{"argument_date":"2012-03-19T00:00:00Z","arguments":[{"argument_date":"2012-03-19T00:00:00Z","heading":"What happened at the argument","official_detail_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcript/2011","official_transcript_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2011/11-159.pdf","paragraphs":["Mr. Miller argued the agency reasonably interpreted the Act to require state inheritance proof.","Mr. Rothfeld argued the statute unambiguously dictates the family's reading without state law references.","Chief Justice Roberts asked how the agency handles new reproductive technologies where state law is unclear.","Justice Alito suggested Congress may have assumed a clear definition of child without needing state law."],"reargument":false,"sequence":1,"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 10, lines 38-10","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2011/11-159.pdf","page_label":"file page 10, lines 38-10"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 23, lines 4-50","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2011/11-159.pdf","page_label":"file page 23, lines 4-50"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 18-36","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2011/11-159.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 18-36"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 8-16","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2011/11-159.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 8-16"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 38-46","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2011/11-159.pdf","page_label":"file page 4, lines 38-46"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 34-38","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2011/11-159.pdf","page_label":"file page 5, lines 34-38"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 6-8","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2011/11-159.pdf","page_label":"file page 5, lines 6-8"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 10-30","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2011/11-159.pdf","page_label":"file page 6, lines 10-30"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 48-14","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2011/11-159.pdf","page_label":"file page 6, lines 48-14"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 22-36","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2011/11-159.pdf","page_label":"file page 7, lines 22-36"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 12-14","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2011/11-159.pdf","page_label":"file page 8, lines 12-14"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 16-32","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2011/11-159.pdf","page_label":"file page 8, lines 16-32"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 18-20","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2011/11-159.pdf","page_label":"file page 9, lines 18-20"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 30-42","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2011/11-159.pdf","page_label":"file page 9, lines 30-42"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 48-8","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2011/11-159.pdf","page_label":"file page 9, lines 48-8"}]}],"caption":"Astrue v. Capato","case_history":[{"changed_at":"2026-08-29T20:06:35.229180Z","explanation":"An official oral-argument transcript was verified.","status":"argued"}],"case_status":"argued","dek":"The dispute centers on whether federal law requires applicants to prove state inheritance rights to receive child survivor benefits.","dek_sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 23, lines 4-50","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2011/11-159.pdf","page_label":"file page 23, lines 4-50"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 18-36","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2011/11-159.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 18-36"}],"dispositions":[],"latest_court_document_date":"2012-03-19T00:00:00Z","maturity":"official_transcript","official_detail_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcript/2011","official_disposition_urls":[],"official_docket_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/docket/docketfiles/html/public/11-159.html","primary_docket":"11-159","revisions":[{"correction_note":"Rewritten to the concise citizen-facing editorial standard.","created_at":"2026-08-30T23:06:29.043980Z","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":["The Social Security Administration interprets the Social Security Act to require proof of state inheritance eligibility. The Capato family argues the statute unambiguously defines eligibility without referencing state law. The government contends state intestacy law provides a reasonable standard for determining child status."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 23, lines 4-50","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2011/11-159.pdf","page_label":"file page 23, lines 4-50"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 18-36","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2011/11-159.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 18-36"}]},{"heading":"How the case got here","paragraphs":["The Supreme Court heard oral argument in this case on March 19, 2012."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 8-16","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2011/11-159.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 8-16"}]},{"heading":"What each side wants","paragraphs":["The government wants the Court to uphold the use of state inheritance law as the eligibility standard.","The family wants the Court to reject the state law requirement and grant benefits based on federal definitions."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 23, lines 4-50","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2011/11-159.pdf","page_label":"file page 23, lines 4-50"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 18-36","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2011/11-159.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 18-36"}]},{"heading":"What each side says","paragraphs":["The government argues the Social Security Act reasonably incorporates state intestacy law to define child status.","The family argues the statute is unambiguous and does not reference state inheritance law for eligibility."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 23, lines 4-50","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2011/11-159.pdf","page_label":"file page 23, lines 4-50"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 18-36","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2011/11-159.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 18-36"}]},{"heading":"What the justices asked","paragraphs":["Justice Ginsburg asked about the meaning of a specific statutory provision regarding state law status.","Justice Kagan questioned why Congress defined stepchildren without referencing state intestacy law in other sections."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 10, lines 38-10","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2011/11-159.pdf","page_label":"file page 10, lines 38-10"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 38-46","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2011/11-159.pdf","page_label":"file page 4, lines 38-46"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 34-38","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2011/11-159.pdf","page_label":"file page 5, lines 34-38"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 6-8","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2011/11-159.pdf","page_label":"file page 5, lines 6-8"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 10-30","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2011/11-159.pdf","page_label":"file page 6, lines 10-30"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 48-14","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2011/11-159.pdf","page_label":"file page 6, lines 48-14"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 22-36","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2011/11-159.pdf","page_label":"file page 7, lines 22-36"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 12-14","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2011/11-159.pdf","page_label":"file page 8, lines 12-14"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 16-32","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2011/11-159.pdf","page_label":"file page 8, lines 16-32"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 18-20","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2011/11-159.pdf","page_label":"file page 9, lines 18-20"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 30-42","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2011/11-159.pdf","page_label":"file page 9, lines 30-42"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 48-8","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2011/11-159.pdf","page_label":"file page 9, lines 48-8"}]},{"heading":"Why it matters","paragraphs":["This case determines how federal agencies define family relationships for benefit eligibility. It clarifies the relationship between federal benefits and state inheritance laws. The outcome affects millions of families seeking survivor benefits. It establishes a standard for interpreting statutory definitions of family status."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 23, lines 4-50","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2011/11-159.pdf","page_label":"file page 23, lines 4-50"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 18-36","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2011/11-159.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 18-36"}]},{"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 38-10","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2011/11-159.pdf","page_label":"file page 10, lines 38-10"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 8-16","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2011/11-159.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 8-16"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 38-46","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2011/11-159.pdf","page_label":"file page 4, lines 38-46"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 34-38","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2011/11-159.pdf","page_label":"file page 5, lines 34-38"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 6-8","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2011/11-159.pdf","page_label":"file page 5, lines 6-8"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 10-30","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2011/11-159.pdf","page_label":"file page 6, lines 10-30"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 48-14","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2011/11-159.pdf","page_label":"file page 6, lines 48-14"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 22-36","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2011/11-159.pdf","page_label":"file page 7, lines 22-36"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 12-14","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2011/11-159.pdf","page_label":"file page 8, lines 12-14"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 16-32","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2011/11-159.pdf","page_label":"file page 8, lines 16-32"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 18-20","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2011/11-159.pdf","page_label":"file page 9, lines 18-20"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 30-42","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2011/11-159.pdf","page_label":"file page 9, lines 30-42"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 48-8","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2011/11-159.pdf","page_label":"file page 9, lines 48-8"}]}],"slug":"2011-11-159-astrue-v-capato","term":"2011","title":"Does state inheritance law define child survivor benefits?","title_sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 23, lines 4-50","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2011/11-159.pdf","page_label":"file page 23, lines 4-50"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 18-36","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2011/11-159.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 18-36"}],"topics":[],"undated_disposition_date_fallback":null,"updated_at":"2026-09-05T03:22:24Z"}