October Term 2005 · Docket 04-885
Can Congress force states to follow federal bankruptcy rules?
The dispute centers on whether federal bankruptcy laws override state sovereign immunity.
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
The college argues state immunity blocks federal bankruptcy enforcement.
The creditor argues federal bankruptcy laws must bind all states.
Justice Stevens asked why the automatic stay binds the state.
Justice O'Connor asked why sovereign immunity does not extend to the stay.
Read the official transcript for this argument · Official argument details
Sources used for this argument breakdown
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 24, lines 21-33 — Transcript, file page 24, lines 21-33
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 15-43 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 15-43
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 45-54 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 45-54
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 5-13 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 5-13
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 11-15 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 11-15
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 23-25 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 23-25
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 33-33 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 33-33
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 41-41 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 41-41
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 45-47 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 45-47
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 15-19 — Transcript, file page 5, lines 15-19
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 23-29 — Transcript, file page 5, lines 23-29
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 13-13 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 13-13
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 25-29 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 25-29
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 47-11 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 47-11
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 27-33 — Transcript, file page 8, lines 27-33
A citizen's guide to the whole case
What this case is about
This case tests the limits of federal power over state entities in bankruptcy.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 24, lines 21-33 — Transcript, file page 24, lines 21-33
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 15-43 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 15-43
How the case got here
The Supreme Court heard oral argument in this case on October 31, 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
The college wants to keep its sovereign immunity from federal bankruptcy rules.
The creditor wants the federal bankruptcy laws to apply to the state college.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 24, lines 21-33 — Transcript, file page 24, lines 21-33
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 15-43 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 15-43
What each side says
The college argues state immunity blocks federal bankruptcy enforcement.
The creditor argues federal bankruptcy laws must bind all states.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 24, lines 21-33 — Transcript, file page 24, lines 21-33
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 15-43 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 15-43
What the justices asked
Justice Stevens asked why the automatic stay binds the state.
Justice O'Connor asked why sovereign immunity does not extend to the stay.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 45-54 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 45-54
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 11-15 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 11-15
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 23-25 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 23-25
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 33-33 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 33-33
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 41-41 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 41-41
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 45-47 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 45-47
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 15-19 — Transcript, file page 5, lines 15-19
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 23-29 — Transcript, file page 5, lines 23-29
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 13-13 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 13-13
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 25-29 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 25-29
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 47-11 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 47-11
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 27-33 — Transcript, file page 8, lines 27-33
Why it matters
This case defines the balance between federal bankruptcy power and state sovereignty.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 24, lines 21-33 — Transcript, file page 24, lines 21-33
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 15-43 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 15-43
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 3, lines 45-54 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 45-54
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 5-13 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 5-13
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 11-15 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 11-15
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 23-25 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 23-25
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 33-33 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 33-33
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 41-41 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 41-41
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 45-47 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 45-47
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 15-19 — Transcript, file page 5, lines 15-19
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 23-29 — Transcript, file page 5, lines 23-29
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 13-13 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 13-13
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 25-29 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 25-29
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 47-11 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 47-11
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 27-33 — Transcript, file page 8, lines 27-33
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 24, lines 21-33 — Transcript, file page 24, lines 21-33
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 15-43 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 15-43
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 24, lines 21-33 — Transcript, file page 24, lines 21-33
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 15-43 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 15-43
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.