{"argument_date":"2017-03-22T00:00:00Z","arguments":[{"argument_date":"2017-03-22T00:00:00Z","heading":"What happened at the argument","official_detail_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcript/2016","official_transcript_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2016/16-254_7lio.pdf","paragraphs":["the side that brought the case asserts Article 10(a) allows postal service if the forum state authorizes it.","the side that brought the case claims the receiving state must not have objected to the provision.","the opposing side contends the treaty text is unambiguous and restricts this service method.","Justice Alito noted treaties are also United States law requiring standard interpretation rules."],"reargument":false,"sequence":1,"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 11, lines 18-24","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2016/16-254_7lio.pdf","page_label":"file page 11, lines 18-24"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 11, lines 52-4","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2016/16-254_7lio.pdf","page_label":"file page 11, lines 52-4"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 12, lines 24-28","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2016/16-254_7lio.pdf","page_label":"file page 12, lines 24-28"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 12, lines 8-8","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2016/16-254_7lio.pdf","page_label":"file page 12, lines 8-8"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 13, lines 8-40","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2016/16-254_7lio.pdf","page_label":"file page 13, lines 8-40"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 14, lines 48-4","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2016/16-254_7lio.pdf","page_label":"file page 14, lines 48-4"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 16, lines 14-16","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2016/16-254_7lio.pdf","page_label":"file page 16, lines 14-16"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 18, lines 24-14","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2016/16-254_7lio.pdf","page_label":"file page 18, lines 24-14"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 19, lines 30-34","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2016/16-254_7lio.pdf","page_label":"file page 19, lines 30-34"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 18-46","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2016/16-254_7lio.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 18-46"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 48-1","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2016/16-254_7lio.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 48-1"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 8-16","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2016/16-254_7lio.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 8-16"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 38-42","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2016/16-254_7lio.pdf","page_label":"file page 4, lines 38-42"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 6-8","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2016/16-254_7lio.pdf","page_label":"file page 4, lines 6-8"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 48-20","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2016/16-254_7lio.pdf","page_label":"file page 5, lines 48-20"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 4-22","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2016/16-254_7lio.pdf","page_label":"file page 7, lines 4-22"}]}],"caption":"Water Splash, Inc. v. Menon","case_history":[{"changed_at":"2026-08-29T20:06:21.669481Z","explanation":"An official oral-argument transcript was verified.","status":"argued"}],"case_status":"argued","dek":"The parties dispute whether Article 10(a) permits serving legal papers by mail when the receiving country has not filed an objection.","dek_sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 13, lines 8-40","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2016/16-254_7lio.pdf","page_label":"file page 13, lines 8-40"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 18, lines 24-14","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2016/16-254_7lio.pdf","page_label":"file page 18, lines 24-14"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 18-46","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2016/16-254_7lio.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 18-46"}],"dispositions":[],"latest_court_document_date":"2017-03-22T00:00:00Z","maturity":"official_transcript","official_detail_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcript/2016","official_disposition_urls":[],"official_docket_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/docket/docketfiles/html/public/16-254.html","primary_docket":"16-254","revisions":[{"correction_note":"Rewritten to the concise citizen-facing editorial standard.","created_at":"2026-08-30T18:41:59.534526Z","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 the Hague Service Convention. It asks if domestic law controls mail service when the treaty is silent on objections."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 13, lines 8-40","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2016/16-254_7lio.pdf","page_label":"file page 13, lines 8-40"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 18, lines 24-14","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2016/16-254_7lio.pdf","page_label":"file page 18, lines 24-14"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 18-46","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2016/16-254_7lio.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 18-46"}]},{"heading":"How the case got here","paragraphs":["The Supreme Court heard oral argument in this case on March 22, 2017."],"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/2016/16-254_7lio.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 8-16"}]},{"heading":"What each side wants","paragraphs":["the side that brought the case wants the Court to allow mail service under the treaty.","the opposing side wants the Court to bar mail service in this instance."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 13, lines 8-40","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2016/16-254_7lio.pdf","page_label":"file page 13, lines 8-40"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 18, lines 24-14","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2016/16-254_7lio.pdf","page_label":"file page 18, lines 24-14"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 18-46","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2016/16-254_7lio.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 18-46"}]},{"heading":"What each side says","paragraphs":["the side that brought the case argues the treaty text permits mail service if the destination state does not object.","the opposing side argues the treaty text is unambiguous and does not authorize this specific service method."