{"argument_date":"2021-04-26T00:00:00Z","arguments":[{"argument_date":"2021-04-26T00:00:00Z","heading":"What happened at the argument","official_detail_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcript/2020","official_transcript_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2020/20-382_4f14.pdf","paragraphs":["Mr. Suri argued Section 113(f)(3)(B) allows contribution claims regardless of the original statute.","Mr. Garre argued the United States strategically avoided CERCLA liability by suing under the Clean Water Act.","Justice Breyer questioned the benefit of the agreement if nothing resulted from it.","Justice Thomas asked about other instances of contribution claims under different statutes."],"reargument":false,"sequence":1,"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 10, lines 39-53","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2020/20-382_4f14.pdf","page_label":"file page 10, lines 39-53"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 11, lines 27-49","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2020/20-382_4f14.pdf","page_label":"file page 11, lines 27-49"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 12, lines 11-11","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2020/20-382_4f14.pdf","page_label":"file page 12, lines 11-11"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 12, lines 35-37","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2020/20-382_4f14.pdf","page_label":"file page 12, lines 35-37"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 12, lines 41-43","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2020/20-382_4f14.pdf","page_label":"file page 12, lines 41-43"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 12, lines 49-51","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2020/20-382_4f14.pdf","page_label":"file page 12, lines 49-51"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 13, lines 55-33","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2020/20-382_4f14.pdf","page_label":"file page 13, lines 55-33"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 33, lines 43-49","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2020/20-382_4f14.pdf","page_label":"file page 33, lines 43-49"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 11-21","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2020/20-382_4f14.pdf","page_label":"file page 4, lines 11-21"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 23-15","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2020/20-382_4f14.pdf","page_label":"file page 4, lines 23-15"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 17-35","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2020/20-382_4f14.pdf","page_label":"file page 6, lines 17-35"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 9-27","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2020/20-382_4f14.pdf","page_label":"file page 7, lines 9-27"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 35-47","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2020/20-382_4f14.pdf","page_label":"file page 8, lines 35-47"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 19-27","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2020/20-382_4f14.pdf","page_label":"file page 9, lines 19-27"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 55-11","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2020/20-382_4f14.pdf","page_label":"file page 9, lines 55-11"}]}],"caption":"Guam v. United States","case_history":[{"changed_at":"2026-08-29T20:06:18.386877Z","explanation":"An official oral-argument transcript was verified.","status":"argued"},{"changed_at":"2026-08-29T23:56:25.527056Z","explanation":"An official Court opinion was verified.","status":"decided"}],"case_status":"decided","dek":"Guam seeks cost sharing under CERCLA. The United States argues the original claim must also arise under CERCLA.","dek_sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 33, lines 43-49","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2020/20-382_4f14.pdf","page_label":"file page 33, lines 43-49"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 23-15","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2020/20-382_4f14.pdf","page_label":"file page 4, lines 23-15"}],"dispositions":[],"latest_court_document_date":"2021-04-26T00:00:00Z","maturity":"post_opinion","official_detail_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcript/2020","official_disposition_urls":["https://www.supremecourt.gov/opinions/20pdf/593us2r37_1an2.pdf"],"official_docket_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/docket/docketfiles/html/public/20-382.html","primary_docket":"20-382","revisions":[{"correction_note":"Rewritten to the concise citizen-facing editorial standard.","created_at":"2026-08-30T17:08:38.766819Z","maturity":"post_opinion","revision_number":1},{"correction_note":"Migrated to the dated official Court activity contract without model use.","created_at":"2026-09-05T03:22:24Z","maturity":"post_opinion","revision_number":2}],"schema_version":"1.1","sections":[{"heading":"What this case is about","paragraphs":["Guam wants the United States to pay part of the Ordot Dump cleanup costs. The United States wants to avoid paying those costs. Guam argues Section 113(f)(3)(B) allows cost sharing regardless of the original statute. The United States argues the original claim must arise under CERCLA. Justice Breyer questioned the benefit of the agreement."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 33, lines 43-49","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2020/20-382_4f14.pdf","page_label":"file page 33, lines 43-49"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 23-15","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2020/20-382_4f14.pdf","page_label":"file page 4, lines 23-15"}]},{"heading":"How the case got here","paragraphs":["The Supreme Court heard oral argument in this case on April 26, 2021."],"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/2020/20-382_4f14.pdf","page_label":"file page 4, lines 11-21"}]},{"heading":"What each side wants","paragraphs":["Guam wants the United States to pay part of the cleanup costs.","The United States wants to avoid paying the cleanup costs."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 33, lines 43-49","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2020/20-382_4f14.pdf","page_label":"file page 33, lines 43-49"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 23-15","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2020/20-382_4f14.pdf","page_label":"file page 4, lines 23-15"}]},{"heading":"What each side says","paragraphs":["Guam argues Section 113(f)(3)(B) allows contribution claims regardless of the original statute.","The United States argues the original claim must arise under CERCLA for contribution."