 8-10","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2010/09-1205.pdf","page_label":"file page 5, lines 8-10"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 18-20","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2010/09-1205.pdf","page_label":"file page 6, lines 18-20"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 4-6","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2010/09-1205.pdf","page_label":"file page 6, lines 4-6"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 10-16","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2010/09-1205.pdf","page_label":"file page 7, lines 10-16"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 38-44","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2010/09-1205.pdf","page_label":"file page 7, lines 38-44"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 22-28","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2010/09-1205.pdf","page_label":"file page 8, lines 22-28"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 44-10","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2010/09-1205.pdf","page_label":"file page 8, lines 44-10"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 40-52","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2010/09-1205.pdf","page_label":"file page 9, lines 40-52"}]}],"slug":"2010-09-1205-smith-v-bayer-corp","term":"2010","title":"Can a state court bind absent class members to a federal denial of class certification?","title_sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 25, lines 38-48","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2010/09-1205.pdf","page_label":"file page 25, lines 38-48"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 20-30","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2010/09-1205.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 20-30"}],"topics":[],"undated_disposition_date_fallback":null,"updated_at":"2026-09-05T03:22:24Z"}