{"argument_date":"2017-04-17T00:00:00Z","arguments":[{"argument_date":"2017-04-17T00:00:00Z","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/2016/16-399_3f14.pdf","paragraphs":["Mr. Landau argued that the parties agree mixed cases can go to district court.","Mr. Fletcher argued that the Federal Circuit generally has exclusive jurisdiction over Board decisions.","Mr. Fletcher noted that a specific statute carves out an exception for mixed cases.","Mr. Landau stated that the relevant agency interprets the statute similarly to the side that brought the case's view."],"reargument":false,"sequence":1,"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 10, lines 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38-24","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2016/16-399_3f14.pdf","page_label":"file page 61, lines 38-24"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 63, lines 26-28","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2016/16-399_3f14.pdf","page_label":"file page 63, lines 26-28"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 24-28","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2016/16-399_3f14.pdf","page_label":"file page 7, lines 24-28"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 34-44","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2016/16-399_3f14.pdf","page_label":"file page 7, lines 34-44"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 48-50","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2016/16-399_3f14.pdf","page_label":"file page 7, lines 48-50"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 8-20","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2016/16-399_3f14.pdf","page_label":"file page 7, lines 8-20"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 4-6","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2016/16-399_3f14.pdf","page_label":"file page 8, lines 4-6"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 48-12","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2016/16-399_3f14.pdf","page_label":"file page 8, lines 48-12"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 32-34","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2016/16-399_3f14.pdf","page_label":"file page 9, lines 32-34"}]}],"caption":"Perry v. Merit Systems Protection Bd.","case_history":[{"changed_at":"2026-08-29T20:06:21.461618Z","explanation":"An official oral-argument transcript was verified.","status":"argued"},{"changed_at":"2026-08-29T20:06:21.490731Z","explanation":"An official oral-argument transcript was verified.","status":"argued"}],"case_status":"argued","dek":"The dispute centers on whether a federal employee must complete internal discrimination remedies before a district court can hear a mixed civil service case.","dek_sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 28, lines 14-36","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2016/16-399_3f14.pdf","page_label":"file page 28, lines 14-36"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 20-24","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2016/16-399_3f14.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 20-24"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 58, lines 36-8","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2016/16-399_3f14.pdf","page_label":"file page 58, lines 36-8"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 61, lines 38-24","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2016/16-399_3f14.pdf","page_label":"file page 61, lines 38-24"}],"dispositions":[],"latest_court_document_date":"2017-04-17T00:00:00Z","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/16-399.html","primary_docket":"16-399","revisions":[{"correction_note":"Rewritten to the concise citizen-facing editorial standard.","created_at":"2026-08-30T18:39:11.741000Z","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 involves a federal employee who claims discrimination and an adverse civil service action. The core legal question is whether the employee must exhaust internal discrimination remedies before filing suit in federal district court."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 28, lines 14-36","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2016/16-399_3f14.pdf","page_label":"file page 28, lines 14-36"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 20-24","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2016/16-399_3f14.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 20-24"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 58, lines 36-8","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2016/16-399_3f14.pdf","page_label":"file page 58, lines 36-8"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 61, lines 38-24","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2016/16-399_3f14.pdf","page_label":"file page 61, lines 38-24"}]},{"heading":"How the case got here","paragraphs":["The Supreme Court heard oral argument in this case on April 17, 2017."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 8-18","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2016/16-399_3f14.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 8-18"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 63, lines 26-28","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2016/16-399_3f14.pdf","page_label":"file page 63, lines 26-28"}]},{"heading":"What each side wants","paragraphs":["the side that brought the case wants the district court to hear the case immediately without requiring completed internal discrimination steps.","the opposing side wants the employee to finish all internal discrimination remedies before the district court can act."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 28, lines 14-36","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2016/16-399_3f14.pdf","page_label":"file page 28, lines 14-36"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 20-24","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2016/16-399_3f14.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 20-24"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 58, lines 36-8","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2016/16-399_3f14.pdf","page_label":"file page 58, lines 36-8"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 61, lines 38-24","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2016/16-399_3f14.pdf","page_label":"file page 61, lines 38-24"}]},{"heading":"What each side says","paragraphs":["the side that brought the case argues that the statute allows district courts to hear mixed cases even if internal discrimination steps are incomplete.","the opposing side argues that the government requires exhaustion of internal discrimination remedies before district court jurisdiction attaches."