October Term 2005 · Docket 04-1186
Where is a national bank located for federal court jurisdiction?
Wachovia Bank argues its main office defines its state citizenship. Schmidt argues every branch location counts.
Verified source milestones
- — 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
Andrew Frey argued for the side that brought the case, Wachovia Bank.
He stated the main office location defines the bank's state citizenship.
He rejected the idea that every branch office creates a new state of citizenship.
Chief Justice Roberts questioned whether the main office address changes with charter amendments.
Read the official transcript for this argument · Official argument details
Sources used for this argument breakdown
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 10, lines 15-31 — Transcript, file page 10, lines 15-31
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 11, lines 5-9 — Transcript, file page 11, lines 5-9
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 13, lines 43-47 — Transcript, file page 13, lines 43-47
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 20, lines 21-35 — Transcript, file page 20, lines 21-35
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 15-39 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 15-39
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 41-43 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 41-43
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 5-13 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 5-13
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 32, lines 43-25 — Transcript, file page 32, lines 43-25
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 31-35 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 31-35
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 49-3 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 49-3
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 13-17 — Transcript, file page 8, lines 13-17
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 21-25 — Transcript, file page 8, lines 21-25
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 43-43 — Transcript, file page 8, lines 43-43
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 13-17 — Transcript, file page 9, lines 13-17
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 3-9 — Transcript, file page 9, lines 3-9
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 33-39 — Transcript, file page 9, lines 33-39
A citizen's guide to the whole case
What this case is about
The case tests how federal courts determine a national bank's state citizenship. This status controls whether a federal court has jurisdiction over the bank.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 20, lines 21-35 — Transcript, file page 20, lines 21-35
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 15-39 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 15-39
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 32, lines 43-25 — Transcript, file page 32, lines 43-25
How the case got here
The Supreme Court heard oral argument in this case on November 28, 2005.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 5-13 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 5-13
What each side wants
Wachovia Bank wants the Court to limit state citizenship to the main office location.
Schmidt wants the Court to count every branch office location as a state of citizenship.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 20, lines 21-35 — Transcript, file page 20, lines 21-35
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 15-39 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 15-39
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 32, lines 43-25 — Transcript, file page 32, lines 43-25
What each side says
Wachovia Bank argues the main office defines the bank's state citizenship under federal law.
Schmidt argues the bank is a citizen of every state where it maintains a branch.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 20, lines 21-35 — Transcript, file page 20, lines 21-35
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 15-39 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 15-39
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 32, lines 43-25 — Transcript, file page 32, lines 43-25
What the justices asked
Chief Justice Roberts asked if the main office address changes when the charter amends it.
Justice O'Connor asked when the relevant statute was enacted in 1887.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 10, lines 15-31 — Transcript, file page 10, lines 15-31
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 11, lines 5-9 — Transcript, file page 11, lines 5-9
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 13, lines 43-47 — Transcript, file page 13, lines 43-47
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 41-43 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 41-43
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 31-35 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 31-35
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 49-3 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 49-3
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 13-17 — Transcript, file page 8, lines 13-17
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 21-25 — Transcript, file page 8, lines 21-25
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 43-43 — Transcript, file page 8, lines 43-43
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 13-17 — Transcript, file page 9, lines 13-17
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 3-9 — Transcript, file page 9, lines 3-9
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 33-39 — Transcript, file page 9, lines 33-39
Why it matters
This dispute determines which federal courts can hear cases against national banks. It affects the geographic scope of federal jurisdiction for these institutions.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 20, lines 21-35 — Transcript, file page 20, lines 21-35
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 15-39 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 15-39
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 32, lines 43-25 — Transcript, file page 32, lines 43-25
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 15-31 — Transcript, file page 10, lines 15-31
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 11, lines 5-9 — Transcript, file page 11, lines 5-9
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 13, lines 43-47 — Transcript, file page 13, lines 43-47
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 41-43 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 41-43
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 5-13 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 5-13
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 31-35 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 31-35
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 49-3 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 49-3
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 13-17 — Transcript, file page 8, lines 13-17
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 21-25 — Transcript, file page 8, lines 21-25
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 43-43 — Transcript, file page 8, lines 43-43
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 13-17 — Transcript, file page 9, lines 13-17
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 3-9 — Transcript, file page 9, lines 3-9
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 33-39 — Transcript, file page 9, lines 33-39
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 20, lines 21-35 — Transcript, file page 20, lines 21-35
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 15-39 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 15-39
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 32, lines 43-25 — Transcript, file page 32, lines 43-25
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 20, lines 21-35 — Transcript, file page 20, lines 21-35
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 15-39 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 15-39
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 32, lines 43-25 — Transcript, file page 32, lines 43-25
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.