{"argument_date":"2018-03-19T00:00:00Z","arguments":[{"argument_date":"2018-03-19T00:00:00Z","heading":"What happened at the argument","official_detail_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcript/2017","official_transcript_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2017/16-1432_c1ne.pdf","paragraphs":["Mr. Unikowsky argued the law violates the Contracts Clause.","Mr. Dvoretzky argued the Constitution forbids states from impairing contract obligations.","justice_questions"],"reargument":false,"sequence":1,"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 10, lines 15-19","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2017/16-1432_c1ne.pdf","page_label":"file page 10, lines 15-19"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 10, lines 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37-43","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2017/16-1432_c1ne.pdf","page_label":"file page 4, lines 37-43"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 19-21","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2017/16-1432_c1ne.pdf","page_label":"file page 5, lines 19-21"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 33-35","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2017/16-1432_c1ne.pdf","page_label":"file page 5, lines 33-35"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 45-13","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2017/16-1432_c1ne.pdf","page_label":"file page 5, lines 45-13"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 9-15","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2017/16-1432_c1ne.pdf","page_label":"file page 5, lines 9-15"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 67, lines 51-19","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2017/16-1432_c1ne.pdf","page_label":"file page 67, lines 51-19"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 69, lines 21-33","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2017/16-1432_c1ne.pdf","page_label":"file page 69, lines 21-33"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 69, lines 47-51","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2017/16-1432_c1ne.pdf","page_label":"file page 69, lines 47-51"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 19-21","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2017/16-1432_c1ne.pdf","page_label":"file page 7, lines 19-21"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 25-29","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2017/16-1432_c1ne.pdf","page_label":"file page 7, lines 25-29"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 37-39","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2017/16-1432_c1ne.pdf","page_label":"file page 7, lines 37-39"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 70, lines 7-7","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2017/16-1432_c1ne.pdf","page_label":"file page 70, lines 7-7"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 74, lines 39-41","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2017/16-1432_c1ne.pdf","page_label":"file page 74, lines 39-41"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 13-41","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2017/16-1432_c1ne.pdf","page_label":"file page 8, lines 13-41"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 25-47","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2017/16-1432_c1ne.pdf","page_label":"file page 9, lines 25-47"}]}],"caption":"Sveen v. Melin","case_history":[{"changed_at":"2026-08-29T20:06:33.999488Z","explanation":"An official oral-argument transcript was verified.","status":"argued"},{"changed_at":"2026-08-29T20:06:34.003566Z","explanation":"An official oral-argument transcript was verified.","status":"argued"}],"case_status":"argued","dek":"The dispute centers on whether a state law that removes ex-spouses as insurance beneficiaries after divorce can apply to policies bought before the law existed.","dek_sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 37, lines 19-1","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2017/16-1432_c1ne.pdf","page_label":"file page 37, lines 19-1"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 23-35","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2017/16-1432_c1ne.pdf","page_label":"file page 4, lines 23-35"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 67, lines 51-19","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2017/16-1432_c1ne.pdf","page_label":"file page 67, lines 51-19"}],"dispositions":[],"latest_court_document_date":"2018-03-19T00:00:00Z","maturity":"official_transcript","official_detail_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcript/2017","official_disposition_urls":[],"official_docket_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/docket/docketfiles/html/public/16-1432.html","primary_docket":"16-1432","revisions":[{"correction_note":"Rewritten to the concise citizen-facing editorial standard.","created_at":"2026-08-30T18:19:57.376581Z","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 power of states to change contract terms. One side argues the law breaks a constitutional promise. The other side argues the law serves a public purpose."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 37, lines 19-1","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2017/16-1432_c1ne.pdf","page_label":"file page 37, lines 19-1"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 23-35","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2017/16-1432_c1ne.pdf","page_label":"file page 4, lines 23-35"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 67, lines 51-19","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2017/16-1432_c1ne.pdf","page_label":"file page 67, lines 51-19"}]},{"heading":"How the case got here","paragraphs":["The Supreme Court heard oral argument in this case on March 19, 2018."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 11-21","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2017/16-1432_c1ne.pdf","page_label":"file page 4, lines 11-21"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 74, lines 39-41","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2017/16-1432_c1ne.pdf","page_label":"file page 74, lines 39-41"}]},{"heading":"What each side wants","paragraphs":["the sides that brought the case want the Court to strike down the law's application to their old policy.","the opposing sides want the Court to uphold the law's application to their old policy."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 37, lines 19-1","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2017/16-1432_c1ne.pdf","page_label":"file page 37, lines 19-1"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 23-35","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2017/16-1432_c1ne.pdf","page_label":"file page 4, lines 23-35"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 67, lines 51-19","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2017/16-1432_c1ne.pdf","page_label":"file page 67, lines 51-19"}]},{"heading":"What each side says","paragraphs":["the sides that brought the case argue the law violates the Contracts Clause by impairing existing obligations.","the opposing sides argue the law serves a valid public interest in updating beneficiary designations."