October Term 2005 · Docket 05-18
Do IDEA costs include expert witness fees?
Parents seek expert fees. The district opposes this award.
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
Mr. Kuntz argued for a clear rule.
He said the statute imposes a certain obligation.
He urged the Court not to expand fees.
Mr. Vladeck argued the text authorizes expert costs.
Read the official transcript for this argument · Official argument details
Sources used for this argument breakdown
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 10, lines 3-5 — Transcript, file page 10, lines 3-5
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 17, lines 41-25 — Transcript, file page 17, lines 41-25
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 28, lines 29-43 — Transcript, file page 28, lines 29-43
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 17-17 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 17-17
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 5-15 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 5-15
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 19-23 — Transcript, file page 5, lines 19-23
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 27-39 — Transcript, file page 5, lines 27-39
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 21-35 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 21-35
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 41-45 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 41-45
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 43-1 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 43-1
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 7-23 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 7-23
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 23-23 — Transcript, file page 8, lines 23-23
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 27-54 — Transcript, file page 8, lines 27-54
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 5-13 — Transcript, file page 8, lines 5-13
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 43-47 — Transcript, file page 9, lines 43-47
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 5-19 — Transcript, file page 9, lines 5-19
A citizen's guide to the whole case
What this case is about
The case tests statutory text. It defines recoverable costs.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 17, lines 41-25 — Transcript, file page 17, lines 41-25
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 28, lines 29-43 — Transcript, file page 28, lines 29-43
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 17-17 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 17-17
How the case got here
The Supreme Court heard oral argument in this case on April 19, 2006.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 5-15 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 5-15
What each side wants
The district wants to limit costs to attorneys' fees.
The parents want to recover expert witness fees.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 17, lines 41-25 — Transcript, file page 17, lines 41-25
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 28, lines 29-43 — Transcript, file page 28, lines 29-43
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 17-17 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 17-17
What each side says
The district argues the statute excludes expert fees.
The parents argue the statute includes expert fees.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 17, lines 41-25 — Transcript, file page 17, lines 41-25
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 28, lines 29-43 — Transcript, file page 28, lines 29-43
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 17-17 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 17-17
What the justices asked
Justice Ginsburg asked about consultant hours.
Justice Breyer questioned the word costs' meaning.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 10, lines 3-5 — Transcript, file page 10, lines 3-5
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 19-23 — Transcript, file page 5, lines 19-23
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 27-39 — Transcript, file page 5, lines 27-39
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 21-35 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 21-35
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 41-45 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 41-45
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 43-1 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 43-1
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 7-23 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 7-23
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 23-23 — Transcript, file page 8, lines 23-23
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 27-54 — Transcript, file page 8, lines 27-54
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 5-13 — Transcript, file page 8, lines 5-13
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 43-47 — Transcript, file page 9, lines 43-47
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 5-19 — Transcript, file page 9, lines 5-19
Why it matters
This defines school district financial liability. It shapes special education litigation costs.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 17, lines 41-25 — Transcript, file page 17, lines 41-25
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 28, lines 29-43 — Transcript, file page 28, lines 29-43
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 17-17 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 17-17
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 3-5 — Transcript, file page 10, lines 3-5
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 5-15 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 5-15
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 19-23 — Transcript, file page 5, lines 19-23
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 27-39 — Transcript, file page 5, lines 27-39
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 21-35 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 21-35
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 41-45 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 41-45
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 43-1 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 43-1
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 7-23 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 7-23
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 23-23 — Transcript, file page 8, lines 23-23
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 27-54 — Transcript, file page 8, lines 27-54
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 5-13 — Transcript, file page 8, lines 5-13
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 43-47 — Transcript, file page 9, lines 43-47
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 5-19 — Transcript, file page 9, lines 5-19
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 41-25 — Transcript, file page 17, lines 41-25
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 28, lines 29-43 — Transcript, file page 28, lines 29-43
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 17-17 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 17-17
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 17, lines 41-25 — Transcript, file page 17, lines 41-25
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 28, lines 29-43 — Transcript, file page 28, lines 29-43
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 17-17 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 17-17
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.