October Term 2001 · Docket 01-419
Can local governments set trucking safety rules?
The dispute centers on whether federal law blocks cities from creating their own licensing rules for property carriers.
Verified source milestones
- — An official oral-argument transcript was verified.
- — An official oral-argument transcript was verified.
The arguments, in order
This case may have been argued more than once. Each entry below uses that session's official transcript. Later arguments do not erase earlier ones.
Argument 1 ·
What happened at the argument
Sutton argued Congress did not divest states of their traditional delegation authority.
Cordray argued federal law preempts local licensing schemes for property carriers.
Stewart argued the phrase safety regulatory authority naturally encompasses delegation powers.
Rehnquist asked Sutton to answer a factual question during the argument.
Read the official transcript for this argument · Official argument details
Sources used for this argument breakdown
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 17, lines 41-37 — Transcript, file page 17, lines 41-37
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 26, lines 19-39 — Transcript, file page 26, lines 19-39
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 17-31 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 17-31
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 5-15 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 5-15
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 50, lines 47-17 — Transcript, file page 50, lines 47-17
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 55, lines 37-1 — Transcript, file page 55, lines 37-1
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 58, lines 49-1 — Transcript, file page 58, lines 49-1
A citizen's guide to the whole case
What this case is about
The case tests the scope of state power over local safety regulations.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 17, lines 41-37 — Transcript, file page 17, lines 41-37
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 26, lines 19-39 — Transcript, file page 26, lines 19-39
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 17-31 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 17-31
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 50, lines 47-17 — Transcript, file page 50, lines 47-17
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 55, lines 37-1 — Transcript, file page 55, lines 37-1
How the case got here
The Supreme Court heard oral argument in this case on April 23, 2002.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 5-15 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 5-15
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 58, lines 49-1 — Transcript, file page 58, lines 49-1
What each side wants
Columbus wants to keep its authority to delegate police powers to local subdivisions.
Ours Garage wants federal law to block local licensing schemes for property carriers.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 17, lines 41-37 — Transcript, file page 17, lines 41-37
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 26, lines 19-39 — Transcript, file page 26, lines 19-39
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 17-31 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 17-31
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 50, lines 47-17 — Transcript, file page 50, lines 47-17
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 55, lines 37-1 — Transcript, file page 55, lines 37-1
What each side says
Sutton argues Congress did not strip states of their traditional delegation authority in 1994.
Cordray argues federal law preempts municipalities from imposing individual licensing schemes.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 17, lines 41-37 — Transcript, file page 17, lines 41-37
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 26, lines 19-39 — Transcript, file page 26, lines 19-39
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 17-31 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 17-31
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 50, lines 47-17 — Transcript, file page 50, lines 47-17
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 55, lines 37-1 — Transcript, file page 55, lines 37-1
What the justices asked
Rehnquist asked Sutton to answer a specific factual question.
Rehnquist noted the decision below speaks to routes or weight limitations.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 58, lines 49-1 — Transcript, file page 58, lines 49-1
Why it matters
Local governments rely on this power to manage daily safety concerns. Trucking companies depend on uniform national standards for their operations. The outcome shapes who controls local road safety rules.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 17, lines 41-37 — Transcript, file page 17, lines 41-37
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 26, lines 19-39 — Transcript, file page 26, lines 19-39
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 17-31 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 17-31
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 50, lines 47-17 — Transcript, file page 50, lines 47-17
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 55, lines 37-1 — Transcript, file page 55, lines 37-1
What happens next
This article currently covers the argument record. Use the official docket link for later case activity.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 5-15 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 5-15
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 58, lines 49-1 — Transcript, file page 58, lines 49-1
Official Court provenance
Official docket and case history · Official Supreme Court oral-argument detail page
Title and summary sources
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 17, lines 41-37 — Transcript, file page 17, lines 41-37
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 26, lines 19-39 — Transcript, file page 26, lines 19-39
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 17-31 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 17-31
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 50, lines 47-17 — Transcript, file page 50, lines 47-17
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 55, lines 37-1 — Transcript, file page 55, lines 37-1
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 17, lines 41-37 — Transcript, file page 17, lines 41-37
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 26, lines 19-39 — Transcript, file page 26, lines 19-39
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 17-31 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 17-31
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 50, lines 47-17 — Transcript, file page 50, lines 47-17
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 55, lines 37-1 — Transcript, file page 55, lines 37-1
Revision history
- Revision 1 · Official Transcript ·
Correction: Rewritten to the concise citizen-facing editorial standard.
- Revision 2 · Official Transcript ·
Correction: Migrated to the dated official Court activity contract without model use.