{"argument_date":"2018-10-03T00:00:00Z","arguments":[{"argument_date":"2018-10-03T00:00:00Z","heading":"What happened at the argument","official_detail_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcript/2018","official_transcript_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2018/17-340_4256.pdf","paragraphs":["the side that brought the case argued that the statute's plain meaning excludes independent contractors from the employment exemption.","the opposing side argued that the statute's purpose covers all workers performing services, including independent contractors.","questions_asked_by_justices"],"reargument":false,"sequence":1,"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 10, lines 16-23","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2018/17-340_4256.pdf","page_label":"file page 10, lines 16-23"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 10, lines 34-30","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2018/17-340_4256.pdf","page_label":"file page 10, lines 34-30"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 12, lines 20-21","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2018/17-340_4256.pdf","page_label":"file page 12, lines 20-21"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 12, lines 25-28","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2018/17-340_4256.pdf","page_label":"file page 12, lines 25-28"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 13, lines 34-1","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2018/17-340_4256.pdf","page_label":"file page 13, lines 34-1"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 29, lines 23-10","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2018/17-340_4256.pdf","page_label":"file page 29, lines 23-10"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 16-12","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2018/17-340_4256.pdf","page_label":"file page 4, lines 16-12"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 8-15","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2018/17-340_4256.pdf","page_label":"file page 4, lines 8-15"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 13-23","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2018/17-340_4256.pdf","page_label":"file page 5, lines 13-23"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 26-28","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2018/17-340_4256.pdf","page_label":"file page 5, lines 26-28"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 13-21","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2018/17-340_4256.pdf","page_label":"file page 6, lines 13-21"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 30-6","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2018/17-340_4256.pdf","page_label":"file page 6, lines 30-6"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 15-22","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2018/17-340_4256.pdf","page_label":"file page 7, lines 15-22"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 17-20","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2018/17-340_4256.pdf","page_label":"file page 8, lines 17-20"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 8-28","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2018/17-340_4256.pdf","page_label":"file page 9, lines 8-28"}]}],"caption":"New Prime Inc. v. Oliveira","case_history":[{"changed_at":"2026-08-29T20:06:20.618597Z","explanation":"An official oral-argument transcript was verified.","status":"argued"}],"case_status":"argued","dek":"The dispute centers on whether the Federal Arbitration Act exempts independent contractor agreements from mandatory arbitration clauses.","dek_sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 29, lines 23-10","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2018/17-340_4256.pdf","page_label":"file page 29, lines 23-10"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 16-12","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2018/17-340_4256.pdf","page_label":"file page 4, lines 16-12"}],"dispositions":[],"latest_court_document_date":"2018-10-03T00:00:00Z","maturity":"official_transcript","official_detail_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcript/2018","official_disposition_urls":[],"official_docket_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/docket/docketfiles/html/public/17-340.html","primary_docket":"17-340","revisions":[{"correction_note":"Rewritten to the concise citizen-facing editorial standard.","created_at":"2026-08-30T18:12:43.327258Z","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 case tests the scope of a statutory exemption. the side that brought the case argues the exemption covers only common-law employees. the opposing side argues it covers all workers performing services."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 29, lines 23-10","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2018/17-340_4256.pdf","page_label":"file page 29, lines 23-10"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 16-12","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2018/17-340_4256.pdf","page_label":"file page 4, lines 16-12"}]},{"heading":"How the case got here","paragraphs":["The Supreme Court heard oral argument in this case on October 3, 2018."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 8-15","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2018/17-340_4256.pdf","page_label":"file page 4, lines 8-15"}]},{"heading":"What each side wants","paragraphs":["the side that brought the case wants the Court to limit the statutory exemption to common-law employees only.","the opposing side wants the Court to include independent contractors within the statutory exemption."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 29, lines 23-10","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2018/17-340_4256.pdf","page_label":"file page 29, lines 23-10"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 16-12","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2018/17-340_4256.pdf","page_label":"file page 4, lines 16-12"}]},{"heading":"What each side says","paragraphs":["the side that brought the case argues the statute uses ordinary language that excludes independent contractors from the employment definition.","the opposing side argues the statute covers all workers performing services, regardless of their employment status."