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 37, lines 19-1","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2017/16-1432_c1ne.pdf","page_label":"file page 37, lines 19-1"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 23-35","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2017/16-1432_c1ne.pdf","page_label":"file page 4, lines 23-35"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 67, lines 51-19","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2017/16-1432_c1ne.pdf","page_label":"file page 67, lines 51-19"}]},{"heading":"What the justices asked","paragraphs":["Justice Ginsburg asked if policyholders sometimes want to keep ex-spouses as beneficiaries.","Justice Gorsuch asked if the state could have achieved its goals prospectively instead."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 10, lines 15-19","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2017/16-1432_c1ne.pdf","page_label":"file page 10, lines 15-19"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 10, lines 23-33","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2017/16-1432_c1ne.pdf","page_label":"file page 10, lines 23-33"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 37-43","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2017/16-1432_c1ne.pdf","page_label":"file page 4, lines 37-43"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 19-21","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2017/16-1432_c1ne.pdf","page_label":"file page 5, lines 19-21"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 33-35","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2017/16-1432_c1ne.pdf","page_label":"file page 5, lines 33-35"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 45-13","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2017/16-1432_c1ne.pdf","page_label":"file page 5, lines 45-13"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 9-15","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2017/16-1432_c1ne.pdf","page_label":"file page 5, lines 9-15"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 69, lines 21-33","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2017/16-1432_c1ne.pdf","page_label":"file page 69, lines 21-33"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 69, lines 47-51","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2017/16-1432_c1ne.pdf","page_label":"file page 69, lines 47-51"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 19-21","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2017/16-1432_c1ne.pdf","page_label":"file page 7, lines 19-21"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 25-29","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2017/16-1432_c1ne.pdf","page_label":"file page 7, lines 25-29"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 37-39","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2017/16-1432_c1ne.pdf","page_label":"file page 7, lines 37-39"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 70, lines 7-7","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2017/16-1432_c1ne.pdf","page_label":"file page 70, lines 7-7"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 74, lines 39-41","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2017/16-1432_c1ne.pdf","page_label":"file page 74, lines 39-41"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 13-41","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2017/16-1432_c1ne.pdf","page_label":"file page 8, lines 13-41"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 25-47","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2017/16-1432_c1ne.pdf","page_label":"file page 9, lines 25-47"}]},{"heading":"Why it matters","paragraphs":["This case defines the limits of state power over private contracts. It determines whether states can retroactively alter insurance agreements. The outcome affects how divorce laws interact with financial planning."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 37, lines 19-1","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2017/16-1432_c1ne.pdf","page_label":"file page 37, lines 19-1"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 23-35","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2017/16-1432_c1ne.pdf","page_label":"file page 4, lines 23-35"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 67, lines 51-19","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2017/16-1432_c1ne.pdf","page_label":"file page 67, lines 51-19"}]},{"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 10, lines 15-19","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2017/16-1432_c1ne.pdf","page_label":"file page 10, lines 15-19"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 10, lines 23-33","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2017/16-1432_c1ne.pdf","page_label":"file page 10, lines 23-33"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 11-21","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2017/16-1432_c1ne.pdf","page_label":"file page 4, lines 11-21"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 37-43","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2017/16-1432_c1ne.pdf","page_label":"file page 4, lines 37-43"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 19-21","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2017/16-1432_c1ne.pdf","page_label":"file page 5, lines 19-21"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 33-35","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2017/16-1432_c1ne.pdf","page_label":"file page 5, lines 33-35"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 45-13","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2017/16-1432_c1ne.pdf","page_label":"file page 5, lines 45-13"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 9-15","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2017/16-1432_c1ne.pdf","page_label":"file page 5, lines 9-15"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 69, lines 21-33","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2017/16-1432_c1ne.pdf","page_label":"file page 69, lines 21-33"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 69, lines 47-51","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2017/16-1432_c1ne.pdf","page_label":"file page 69, lines 47-51"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 19-21","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2017/16-1432_c1ne.pdf","page_label":"file page 7, lines 19-21"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 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13-41","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2017/16-1432_c1ne.pdf","page_label":"file page 8, lines 13-41"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 25-47","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2017/16-1432_c1ne.pdf","page_label":"file page 9, lines 25-47"}]}],"slug":"2017-16-1432-sveen-v-melin","term":"2017","title":"Does applying a divorce revocation law to old insurance policies violate the Constitution?","title_sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 37, lines 19-1","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2017/16-1432_c1ne.pdf","page_label":"file page 37, lines 19-1"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 23-35","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2017/16-1432_c1ne.pdf","page_label":"file page 4, lines 23-35"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 67, lines 51-19","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2017/16-1432_c1ne.pdf","page_label":"file page 67, lines 51-19"}],"topics":[],"undated_disposition_date_fallback":null,"updated_at":"2026-09-05T03:22:24Z"}