{"argument_date":"2013-01-15T00:00:00Z","arguments":[{"argument_date":"2013-01-15T00:00:00Z","heading":"What happened at the argument","official_detail_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcript/2012","official_transcript_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2012/11-1351.pdf","paragraphs":["Mr. Shah argued the statute unequivocally waives sovereign immunity for medical battery.","Mr. Feldman argued Congress did not eliminate the standard tort remedy for unauthorized surgery.","questions_and_answers"],"reargument":false,"sequence":1,"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 10, lines 45-47","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2012/11-1351.pdf","page_label":"file page 10, lines 45-47"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 11, lines 31-35","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2012/11-1351.pdf","page_label":"file page 11, lines 31-35"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 11, lines 39-47","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2012/11-1351.pdf","page_label":"file page 11, lines 39-47"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 12, lines 47-17","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2012/11-1351.pdf","page_label":"file page 12, lines 47-17"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 13, lines 21-23","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2012/11-1351.pdf","page_label":"file page 13, lines 21-23"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 14, lines 51-9","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2012/11-1351.pdf","page_label":"file page 14, lines 51-9"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 27, lines 35-1","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2012/11-1351.pdf","page_label":"file page 27, lines 35-1"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 19-13","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2012/11-1351.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/2012/11-1351.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 7-17"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 15-25","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2012/11-1351.pdf","page_label":"file page 4, lines 15-25"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 45-47","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2012/11-1351.pdf","page_label":"file page 5, lines 45-47"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 56, lines 33-41","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2012/11-1351.pdf","page_label":"file page 56, lines 33-41"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 57, lines 43-1","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2012/11-1351.pdf","page_label":"file page 57, lines 43-1"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 58, lines 39-1","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2012/11-1351.pdf","page_label":"file page 58, lines 39-1"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 47-25","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2012/11-1351.pdf","page_label":"file page 6, lines 47-25"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 60, lines 13-15","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2012/11-1351.pdf","page_label":"file page 60, lines 13-15"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 60, lines 3-9","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2012/11-1351.pdf","page_label":"file page 60, lines 3-9"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 15-31","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2012/11-1351.pdf","page_label":"file page 8, lines 15-31"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 35-49","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2012/11-1351.pdf","page_label":"file page 9, lines 35-49"}]}],"caption":"Levin v. United States","case_history":[{"changed_at":"2026-08-29T20:06:34.753011Z","explanation":"An official oral-argument transcript was verified.","status":"argued"},{"changed_at":"2026-08-29T20:06:34.786703Z","explanation":"An official oral-argument transcript was verified.","status":"argued"}],"case_status":"argued","dek":"the side that brought the case seeks damages for unauthorized surgery. The government argues the statute preserves the intentional tort exception.","dek_sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 27, lines 35-1","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2012/11-1351.pdf","page_label":"file page 27, lines 35-1"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 19-13","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2012/11-1351.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 19-13"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 56, lines 33-41","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2012/11-1351.pdf","page_label":"file page 56, lines 33-41"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 58, lines 39-1","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2012/11-1351.pdf","page_label":"file page 58, lines 39-1"}],"dispositions":[],"latest_court_document_date":"2013-01-15T00:00:00Z","maturity":"official_transcript","official_detail_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcript/2012","official_disposition_urls":[],"official_docket_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/docket/docketfiles/html/public/11-1351.html","primary_docket":"11-1351","revisions":[{"correction_note":"Rewritten to the concise citizen-facing editorial standard.","created_at":"2026-08-30T22:21:30.676777Z","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 case tests whether a specific statute overrides the general bar on intentional tort claims against the federal government."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 27, lines 35-1","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2012/11-1351.pdf","page_label":"file page 27, lines 35-1"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 19-13","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2012/11-1351.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 19-13"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 56, lines 33-41","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2012/11-1351.pdf","page_label":"file page 56, lines 33-41"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 58, lines 39-1","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2012/11-1351.pdf","page_label":"file page 58, lines 39-1"}]},{"heading":"How the case got here","paragraphs":["The Supreme Court heard oral argument in this case on January 15, 2013."],"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/2012/11-1351.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 7-17"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 60, lines 3-9","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2012/11-1351.pdf","page_label":"file page 60, lines 3-9"}]},{"heading":"What each side wants","paragraphs":["the side that brought the case wants a damages award for the unauthorized surgery.","The government wants the claim dismissed under the intentional tort exception."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 27, lines 35-1","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2012/11-1351.pdf","page_label":"file page 27, lines 35-1"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 19-13","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2012/11-1351.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 19-13"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 56, lines 33-41","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2012/11-1351.pdf","page_label":"file page 56, lines 33-41"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 58, lines 39-1","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2012/11-1351.pdf","page_label":"file page 58, lines 39-1"}]},{"heading":"What each side says","paragraphs":["the side that brought the case argues the Gonzalez Act explicitly waives immunity for these claims.","The government argues the statute preserves the standard intentional tort bar."