{"argument_date":"2011-03-29T00:00:00Z","arguments":[{"argument_date":"2011-03-29T00:00:00Z","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/2010/10-277.pdf","paragraphs":["The company argued that the class lacks cohesion. It stated that plaintiffs failed to meet commonality requirements. It emphasized the absence of a formal policy.","The plaintiffs argued that decentralized decisions create a common issue. They cited legal models that do not require formal policies. They asserted that subjective decision-making constitutes a policy.","Justice Roberts asked if decentralized decision-making could be a policy. He suggested that repeated allegations might indicate a systemic issue. He questioned the company's defense strategy.","Justice Kagan asked why excessive subjectivity is not a policy. She questioned the exclusion of this concept from legal claims. She sought clarification on the legal definition of policy."],"reargument":false,"sequence":1,"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 10, lines 13-21","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2010/10-277.pdf","page_label":"file page 10, lines 13-21"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 11, lines 35-43","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2010/10-277.pdf","page_label":"file page 11, lines 35-43"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 12, lines 29-17","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2010/10-277.pdf","page_label":"file page 12, lines 29-17"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 14, lines 21-37","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2010/10-277.pdf","page_label":"file page 14, lines 21-37"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 15, lines 39-43","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2010/10-277.pdf","page_label":"file page 15, lines 39-43"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 24, lines 35-45","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2010/10-277.pdf","page_label":"file page 24, lines 35-45"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 19-13","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2010/10-277.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 19-13"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 7-17","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2010/10-277.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 7-17"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 15-31","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2010/10-277.pdf","page_label":"file page 4, lines 15-31"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 39-3","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2010/10-277.pdf","page_label":"file page 4, lines 39-3"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 44, lines 11-11","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2010/10-277.pdf","page_label":"file page 44, lines 11-11"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 41-51","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2010/10-277.pdf","page_label":"file page 5, lines 41-51"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 19-25","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2010/10-277.pdf","page_label":"file page 6, lines 19-25"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 41-7","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2010/10-277.pdf","page_label":"file page 6, lines 41-7"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 41-19","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2010/10-277.pdf","page_label":"file page 7, lines 41-19"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 35-3","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2010/10-277.pdf","page_label":"file page 8, lines 35-3"}]}],"caption":"Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. v. Dukes","case_history":[{"changed_at":"2026-08-29T20:06:35.799946Z","explanation":"An official oral-argument transcript was verified.","status":"argued"}],"case_status":"argued","dek":"Plaintiffs seek to certify a massive class based on decentralized decisions. The company argues this lacks a common core.","dek_sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 24, lines 35-45","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2010/10-277.pdf","page_label":"file page 24, lines 35-45"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 19-13","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2010/10-277.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 19-13"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 44, lines 11-11","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2010/10-277.pdf","page_label":"file page 44, lines 11-11"}],"dispositions":[],"latest_court_document_date":"2011-03-29T00:00:00Z","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/10-277.html","primary_docket":"10-277","revisions":[{"correction_note":"Rewritten to the concise citizen-facing editorial standard.","created_at":"2026-08-31T20:51:51.757084Z","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 the limits of class action certification. It asks if disparate local decisions can form a single legal claim."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 24, lines 35-45","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2010/10-277.pdf","page_label":"file page 24, lines 35-45"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 19-13","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2010/10-277.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 19-13"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 44, lines 11-11","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2010/10-277.pdf","page_label":"file page 44, lines 11-11"}]},{"heading":"How the case got here","paragraphs":["The Supreme Court heard oral argument in this case on March 29, 2011."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 7-17","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2010/10-277.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 7-17"}]},{"heading":"What each side wants","paragraphs":["The company wants the class certification denied. It argues the claims lack a common core.","The plaintiffs want the class certification upheld. They argue decentralized decisions create a common issue."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 24, lines 35-45","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2010/10-277.pdf","page_label":"file page 24, lines 35-45"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 19-13","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2010/10-277.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 19-13"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 44, lines 11-11","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2010/10-277.pdf","page_label":"file page 44, lines 11-11"}]},{"heading":"What each side says","paragraphs":["The company argues that individual local decisions cannot form a single legal claim. It cites the lack of a formal policy.","The plaintiffs argue that decentralized decision-making itself creates a common legal issue. They reject the need for a formal policy."