{"argument_date":"2010-12-01T00:00:00Z","arguments":[{"argument_date":"2010-12-01T00:00:00Z","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/2010/09-529.pdf","paragraphs":["VOPA argued it has a federal right to inspect records.","State officials argued sovereign dignity is impaired by such suits.","Chief Justice Roberts questioned the independence of state agencies."],"reargument":false,"sequence":1,"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 18, lines 46-16","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2010/09-529.pdf","page_label":"file page 18, lines 46-16"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 29, lines 8-18","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2010/09-529.pdf","page_label":"file page 29, lines 8-18"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 20-48","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2010/09-529.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 20-48"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 50-8","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2010/09-529.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 50-8"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 8-18","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2010/09-529.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 8-18"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 16-20","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2010/09-529.pdf","page_label":"file page 4, lines 16-20"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 38-40","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2010/09-529.pdf","page_label":"file page 4, lines 38-40"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 52-6","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2010/09-529.pdf","page_label":"file page 4, lines 52-6"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 20-30","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2010/09-529.pdf","page_label":"file page 5, lines 20-30"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 42-50","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2010/09-529.pdf","page_label":"file page 5, lines 42-50"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 16-20","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2010/09-529.pdf","page_label":"file page 6, lines 16-20"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 28-40","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2010/09-529.pdf","page_label":"file page 6, lines 28-40"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 10-26","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2010/09-529.pdf","page_label":"file page 7, lines 10-26"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 42-46","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2010/09-529.pdf","page_label":"file page 7, lines 42-46"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 34-4","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2010/09-529.pdf","page_label":"file page 8, lines 34-4"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 8-16","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2010/09-529.pdf","page_label":"file page 9, lines 8-16"}]}],"caption":"Virginia Office for Protection and Advocacy v. Stewart","case_history":[{"changed_at":"2026-08-29T20:06:25.275953Z","explanation":"An official oral-argument transcript was verified.","status":"argued"}],"case_status":"argued","dek":"VOPA seeks to inspect state hospital records. The state argues this violates its sovereignty.","dek_sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 18, lines 46-16","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2010/09-529.pdf","page_label":"file page 18, lines 46-16"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 29, lines 8-18","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2010/09-529.pdf","page_label":"file page 29, lines 8-18"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 20-48","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2010/09-529.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 20-48"}],"dispositions":[],"latest_court_document_date":"2010-12-01T00:00:00Z","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/09-529.html","primary_docket":"09-529","revisions":[{"correction_note":"Rewritten to the concise citizen-facing editorial standard.","created_at":"2026-08-31T00:42:50.153904Z","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":["VOPA wants to enforce federal record-access laws. The state officials want to block the suit."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 18, lines 46-16","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2010/09-529.pdf","page_label":"file page 18, lines 46-16"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 29, lines 8-18","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2010/09-529.pdf","page_label":"file page 29, lines 8-18"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 20-48","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2010/09-529.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 20-48"}]},{"heading":"How the case got here","paragraphs":["The Supreme Court heard oral argument in this case on December 1, 2010."],"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/2010/09-529.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 8-18"}]},{"heading":"What each side wants","paragraphs":["VOPA wants to inspect and copy state hospital records.","State officials want to dismiss the federal lawsuit."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 18, lines 46-16","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2010/09-529.pdf","page_label":"file page 18, lines 46-16"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 29, lines 8-18","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2010/09-529.pdf","page_label":"file page 29, lines 8-18"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 20-48","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2010/09-529.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 20-48"}]},{"heading":"What each side says","paragraphs":["VOPA argues its status as a state agency allows federal jurisdiction.","State officials argue a state cannot sue itself in federal court."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 18, lines 46-16","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2010/09-529.pdf","page_label":"file page 18, lines 46-16"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 29, lines 8-18","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2010/09-529.pdf","page_label":"file page 29, lines 8-18"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 20-48","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2010/09-529.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 20-48"}]},{"heading":"What the justices asked","paragraphs":["Chief Justice Roberts asked if a state agency is independent from the state.","Chief Justice Roberts asked if federal courts would hear a suit between state subsidiaries."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 50-8","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2010/09-529.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 50-8"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 16-20","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2010/09-529.pdf","page_label":"file page 4, lines 16-20"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 38-40","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2010/09-529.pdf","page_label":"file page 4, lines 38-40"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 52-6","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2010/09-529.pdf","page_label":"file page 4, lines 52-6"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 20-30","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2010/09-529.pdf","page_label":"file page 5, lines 20-30"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 42-50","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2010/09-529.pdf","page_label":"file page 5, lines 42-50"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 16-20","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2010/09-529.pdf","page_label":"file page 6, lines 16-20"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 28-40","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2010/09-529.pdf","page_label":"file page 6, lines 28-40"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 10-26","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2010/09-529.pdf","page_label":"file page 7, lines 10-26"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 42-46","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2010/09-529.pdf","page_label":"file page 7, lines 42-46"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 34-4","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2010/09-529.pdf","page_label":"file page 8, lines 34-4"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 8-16","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2010/09-529.pdf","page_label":"file page 9, lines 8-16"}]},{"heading":"Why it matters","paragraphs":["This case defines the limits of federal court jurisdiction over state agencies. It determines whether state entities can enforce federal rights against their own governments."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 18, lines 46-16","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2010/09-529.pdf","page_label":"file page 18, lines 46-16"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 29, lines 8-18","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2010/09-529.pdf","page_label":"file page 29, lines 8-18"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 20-48","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2010/09-529.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 20-48"}]},{"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 50-8","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2010/09-529.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 50-8"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 8-18","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2010/09-529.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 8-18"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 16-20","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2010/09-529.pdf","page_label":"file page 4, lines 16-20"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 38-40","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2010/09-529.pdf","page_label":"file page 4, lines 38-40"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 52-6","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2010/09-529.pdf","page_label":"file page 4, lines 52-6"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 20-30","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2010/09-529.pdf","page_label":"file page 5, lines 20-30"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 42-50","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2010/09-529.pdf","page_label":"file page 5, lines 42-50"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 16-20","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2010/09-529.pdf","page_label":"file page 6, lines 16-20"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 28-40","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2010/09-529.pdf","page_label":"file page 6, lines 28-40"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 10-26","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2010/09-529.pdf","page_label":"file page 7, lines 10-26"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 42-46","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2010/09-529.pdf","page_label":"file page 7, lines 42-46"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 34-4","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2010/09-529.pdf","page_label":"file page 8, lines 34-4"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 8-16","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2010/09-529.pdf","page_label":"file page 9, lines 8-16"}]}],"slug":"2010-09-529-virginia-office-for-protection-and-advocacy-v-stewart","term":"2010","title":"Can a state agency sue state officials in federal court?","title_sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 18, lines 46-16","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2010/09-529.pdf","page_label":"file page 18, lines 46-16"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 29, lines 8-18","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2010/09-529.pdf","page_label":"file page 29, lines 8-18"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 20-48","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2010/09-529.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 20-48"}],"topics":[],"undated_disposition_date_fallback":null,"updated_at":"2026-09-05T03:22:24Z"}