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 27, lines 35-1","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2012/11-1351.pdf","page_label":"file page 27, lines 35-1"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 19-13","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2012/11-1351.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 19-13"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 56, lines 33-41","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2012/11-1351.pdf","page_label":"file page 56, lines 33-41"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 58, lines 39-1","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2012/11-1351.pdf","page_label":"file page 58, lines 39-1"}]},{"heading":"What the justices asked","paragraphs":["Justice Alito asked how the law treats deliberate harm versus negligence.","Justice Kennedy asked if legal scholars criticize the battery-negligence distinction."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 10, lines 45-47","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2012/11-1351.pdf","page_label":"file page 10, lines 45-47"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 11, lines 31-35","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2012/11-1351.pdf","page_label":"file page 11, lines 31-35"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 11, lines 39-47","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2012/11-1351.pdf","page_label":"file page 11, lines 39-47"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 12, lines 47-17","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2012/11-1351.pdf","page_label":"file page 12, lines 47-17"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 13, lines 21-23","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2012/11-1351.pdf","page_label":"file page 13, lines 21-23"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 14, lines 51-9","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2012/11-1351.pdf","page_label":"file page 14, lines 51-9"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 7-17","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2012/11-1351.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 7-17"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 15-25","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2012/11-1351.pdf","page_label":"file page 4, lines 15-25"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 45-47","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2012/11-1351.pdf","page_label":"file page 5, lines 45-47"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 57, lines 43-1","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2012/11-1351.pdf","page_label":"file page 57, lines 43-1"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 47-25","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2012/11-1351.pdf","page_label":"file page 6, lines 47-25"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 60, lines 13-15","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2012/11-1351.pdf","page_label":"file page 60, lines 13-15"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 60, lines 3-9","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2012/11-1351.pdf","page_label":"file page 60, lines 3-9"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 15-31","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2012/11-1351.pdf","page_label":"file page 8, lines 15-31"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 35-49","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2012/11-1351.pdf","page_label":"file page 9, lines 35-49"}]},{"heading":"Why it matters","paragraphs":["This case defines the scope of federal liability for medical malpractice. It determines whether patients can sue for unauthorized procedures. The outcome shapes future tort litigation against government hospitals."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 27, lines 35-1","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2012/11-1351.pdf","page_label":"file page 27, lines 35-1"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 19-13","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2012/11-1351.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 19-13"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 56, lines 33-41","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2012/11-1351.pdf","page_label":"file page 56, lines 33-41"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 58, lines 39-1","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2012/11-1351.pdf","page_label":"file page 58, lines 39-1"}]},{"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 45-47","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2012/11-1351.pdf","page_label":"file page 10, lines 45-47"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 11, lines 31-35","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2012/11-1351.pdf","page_label":"file page 11, lines 31-35"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 11, lines 39-47","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2012/11-1351.pdf","page_label":"file page 11, lines 39-47"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 12, lines 47-17","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2012/11-1351.pdf","page_label":"file page 12, lines 47-17"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 13, lines 21-23","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2012/11-1351.pdf","page_label":"file page 13, lines 21-23"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 14, lines 51-9","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2012/11-1351.pdf","page_label":"file page 14, lines 51-9"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 7-17","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2012/11-1351.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 7-17"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 15-25","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2012/11-1351.pdf","page_label":"file page 4, lines 15-25"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 45-47","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2012/11-1351.pdf","page_label":"file page 5, lines 45-47"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 57, lines 43-1","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2012/11-1351.pdf","page_label":"file page 57, lines 43-1"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 47-25","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2012/11-1351.pdf","page_label":"file page 6, lines 47-25"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 60, lines 13-15","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2012/11-1351.pdf","page_label":"file page 60, lines 13-15"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 60, lines 3-9","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2012/11-1351.pdf","page_label":"file page 60, lines 3-9"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 15-31","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2012/11-1351.pdf","page_label":"file page 8, lines 15-31"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 35-49","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2012/11-1351.pdf","page_label":"file page 9, lines 35-49"}]}],"slug":"2012-11-1351-levin-v-united-states","term":"2012","title":"Does the Gonzalez Act waive sovereign immunity for medical battery claims?","title_sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 27, lines 35-1","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2012/11-1351.pdf","page_label":"file page 27, lines 35-1"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 19-13","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2012/11-1351.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 19-13"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 56, lines 33-41","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2012/11-1351.pdf","page_label":"file page 56, lines 33-41"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 58, lines 39-1","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2012/11-1351.pdf","page_label":"file page 58, lines 39-1"}],"topics":[],"undated_disposition_date_fallback":null,"updated_at":"2026-09-05T03:22:24Z"}