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 28, lines 14-36","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2016/16-399_3f14.pdf","page_label":"file page 28, lines 14-36"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 20-24","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2016/16-399_3f14.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 20-24"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 58, lines 36-8","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2016/16-399_3f14.pdf","page_label":"file page 58, lines 36-8"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 61, lines 38-24","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2016/16-399_3f14.pdf","page_label":"file page 61, lines 38-24"}]},{"heading":"What the justices asked","paragraphs":["Justice Ginsburg asked if the employee must exhaust internal remedies before going to district court.","Chief Justice Roberts asked if the employee could skip the Board and go straight to district court."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 10, lines 16-24","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2016/16-399_3f14.pdf","page_label":"file page 10, lines 16-24"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 28-44","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2016/16-399_3f14.pdf","page_label":"file page 4, lines 28-44"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 42-50","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2016/16-399_3f14.pdf","page_label":"file page 5, lines 42-50"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 8-20","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2016/16-399_3f14.pdf","page_label":"file page 5, lines 8-20"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 58, lines 28-34","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2016/16-399_3f14.pdf","page_label":"file page 58, lines 28-34"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 59, lines 10-34","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2016/16-399_3f14.pdf","page_label":"file page 59, lines 10-34"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 59, lines 42-44","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2016/16-399_3f14.pdf","page_label":"file page 59, lines 42-44"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 36-40","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2016/16-399_3f14.pdf","page_label":"file page 6, lines 36-40"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 63, lines 26-28","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2016/16-399_3f14.pdf","page_label":"file page 63, lines 26-28"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 24-28","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2016/16-399_3f14.pdf","page_label":"file page 7, lines 24-28"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 34-44","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2016/16-399_3f14.pdf","page_label":"file page 7, lines 34-44"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 48-50","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2016/16-399_3f14.pdf","page_label":"file page 7, lines 48-50"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 8-20","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2016/16-399_3f14.pdf","page_label":"file page 7, lines 8-20"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 4-6","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2016/16-399_3f14.pdf","page_label":"file page 8, lines 4-6"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 48-12","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2016/16-399_3f14.pdf","page_label":"file page 8, lines 48-12"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 32-34","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2016/16-399_3f14.pdf","page_label":"file page 9, lines 32-34"}]},{"heading":"Why it matters","paragraphs":["This case determines the procedural path for federal employees alleging discrimination and adverse actions. It defines when district courts gain jurisdiction over mixed civil service cases. The outcome shapes the balance between agency review and judicial access for federal workers."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 28, lines 14-36","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2016/16-399_3f14.pdf","page_label":"file page 28, lines 14-36"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 20-24","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2016/16-399_3f14.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 20-24"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 58, lines 36-8","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2016/16-399_3f14.pdf","page_label":"file page 58, lines 36-8"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 61, lines 38-24","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2016/16-399_3f14.pdf","page_label":"file page 61, lines 38-24"}]},{"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 16-24","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2016/16-399_3f14.pdf","page_label":"file page 10, lines 16-24"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 8-18","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2016/16-399_3f14.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 8-18"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 28-44","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2016/16-399_3f14.pdf","page_label":"file page 4, lines 28-44"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 42-50","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2016/16-399_3f14.pdf","page_label":"file page 5, lines 42-50"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 8-20","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2016/16-399_3f14.pdf","page_label":"file page 5, lines 8-20"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 58, lines 28-34","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2016/16-399_3f14.pdf","page_label":"file page 58, lines 28-34"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 59, lines 10-34","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2016/16-399_3f14.pdf","page_label":"file page 59, lines 10-34"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 59, lines 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