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 33, lines 43-49","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2020/20-382_4f14.pdf","page_label":"file page 33, lines 43-49"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 23-15","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2020/20-382_4f14.pdf","page_label":"file page 4, lines 23-15"}]},{"heading":"What the justices asked","paragraphs":["Justice Breyer asked if they could bring it under CERCLA again.","Justice Breyer asked what they got out of the agreement if nothing resulted from it."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 10, lines 39-53","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2020/20-382_4f14.pdf","page_label":"file page 10, lines 39-53"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 11, lines 27-49","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2020/20-382_4f14.pdf","page_label":"file page 11, lines 27-49"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 12, lines 11-11","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2020/20-382_4f14.pdf","page_label":"file page 12, lines 11-11"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 12, lines 35-37","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2020/20-382_4f14.pdf","page_label":"file page 12, lines 35-37"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 12, lines 41-43","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2020/20-382_4f14.pdf","page_label":"file page 12, lines 41-43"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 12, lines 49-51","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2020/20-382_4f14.pdf","page_label":"file page 12, lines 49-51"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 13, lines 55-33","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2020/20-382_4f14.pdf","page_label":"file page 13, lines 55-33"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 17-35","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2020/20-382_4f14.pdf","page_label":"file page 6, lines 17-35"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 9-27","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2020/20-382_4f14.pdf","page_label":"file page 7, lines 9-27"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 35-47","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2020/20-382_4f14.pdf","page_label":"file page 8, lines 35-47"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 19-27","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2020/20-382_4f14.pdf","page_label":"file page 9, lines 19-27"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 55-11","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2020/20-382_4f14.pdf","page_label":"file page 9, lines 55-11"}]},{"heading":"Why it matters","paragraphs":["This case defines the scope of federal cost-sharing liability. It determines which parties pay for environmental cleanup. It affects how states and the federal government share financial burdens. It clarifies the interaction between different environmental statutes. It impacts future litigation over hazardous waste sites. It shapes the financial responsibilities of government entities. It influences the interpretation of contribution provisions."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 33, lines 43-49","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2020/20-382_4f14.pdf","page_label":"file page 33, lines 43-49"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 23-15","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2020/20-382_4f14.pdf","page_label":"file page 4, lines 23-15"}]},{"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 39-53","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2020/20-382_4f14.pdf","page_label":"file page 10, lines 39-53"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 11, lines 27-49","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2020/20-382_4f14.pdf","page_label":"file page 11, lines 27-49"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 12, lines 11-11","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2020/20-382_4f14.pdf","page_label":"file page 12, lines 11-11"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 12, lines 35-37","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2020/20-382_4f14.pdf","page_label":"file page 12, lines 35-37"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 12, lines 41-43","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2020/20-382_4f14.pdf","page_label":"file page 12, lines 41-43"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 12, lines 49-51","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2020/20-382_4f14.pdf","page_label":"file page 12, lines 49-51"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 13, lines 55-33","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2020/20-382_4f14.pdf","page_label":"file page 13, lines 55-33"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 11-21","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2020/20-382_4f14.pdf","page_label":"file page 4, lines 11-21"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 17-35","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2020/20-382_4f14.pdf","page_label":"file page 6, lines 17-35"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 9-27","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2020/20-382_4f14.pdf","page_label":"file page 7, lines 9-27"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 35-47","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2020/20-382_4f14.pdf","page_label":"file page 8, lines 35-47"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 19-27","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2020/20-382_4f14.pdf","page_label":"file page 9, lines 19-27"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 55-11","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2020/20-382_4f14.pdf","page_label":"file page 9, lines 55-11"}]}],"slug":"2020-20-382-guam-v-united-states","term":"2020","title":"Can a party sue for cost sharing under CERCLA if the original cleanup claim used a different environmental law?","title_sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 33, lines 43-49","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2020/20-382_4f14.pdf","page_label":"file page 33, lines 43-49"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 23-15","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2020/20-382_4f14.pdf","page_label":"file page 4, lines 23-15"}],"topics":[],"undated_disposition_date_fallback":"latest_argument_date","updated_at":"2026-09-05T03:22:24Z"}