{"argument_date":"2014-01-14T00:00:00Z","arguments":[{"argument_date":"2014-01-14T00:00:00Z","heading":"What happened at the argument","official_detail_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcript/2013","official_transcript_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2013/12-1173_25f3.pdf","paragraphs":["Mr. Lechner argued the lower decision would upset property law.","He claimed the government recently created an implied reversionary interest.","Justice Scalia questioned the government's stance in the Great Northern case.","Justice Alito asked about the government's reserved interest under Section 1912."],"reargument":false,"sequence":1,"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 24, lines 29-45","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2013/12-1173_25f3.pdf","page_label":"file page 24, lines 29-45"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 19-19","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2013/12-1173_25f3.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 19-19"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 7-17","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2013/12-1173_25f3.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 7-17"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 21-23","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2013/12-1173_25f3.pdf","page_label":"file page 4, lines 21-23"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 43-47","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2013/12-1173_25f3.pdf","page_label":"file page 4, lines 43-47"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 51-1","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2013/12-1173_25f3.pdf","page_label":"file page 4, lines 51-1"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 15-19","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2013/12-1173_25f3.pdf","page_label":"file page 5, lines 15-19"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 29-33","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2013/12-1173_25f3.pdf","page_label":"file page 5, lines 29-33"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 35-39","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2013/12-1173_25f3.pdf","page_label":"file page 6, lines 35-39"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 43-3","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2013/12-1173_25f3.pdf","page_label":"file page 6, lines 43-3"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 9-23","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2013/12-1173_25f3.pdf","page_label":"file page 6, lines 9-23"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 29-39","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2013/12-1173_25f3.pdf","page_label":"file page 7, lines 29-39"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 43-49","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2013/12-1173_25f3.pdf","page_label":"file page 7, lines 43-49"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 3-5","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2013/12-1173_25f3.pdf","page_label":"file page 8, lines 3-5"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 9-21","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2013/12-1173_25f3.pdf","page_label":"file page 8, lines 9-21"}]}],"caption":"Marvin M. Brandt Revocable Trust v. United States","case_history":[{"changed_at":"2026-08-29T20:06:24.080288Z","explanation":"An official oral-argument transcript was verified.","status":"argued"}],"case_status":"argued","dek":"The Brandt Trust claims full ownership of former railroad land. The United States argues the government retained a reversionary interest.","dek_sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 24, lines 29-45","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2013/12-1173_25f3.pdf","page_label":"file page 24, lines 29-45"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 19-19","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2013/12-1173_25f3.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 19-19"}],"dispositions":[],"latest_court_document_date":"2014-01-14T00:00:00Z","maturity":"official_transcript","official_detail_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcript/2013","official_disposition_urls":[],"official_docket_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/docket/docketfiles/html/public/12-1173.html","primary_docket":"12-1173","revisions":[{"correction_note":"Rewritten to the concise citizen-facing editorial standard.","created_at":"2026-08-30T21:03:40.952790Z","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 Brandt Trust seeks full fee simple ownership of the land. The United States seeks to retain a reversionary interest in the property."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 24, lines 29-45","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2013/12-1173_25f3.pdf","page_label":"file page 24, lines 29-45"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 19-19","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2013/12-1173_25f3.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 19-19"}]},{"heading":"How the case got here","paragraphs":["The Supreme Court heard oral argument in this case on January 14, 2014."],"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/2013/12-1173_25f3.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 7-17"}]},{"heading":"What each side wants","paragraphs":["The Brandt Trust wants full ownership of the land.","The United States wants to keep a reversionary interest."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 24, lines 29-45","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2013/12-1173_25f3.pdf","page_label":"file page 24, lines 29-45"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 19-19","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2013/12-1173_25f3.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 19-19"}]},{"heading":"What each side says","paragraphs":["The Brandt Trust argues the government created a new implied interest.","The United States argues the land was never a fee simple grant."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 24, lines 29-45","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2013/12-1173_25f3.pdf","page_label":"file page 24, lines 29-45"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 19-19","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2013/12-1173_25f3.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 19-19"}]},{"heading":"What the justices asked","paragraphs":["Justice Scalia asked if the government denied the fee status in Great Northern.","Justice Alito asked if the government reserved an interest for a public highway."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 21-23","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2013/12-1173_25f3.pdf","page_label":"file page 4, lines 21-23"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 43-47","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2013/12-1173_25f3.pdf","page_label":"file page 4, lines 43-47"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 51-1","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2013/12-1173_25f3.pdf","page_label":"file page 4, lines 51-1"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 15-19","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2013/12-1173_25f3.pdf","page_label":"file page 5, lines 15-19"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 29-33","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2013/12-1173_25f3.pdf","page_label":"file page 5, lines 29-33"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 35-39","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2013/12-1173_25f3.pdf","page_label":"file page 6, lines 35-39"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 43-3","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2013/12-1173_25f3.pdf","page_label":"file page 6, lines 43-3"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 9-23","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2013/12-1173_25f3.pdf","page_label":"file page 6, lines 9-23"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 29-39","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2013/12-1173_25f3.pdf","page_label":"file page 7, lines 29-39"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 43-49","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2013/12-1173_25f3.pdf","page_label":"file page 7, lines 43-49"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 3-5","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2013/12-1173_25f3.pdf","page_label":"file page 8, lines 3-5"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 9-21","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2013/12-1173_25f3.pdf","page_label":"file page 8, lines 9-21"}]},{"heading":"Why it matters","paragraphs":["This case determines who owns former railroad corridors. It affects title to potentially one million acres of land."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 24, lines 29-45","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2013/12-1173_25f3.pdf","page_label":"file page 24, lines 29-45"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 19-19","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2013/12-1173_25f3.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 19-19"}]},{"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 7-17","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2013/12-1173_25f3.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 7-17"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 21-23","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2013/12-1173_25f3.pdf","page_label":"file page 4, lines 21-23"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 43-47","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2013/12-1173_25f3.pdf","page_label":"file page 4, lines 43-47"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 51-1","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2013/12-1173_25f3.pdf","page_label":"file page 4, lines 51-1"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 15-19","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2013/12-1173_25f3.pdf","page_label":"file page 5, lines 15-19"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 29-33","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2013/12-1173_25f3.pdf","page_label":"file page 5, lines 29-33"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 35-39","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2013/12-1173_25f3.pdf","page_label":"file page 6, lines 35-39"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 43-3","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2013/12-1173_25f3.pdf","page_label":"file page 6, lines 43-3"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 9-23","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2013/12-1173_25f3.pdf","page_label":"file page 6, lines 9-23"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 29-39","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2013/12-1173_25f3.pdf","page_label":"file page 7, lines 29-39"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 43-49","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2013/12-1173_25f3.pdf","page_label":"file page 7, lines 43-49"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 3-5","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2013/12-1173_25f3.pdf","page_label":"file page 8, lines 3-5"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 9-21","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2013/12-1173_25f3.pdf","page_label":"file page 8, lines 9-21"}]}],"slug":"2013-12-1173-marvin-m-brandt-revocable-trust-v-united-states","term":"2013","title":"Does a railroad easement revert to the government when the railroad stops running?","title_sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 24, lines 29-45","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2013/12-1173_25f3.pdf","page_label":"file page 24, lines 29-45"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 19-19","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2013/12-1173_25f3.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 19-19"}],"topics":[],"undated_disposition_date_fallback":null,"updated_at":"2026-09-05T03:22:24Z"}