October Term 2006 · Docket 05-705
Can pay phone companies sue for unpaid compensation under FCC rules?
Global Crossing and Metrophones dispute whether FCC pay phone rules create a private right to sue for damages.
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
Global Crossing argues FCC rules create a private right to sue.
Metrophones argues only the FCC can enforce these specific rules.
questions
Read the official transcript for this argument · Official argument details
Sources used for this argument breakdown
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 26, lines 15-1 — Transcript, file page 26, lines 15-1
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 17-27 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 17-27
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 7-15 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 7-15
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 29-33 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 29-33
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 37-39 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 37-39
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 47-49 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 47-49
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 43, lines 9-37 — Transcript, file page 43, lines 9-37
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 19-21 — Transcript, file page 5, lines 19-21
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 27-29 — Transcript, file page 5, lines 27-29
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 39-7 — Transcript, file page 5, lines 39-7
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 5-9 — Transcript, file page 5, lines 5-9
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 53, lines 29-9 — Transcript, file page 53, lines 29-9
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 54, lines 11-13 — Transcript, file page 54, lines 11-13
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 55, lines 3-5 — Transcript, file page 55, lines 3-5
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 27-29 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 27-29
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 33-5 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 33-5
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 11-13 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 11-13
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 17-21 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 17-21
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 27-31 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 27-31
A citizen's guide to the whole case
What this case is about
Global Crossing seeks a private right to sue for unpaid compensation. Metrophones argues only the FCC can enforce these rules.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 26, lines 15-1 — Transcript, file page 26, lines 15-1
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 17-27 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 17-27
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 43, lines 9-37 — Transcript, file page 43, lines 9-37
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 53, lines 29-9 — Transcript, file page 53, lines 29-9
How the case got here
The Supreme Court heard oral argument in this case on October 10, 2006.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 7-15 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 7-15
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 55, lines 3-5 — Transcript, file page 55, lines 3-5
What each side wants
Global Crossing wants a private right to sue for unpaid compensation.
Metrophones wants to block private lawsuits over these FCC rules.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 26, lines 15-1 — Transcript, file page 26, lines 15-1
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 17-27 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 17-27
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 43, lines 9-37 — Transcript, file page 43, lines 9-37
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 53, lines 29-9 — Transcript, file page 53, lines 29-9
What each side says
Global Crossing argues FCC rules create a private right to sue.
Metrophones argues only the FCC can enforce these specific rules.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 26, lines 15-1 — Transcript, file page 26, lines 15-1
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 17-27 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 17-27
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 43, lines 9-37 — Transcript, file page 43, lines 9-37
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 53, lines 29-9 — Transcript, file page 53, lines 29-9
What the justices asked
Justice Stevens asked where the obligation may be enforced.
Justice Scalia asked if a later regulation made the obligation clear.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 29-33 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 29-33
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 37-39 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 37-39
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 47-49 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 47-49
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 19-21 — Transcript, file page 5, lines 19-21
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 27-29 — Transcript, file page 5, lines 27-29
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 39-7 — Transcript, file page 5, lines 39-7
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 5-9 — Transcript, file page 5, lines 5-9
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 54, lines 11-13 — Transcript, file page 54, lines 11-13
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 55, lines 3-5 — Transcript, file page 55, lines 3-5
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 27-29 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 27-29
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 33-5 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 33-5
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 11-13 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 11-13
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 17-21 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 17-21
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 27-31 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 27-31
Why it matters
This case determines if companies can sue for unpaid pay phone compensation. It affects how telecom companies recover money under FCC rules.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 26, lines 15-1 — Transcript, file page 26, lines 15-1
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 17-27 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 17-27
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 43, lines 9-37 — Transcript, file page 43, lines 9-37
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 53, lines 29-9 — Transcript, file page 53, lines 29-9
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 7-15 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 7-15
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 29-33 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 29-33
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 37-39 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 37-39
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 47-49 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 47-49
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 19-21 — Transcript, file page 5, lines 19-21
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 27-29 — Transcript, file page 5, lines 27-29
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 39-7 — Transcript, file page 5, lines 39-7
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 5-9 — Transcript, file page 5, lines 5-9
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 54, lines 11-13 — Transcript, file page 54, lines 11-13
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 55, lines 3-5 — Transcript, file page 55, lines 3-5
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 27-29 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 27-29
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 33-5 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 33-5
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 11-13 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 11-13
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 17-21 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 17-21
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 27-31 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 27-31
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 26, lines 15-1 — Transcript, file page 26, lines 15-1
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 17-27 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 17-27
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 43, lines 9-37 — Transcript, file page 43, lines 9-37
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 53, lines 29-9 — Transcript, file page 53, lines 29-9
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 26, lines 15-1 — Transcript, file page 26, lines 15-1
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 17-27 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 17-27
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 43, lines 9-37 — Transcript, file page 43, lines 9-37
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 53, lines 29-9 — Transcript, file page 53, lines 29-9
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.