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 24, lines 35-45","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2010/10-277.pdf","page_label":"file page 24, lines 35-45"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 19-13","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2010/10-277.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 19-13"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 44, lines 11-11","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2010/10-277.pdf","page_label":"file page 44, lines 11-11"}]},{"heading":"What the justices asked","paragraphs":["Justice Alito asked about the difference between certification and merits standards. He questioned the application of company-wide policy rules.","Justice Sotomayor noted that the legal question remains unresolved. She acknowledged the complexity of the issue presented by the advocates."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 10, lines 13-21","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2010/10-277.pdf","page_label":"file page 10, lines 13-21"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 11, lines 35-43","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2010/10-277.pdf","page_label":"file page 11, lines 35-43"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 12, lines 29-17","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2010/10-277.pdf","page_label":"file page 12, lines 29-17"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 14, lines 21-37","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2010/10-277.pdf","page_label":"file page 14, lines 21-37"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 15, lines 39-43","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2010/10-277.pdf","page_label":"file page 15, lines 39-43"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 15-31","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2010/10-277.pdf","page_label":"file page 4, lines 15-31"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 39-3","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2010/10-277.pdf","page_label":"file page 4, lines 39-3"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 41-51","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2010/10-277.pdf","page_label":"file page 5, lines 41-51"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 19-25","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2010/10-277.pdf","page_label":"file page 6, lines 19-25"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 41-7","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2010/10-277.pdf","page_label":"file page 6, lines 41-7"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 41-19","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2010/10-277.pdf","page_label":"file page 7, lines 41-19"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 35-3","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2010/10-277.pdf","page_label":"file page 8, lines 35-3"}]},{"heading":"Why it matters","paragraphs":["This dispute defines the scope of class actions. It determines whether decentralized corporate decisions can support nationwide litigation. The outcome shapes future employment discrimination claims."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 24, lines 35-45","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2010/10-277.pdf","page_label":"file page 24, lines 35-45"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 19-13","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2010/10-277.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 19-13"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 44, lines 11-11","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2010/10-277.pdf","page_label":"file page 44, lines 11-11"}]},{"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 10, lines 13-21","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2010/10-277.pdf","page_label":"file page 10, lines 13-21"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 11, lines 35-43","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2010/10-277.pdf","page_label":"file page 11, lines 35-43"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 12, lines 29-17","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2010/10-277.pdf","page_label":"file page 12, lines 29-17"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 14, lines 21-37","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2010/10-277.pdf","page_label":"file page 14, lines 21-37"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 15, lines 39-43","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2010/10-277.pdf","page_label":"file page 15, lines 39-43"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 7-17","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2010/10-277.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 7-17"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 15-31","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2010/10-277.pdf","page_label":"file page 4, lines 15-31"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 39-3","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2010/10-277.pdf","page_label":"file page 4, lines 39-3"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 41-51","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2010/10-277.pdf","page_label":"file page 5, lines 41-51"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 19-25","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2010/10-277.pdf","page_label":"file page 6, lines 19-25"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 41-7","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2010/10-277.pdf","page_label":"file page 6, lines 41-7"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 41-19","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2010/10-277.pdf","page_label":"file page 7, lines 41-19"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 35-3","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2010/10-277.pdf","page_label":"file page 8, lines 35-3"}]}],"slug":"2010-10-277-wal-mart-stores-inc-v-dukes","term":"2010","title":"Can a nationwide class proceed without a single company-wide policy?","title_sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 24, lines 35-45","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2010/10-277.pdf","page_label":"file page 24, lines 35-45"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 19-13","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2010/10-277.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 19-13"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 44, lines 11-11","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2010/10-277.pdf","page_label":"file page 44, lines 11-11"}],"topics":[],"undated_disposition_date_fallback":null,"updated_at":"2026-09-05T03:22:24Z"}