October Term 2007 · Docket 06-1457
Does FERC lack discretion to modify wholesale power contracts?
Morgan Stanley and Snohomish County dispute whether FERC must or may alter existing power contracts.
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. Kneedler argued FERC reasonably denied the contract modification request.
Mr. Garre stated FERC believed it retained some interpretive authority.
Mr. Wright emphasized FERC understood itself to lack discretion here.
Read the official transcript for this argument · Official argument details
Sources used for this argument breakdown
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 10, lines 21-27 — Transcript, file page 10, lines 21-27
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 10, lines 31-31 — Transcript, file page 10, lines 31-31
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 10, lines 41-41 — Transcript, file page 10, lines 41-41
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 10, lines 45-45 — Transcript, file page 10, lines 45-45
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 10, lines 49-7 — Transcript, file page 10, lines 49-7
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 15, lines 33-51 — Transcript, file page 15, lines 33-51
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 25, lines 25-45 — Transcript, file page 25, lines 25-45
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 25-11 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 25-11
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 7-23 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 7-23
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 13-19 — Transcript, file page 5, lines 13-19
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 47-5 — Transcript, file page 5, lines 47-5
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 19-31 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 19-31
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 39-47 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 39-47
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 7-17 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 7-17
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 25-31 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 25-31
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 35-45 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 35-45
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 19-31 — Transcript, file page 9, lines 19-31
A citizen's guide to the whole case
What this case is about
Morgan Stanley and Snohomish County dispute whether FERC must or may alter existing power contracts.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 15, lines 33-51 — Transcript, file page 15, lines 33-51
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 25, lines 25-45 — Transcript, file page 25, lines 25-45
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 25-11 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 25-11
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 7-17 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 7-17
How the case got here
The Supreme Court heard oral argument in this case on February 19, 2008.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 7-23 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 7-23
What each side wants
Morgan Stanley wants FERC to keep the power contracts unchanged.
Snohomish County wants FERC to modify the power contracts.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 15, lines 33-51 — Transcript, file page 15, lines 33-51
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 25, lines 25-45 — Transcript, file page 25, lines 25-45
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 25-11 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 25-11
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 7-17 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 7-17
What each side says
Morgan Stanley argues FERC lacks discretion to change the contracts.
Snohomish County argues FERC has authority to modify the contracts.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 15, lines 33-51 — Transcript, file page 15, lines 33-51
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 25, lines 25-45 — Transcript, file page 25, lines 25-45
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 25-11 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 25-11
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 7-17 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 7-17
What the justices asked
Justice Ginsburg asked if FERC felt bound by Supreme Court orders.
Justice Kennedy asked if FERC authority is retroactive or limited to fraud.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 10, lines 21-27 — Transcript, file page 10, lines 21-27
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 10, lines 31-31 — Transcript, file page 10, lines 31-31
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 10, lines 41-41 — Transcript, file page 10, lines 41-41
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 10, lines 45-45 — Transcript, file page 10, lines 45-45
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 10, lines 49-7 — Transcript, file page 10, lines 49-7
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 13-19 — Transcript, file page 5, lines 13-19
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 47-5 — Transcript, file page 5, lines 47-5
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 19-31 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 19-31
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 39-47 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 39-47
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 25-31 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 25-31
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 35-45 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 35-45
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 19-31 — Transcript, file page 9, lines 19-31
Why it matters
This case defines the limits of federal agency power over private energy contracts.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 15, lines 33-51 — Transcript, file page 15, lines 33-51
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 25, lines 25-45 — Transcript, file page 25, lines 25-45
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 25-11 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 25-11
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 7-17 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 7-17
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 21-27 — Transcript, file page 10, lines 21-27
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 10, lines 31-31 — Transcript, file page 10, lines 31-31
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 10, lines 41-41 — Transcript, file page 10, lines 41-41
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 10, lines 45-45 — Transcript, file page 10, lines 45-45
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 10, lines 49-7 — Transcript, file page 10, lines 49-7
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 7-23 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 7-23
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 13-19 — Transcript, file page 5, lines 13-19
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 47-5 — Transcript, file page 5, lines 47-5
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 19-31 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 19-31
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 39-47 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 39-47
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 25-31 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 25-31
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 35-45 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 35-45
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 19-31 — Transcript, file page 9, lines 19-31
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 15, lines 33-51 — Transcript, file page 15, lines 33-51
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 25, lines 25-45 — Transcript, file page 25, lines 25-45
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 25-11 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 25-11
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 7-17 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 7-17
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 15, lines 33-51 — Transcript, file page 15, lines 33-51
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 25, lines 25-45 — Transcript, file page 25, lines 25-45
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 25-11 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 25-11
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 7-17 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 7-17
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.