{"argument_date":"2014-11-04T00:00:00Z","arguments":[{"argument_date":"2014-11-04T00:00:00Z","heading":"What happened at the argument","official_detail_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcript/2014","official_transcript_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2014/13-894_3c45.pdf","paragraphs":["Mr. Gershengorn argued the statute directly prohibits detrimental disclosures.","Mr. Katyal argued the law restrains agencies, not empowers them.","Justice Kennedy asked if statutes alone create disclosure prohibitions.","Justice Scalia stated the conduct is prohibited by regulations."],"reargument":false,"sequence":1,"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 27, lines 33-5","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2014/13-894_3c45.pdf","page_label":"file page 27, lines 33-5"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 19-49","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2014/13-894_3c45.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 19-49"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 51-11","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2014/13-894_3c45.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 51-11"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 7-17","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2014/13-894_3c45.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 7-17"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 29-31","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2014/13-894_3c45.pdf","page_label":"file page 4, lines 29-31"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 29-47","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2014/13-894_3c45.pdf","page_label":"file page 5, lines 29-47"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 51-5","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2014/13-894_3c45.pdf","page_label":"file page 5, lines 51-5"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 54, lines 49-45","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2014/13-894_3c45.pdf","page_label":"file page 54, lines 49-45"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 56, lines 47-7","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2014/13-894_3c45.pdf","page_label":"file page 56, lines 47-7"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 57, lines 11-15","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2014/13-894_3c45.pdf","page_label":"file page 57, lines 11-15"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 57, lines 51-3","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2014/13-894_3c45.pdf","page_label":"file page 57, lines 51-3"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 58, lines 35-37","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2014/13-894_3c45.pdf","page_label":"file page 58, lines 35-37"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 58, lines 39-43","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2014/13-894_3c45.pdf","page_label":"file page 58, lines 39-43"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 58, lines 7-11","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2014/13-894_3c45.pdf","page_label":"file page 58, lines 7-11"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 15-17","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2014/13-894_3c45.pdf","page_label":"file page 6, lines 15-17"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 23-29","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2014/13-894_3c45.pdf","page_label":"file page 6, lines 23-29"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 39-41","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2014/13-894_3c45.pdf","page_label":"file page 6, lines 39-41"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 49-5","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2014/13-894_3c45.pdf","page_label":"file page 7, lines 49-5"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 5-13","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2014/13-894_3c45.pdf","page_label":"file page 7, lines 5-13"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 37-39","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2014/13-894_3c45.pdf","page_label":"file page 8, lines 37-39"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 45-47","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2014/13-894_3c45.pdf","page_label":"file page 8, lines 45-47"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 27-29","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2014/13-894_3c45.pdf","page_label":"file page 9, lines 27-29"}]}],"caption":"Department of Homeland Security v. MacLean","case_history":[{"changed_at":"2026-08-29T20:06:23.604705Z","explanation":"An official oral-argument transcript was verified.","status":"argued"},{"changed_at":"2026-08-29T20:06:23.623181Z","explanation":"An official oral-argument transcript was verified.","status":"argued"}],"case_status":"argued","dek":"The dispute centers on whether a whistleblower law requires specific regulations to protect security data.","dek_sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 27, lines 33-5","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2014/13-894_3c45.pdf","page_label":"file page 27, lines 33-5"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 19-49","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2014/13-894_3c45.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 19-49"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 54, lines 49-45","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2014/13-894_3c45.pdf","page_label":"file page 54, lines 49-45"}],"dispositions":[],"latest_court_document_date":"2014-11-04T00:00:00Z","maturity":"official_transcript","official_detail_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcript/2014","official_disposition_urls":[],"official_docket_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/docket/docketfiles/html/public/13-894.html","primary_docket":"13-894","revisions":[{"correction_note":"Rewritten to the concise citizen-facing editorial standard.","created_at":"2026-08-30T20:25:55.507138Z","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 scope of federal whistleblower protections. It asks if a general statute suffices to ban specific security disclosures."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 27, lines 33-5","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2014/13-894_3c45.pdf","page_label":"file page 27, lines 33-5"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 19-49","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2014/13-894_3c45.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 19-49"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 54, lines 49-45","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2014/13-894_3c45.pdf","page_label":"file page 54, lines 49-45"}]},{"heading":"How the case got here","paragraphs":["The Supreme Court heard oral argument in this case on November 4, 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/2014/13-894_3c45.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 7-17"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 58, lines 39-43","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2014/13-894_3c45.pdf","page_label":"file page 58, lines 39-43"}]},{"heading":"What each side wants","paragraphs":["The government wants the disclosure ruled unlawful under the statute.","The employee wants the disclosure protected as a lawful whistleblower act."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 27, lines 33-5","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2014/13-894_3c45.pdf","page_label":"file page 27, lines 33-5"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 19-49","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2014/13-894_3c45.