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 13, lines 8-40","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2016/16-254_7lio.pdf","page_label":"file page 13, lines 8-40"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 18, lines 24-14","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2016/16-254_7lio.pdf","page_label":"file page 18, lines 24-14"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 18-46","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2016/16-254_7lio.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 18-46"}]},{"heading":"What the justices asked","paragraphs":["Justice Sotomayor asked where a person may raise a defense regarding lack of notice.","Justice Sotomayor asked why drafters used two different phrases in the treaty text."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 11, lines 18-24","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2016/16-254_7lio.pdf","page_label":"file page 11, lines 18-24"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 11, lines 52-4","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2016/16-254_7lio.pdf","page_label":"file page 11, lines 52-4"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 12, lines 24-28","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2016/16-254_7lio.pdf","page_label":"file page 12, lines 24-28"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 12, lines 8-8","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2016/16-254_7lio.pdf","page_label":"file page 12, lines 8-8"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 14, lines 48-4","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2016/16-254_7lio.pdf","page_label":"file page 14, lines 48-4"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 16, lines 14-16","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2016/16-254_7lio.pdf","page_label":"file page 16, lines 14-16"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 19, lines 30-34","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2016/16-254_7lio.pdf","page_label":"file page 19, lines 30-34"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 48-1","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2016/16-254_7lio.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 48-1"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 38-42","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2016/16-254_7lio.pdf","page_label":"file page 4, lines 38-42"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 6-8","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2016/16-254_7lio.pdf","page_label":"file page 4, lines 6-8"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 48-20","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2016/16-254_7lio.pdf","page_label":"file page 5, lines 48-20"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 4-22","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2016/16-254_7lio.pdf","page_label":"file page 7, lines 4-22"}]},{"heading":"Why it matters","paragraphs":["This dispute determines how courts serve legal documents abroad. It affects the speed and cost of international litigation. It clarifies the balance between treaty text and domestic law."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 13, lines 8-40","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2016/16-254_7lio.pdf","page_label":"file page 13, lines 8-40"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 18, lines 24-14","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2016/16-254_7lio.pdf","page_label":"file page 18, lines 24-14"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 18-46","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2016/16-254_7lio.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 18-46"}]},{"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 11, lines 18-24","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2016/16-254_7lio.pdf","page_label":"file page 11, lines 18-24"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 11, lines 52-4","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2016/16-254_7lio.pdf","page_label":"file page 11, lines 52-4"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 12, lines 24-28","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2016/16-254_7lio.pdf","page_label":"file page 12, lines 24-28"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 12, lines 8-8","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2016/16-254_7lio.pdf","page_label":"file page 12, lines 8-8"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 14, lines 48-4","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2016/16-254_7lio.pdf","page_label":"file page 14, lines 48-4"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 16, lines 14-16","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2016/16-254_7lio.pdf","page_label":"file page 16, lines 14-16"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 19, lines 30-34","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2016/16-254_7lio.pdf","page_label":"file page 19, lines 30-34"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 48-1","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2016/16-254_7lio.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 48-1"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 8-16","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2016/16-254_7lio.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 8-16"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 38-42","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2016/16-254_7lio.pdf","page_label":"file page 4, lines 38-42"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 6-8","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2016/16-254_7lio.pdf","page_label":"file page 4, lines 6-8"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 48-20","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2016/16-254_7lio.pdf","page_label":"file page 5, lines 48-20"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 4-22","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2016/16-254_7lio.pdf","page_label":"file page 7, lines 4-22"}]}],"slug":"2016-16-254-water-splash-inc-v-menon","term":"2016","title":"Does the Hague Service Convention allow mail service if the destination state does not object?","title_sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 13, lines 8-40","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2016/16-254_7lio.pdf","page_label":"file page 13, lines 8-40"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 18, lines 24-14","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2016/16-254_7lio.pdf","page_label":"file page 18, lines 24-14"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 18-46","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2016/16-254_7lio.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 18-46"}],"topics":[],"undated_disposition_date_fallback":null,"updated_at":"2026-09-05T03:22:24Z"}