October Term 2004 · Docket 02-1472
Can tribes sue for unpaid contract support costs?
Tribes seek damages for withheld funds. The government claims statutory limits bar such claims.
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
Mr. Miller argued the Contract Disputes Act applies to these contracts.
Mr. Srinivasan argued Congress imposed statutory caps on contract support costs.
questions_and_answers
Read the official transcript for this argument · Official argument details
Sources used for this argument breakdown
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 10, lines 43-43 — Transcript, file page 10, lines 43-43
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 10, lines 47-11 — Transcript, file page 10, lines 47-11
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 28, lines 27-45 — Transcript, file page 28, lines 27-45
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 19-31 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 19-31
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 33-41 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 33-41
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 5-17 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 5-17
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 37-45 — Transcript, file page 5, lines 37-45
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 55, lines 15-23 — Transcript, file page 55, lines 15-23
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 55, lines 25-29 — Transcript, file page 55, lines 25-29
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 57, lines 25-43 — Transcript, file page 57, lines 25-43
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 13-17 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 13-17
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 29-43 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 29-43
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 7-9 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 7-9
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 1-3 — Transcript, file page 8, lines 1-3
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 25-35 — Transcript, file page 8, lines 25-35
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 39-45 — Transcript, file page 8, lines 39-45
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 49-11 — Transcript, file page 8, lines 49-11
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 49-5 — Transcript, file page 9, lines 49-5
A citizen's guide to the whole case
What this case is about
This case tests whether the Contract Disputes Act applies to tribal self-determination contracts. The outcome affects how tribes recover unpaid costs.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 28, lines 27-45 — Transcript, file page 28, lines 27-45
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 19-31 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 19-31
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 55, lines 15-23 — Transcript, file page 55, lines 15-23
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 57, lines 25-43 — Transcript, file page 57, lines 25-43
How the case got here
The Supreme Court heard oral argument in this case on November 9, 2004.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 5-17 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 5-17
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 55, lines 15-23 — Transcript, file page 55, lines 15-23
What each side wants
The Cherokee Nation wants money damages for unpaid contract support costs.
The government wants to avoid liability for withheld administrative funds.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 28, lines 27-45 — Transcript, file page 28, lines 27-45
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 19-31 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 19-31
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 55, lines 15-23 — Transcript, file page 55, lines 15-23
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 57, lines 25-43 — Transcript, file page 57, lines 25-43
What each side says
The Cherokee Nation argues the Contract Disputes Act covers these contracts.
The government argues statutory caps limit the Secretary's payment obligations.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 28, lines 27-45 — Transcript, file page 28, lines 27-45
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 19-31 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 19-31
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 55, lines 15-23 — Transcript, file page 55, lines 15-23
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 57, lines 25-43 — Transcript, file page 57, lines 25-43
What the justices asked
Justice O'Connor asked how the two circuit decisions relate.
Justice Ginsburg asked if the Secretary lacks authority to reserve funds.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 10, lines 43-43 — Transcript, file page 10, lines 43-43
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 10, lines 47-11 — Transcript, file page 10, lines 47-11
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 33-41 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 33-41
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 37-45 — Transcript, file page 5, lines 37-45
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 55, lines 25-29 — Transcript, file page 55, lines 25-29
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 13-17 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 13-17
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 29-43 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 29-43
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 7-9 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 7-9
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 1-3 — Transcript, file page 8, lines 1-3
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 25-35 — Transcript, file page 8, lines 25-35
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 39-45 — Transcript, file page 8, lines 39-45
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 49-11 — Transcript, file page 8, lines 49-11
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 49-5 — Transcript, file page 9, lines 49-5
Why it matters
This dispute determines whether tribes can recover withheld contract support costs. It defines the scope of federal liability under self-determination statutes.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 28, lines 27-45 — Transcript, file page 28, lines 27-45
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 19-31 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 19-31
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 55, lines 15-23 — Transcript, file page 55, lines 15-23
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 57, lines 25-43 — Transcript, file page 57, lines 25-43
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 10, lines 43-43 — Transcript, file page 10, lines 43-43
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 10, lines 47-11 — Transcript, file page 10, lines 47-11
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 33-41 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 33-41
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 5-17 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 5-17
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 37-45 — Transcript, file page 5, lines 37-45
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 55, lines 15-23 — Transcript, file page 55, lines 15-23
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 55, lines 25-29 — Transcript, file page 55, lines 25-29
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 13-17 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 13-17
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 29-43 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 29-43
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 7-9 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 7-9
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 1-3 — Transcript, file page 8, lines 1-3
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 25-35 — Transcript, file page 8, lines 25-35
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 39-45 — Transcript, file page 8, lines 39-45
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 49-11 — Transcript, file page 8, lines 49-11
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 49-5 — Transcript, file page 9, lines 49-5
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 28, lines 27-45 — Transcript, file page 28, lines 27-45
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 19-31 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 19-31
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 55, lines 15-23 — Transcript, file page 55, lines 15-23
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 57, lines 25-43 — Transcript, file page 57, lines 25-43
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 28, lines 27-45 — Transcript, file page 28, lines 27-45
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 19-31 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 19-31
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 55, lines 15-23 — Transcript, file page 55, lines 15-23
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 57, lines 25-43 — Transcript, file page 57, lines 25-43
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.