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 29, lines 23-10","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2018/17-340_4256.pdf","page_label":"file page 29, lines 23-10"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 16-12","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2018/17-340_4256.pdf","page_label":"file page 4, lines 16-12"}]},{"heading":"What the justices asked","paragraphs":["Justice Ginsburg asked how the Court should treat seamen who are independent contractors.","Justice Sotomayor asked whether other legal treatises treated independent contractors differently from employees."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 10, lines 16-23","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2018/17-340_4256.pdf","page_label":"file page 10, lines 16-23"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 10, lines 34-30","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2018/17-340_4256.pdf","page_label":"file page 10, lines 34-30"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 12, lines 20-21","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2018/17-340_4256.pdf","page_label":"file page 12, lines 20-21"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 12, lines 25-28","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2018/17-340_4256.pdf","page_label":"file page 12, lines 25-28"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 13, lines 34-1","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2018/17-340_4256.pdf","page_label":"file page 13, lines 34-1"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 13-23","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2018/17-340_4256.pdf","page_label":"file page 5, lines 13-23"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 26-28","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2018/17-340_4256.pdf","page_label":"file page 5, lines 26-28"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 13-21","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2018/17-340_4256.pdf","page_label":"file page 6, lines 13-21"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 30-6","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2018/17-340_4256.pdf","page_label":"file page 6, lines 30-6"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 15-22","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2018/17-340_4256.pdf","page_label":"file page 7, lines 15-22"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 17-20","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2018/17-340_4256.pdf","page_label":"file page 8, lines 17-20"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 8-28","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2018/17-340_4256.pdf","page_label":"file page 9, lines 8-28"}]},{"heading":"Why it matters","paragraphs":["This case defines who must arbitrate disputes under federal law. It determines whether independent contractors can sue in court or must use private arbitration. The outcome shapes labor rights and dispute resolution for millions of workers."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 29, lines 23-10","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2018/17-340_4256.pdf","page_label":"file page 29, lines 23-10"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 16-12","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2018/17-340_4256.pdf","page_label":"file page 4, lines 16-12"}]},{"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 16-23","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2018/17-340_4256.pdf","page_label":"file page 10, lines 16-23"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 10, lines 34-30","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2018/17-340_4256.pdf","page_label":"file page 10, lines 34-30"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 12, lines 20-21","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2018/17-340_4256.pdf","page_label":"file page 12, lines 20-21"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 12, lines 25-28","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2018/17-340_4256.pdf","page_label":"file page 12, lines 25-28"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 13, lines 34-1","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2018/17-340_4256.pdf","page_label":"file page 13, lines 34-1"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 8-15","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2018/17-340_4256.pdf","page_label":"file page 4, lines 8-15"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 13-23","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2018/17-340_4256.pdf","page_label":"file page 5, lines 13-23"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 26-28","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2018/17-340_4256.pdf","page_label":"file page 5, lines 26-28"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 13-21","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2018/17-340_4256.pdf","page_label":"file page 6, lines 13-21"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 30-6","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2018/17-340_4256.pdf","page_label":"file page 6, lines 30-6"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 15-22","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2018/17-340_4256.pdf","page_label":"file page 7, lines 15-22"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 17-20","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2018/17-340_4256.pdf","page_label":"file page 8, lines 17-20"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 8-28","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2018/17-340_4256.pdf","page_label":"file page 9, lines 8-28"}]}],"slug":"2018-17-340-new-prime-inc-v-oliveira","term":"2018","title":"Do independent contractor agreements count as employment contracts under federal arbitration law?","title_sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 29, lines 23-10","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2018/17-340_4256.pdf","page_label":"file page 29, lines 23-10"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 16-12","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2018/17-340_4256.pdf","page_label":"file page 4, lines 16-12"}],"topics":[],"undated_disposition_date_fallback":null,"updated_at":"2026-09-05T03:22:24Z"}