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 19-49"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 54, lines 49-45","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2014/13-894_3c45.pdf","page_label":"file page 54, lines 49-45"}]},{"heading":"What each side says","paragraphs":["The government argues the statute directly prohibits detrimental security disclosures.","The employee argues the law restrains agencies rather than empowering them."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 27, lines 33-5","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2014/13-894_3c45.pdf","page_label":"file page 27, lines 33-5"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 19-49","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2014/13-894_3c45.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 19-49"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 54, lines 49-45","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2014/13-894_3c45.pdf","page_label":"file page 54, lines 49-45"}]},{"heading":"What the justices asked","paragraphs":["Justice Sotomayor asked about prior confidential notice distribution.","Chief Justice Roberts asked if specific flight cuts could be stated publicly."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 51-11","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2014/13-894_3c45.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 51-11"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 29-31","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2014/13-894_3c45.pdf","page_label":"file page 4, lines 29-31"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 29-47","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2014/13-894_3c45.pdf","page_label":"file page 5, lines 29-47"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 51-5","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2014/13-894_3c45.pdf","page_label":"file page 5, lines 51-5"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 56, lines 47-7","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2014/13-894_3c45.pdf","page_label":"file page 56, lines 47-7"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 57, lines 11-15","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2014/13-894_3c45.pdf","page_label":"file page 57, lines 11-15"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 57, lines 51-3","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2014/13-894_3c45.pdf","page_label":"file page 57, lines 51-3"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 58, lines 35-37","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2014/13-894_3c45.pdf","page_label":"file page 58, lines 35-37"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 58, lines 39-43","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2014/13-894_3c45.pdf","page_label":"file page 58, lines 39-43"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 58, lines 7-11","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2014/13-894_3c45.pdf","page_label":"file page 58, lines 7-11"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 15-17","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2014/13-894_3c45.pdf","page_label":"file page 6, lines 15-17"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 23-29","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2014/13-894_3c45.pdf","page_label":"file page 6, lines 23-29"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 39-41","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2014/13-894_3c45.pdf","page_label":"file page 6, lines 39-41"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 49-5","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2014/13-894_3c45.pdf","page_label":"file page 7, lines 49-5"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 5-13","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2014/13-894_3c45.pdf","page_label":"file page 7, lines 5-13"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 37-39","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2014/13-894_3c45.pdf","page_label":"file page 8, lines 37-39"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 45-47","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2014/13-894_3c45.pdf","page_label":"file page 8, lines 45-47"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 27-29","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2014/13-894_3c45.pdf","page_label":"file page 9, lines 27-29"}]},{"heading":"Why it matters","paragraphs":["This defines the boundary between public safety and employee speech rights."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 27, lines 33-5","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2014/13-894_3c45.pdf","page_label":"file page 27, lines 33-5"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 19-49","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2014/13-894_3c45.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 19-49"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 54, lines 49-45","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2014/13-894_3c45.pdf","page_label":"file page 54, lines 49-45"}]},{"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 51-11","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2014/13-894_3c45.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 51-11"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 7-17","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2014/13-894_3c45.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 7-17"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 29-31","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2014/13-894_3c45.pdf","page_label":"file page 4, lines 29-31"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 29-47","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2014/13-894_3c45.pdf","page_label":"file page 5, lines 29-47"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 51-5","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2014/13-894_3c45.pdf","page_label":"file page 5, lines 51-5"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 56, lines 47-7","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2014/13-894_3c45.pdf","page_label":"file page 56, lines 47-7"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 57, lines 11-15","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2014/13-894_3c45.pdf","page_label":"file page 57, lines 11-15"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 57, lines 51-3","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2014/13-894_3c45.pdf","page_label":"file page 57, lines 51-3"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 58, lines 35-37","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2014/13-894_3c45.pdf","page_label":"file page 58, lines 35-37"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 58, lines 39-43","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2014/13-894_3c45.pdf","page_label":"file page 58, lines 39-43"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 58, lines 7-11","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2014/13-894_3c45.pdf","page_label":"file page 58, lines 7-11"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 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alone prohibit disclosing air marshal cuts?","title_sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 27, lines 33-5","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2014/13-894_3c45.pdf","page_label":"file page 27, lines 33-5"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 19-49","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2014/13-894_3c45.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 19-49"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 54, lines 49-45","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2014/13-894_3c45.pdf","page_label":"file page 54, lines 49-45"}],"topics":[],"undated_disposition_date_fallback":null,"updated_at":"2026-09-05T03:22:24Z"}