October Term 2007 · Docket 07-371
Does a prior lawsuit bind a stranger to that case?
The dispute centers on whether a non-party can be bound by a prior judgment.
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
Ms. Rosenbaum argued Taylor had no legal relationship with prior parties.
Mr. Hallward-Driemeier argued the privity finding follows established principles.
Ms. Stetson addressed the meaning of privity to avoid a freewheeling test.
Read the official transcript for this argument · Official argument details
Sources used for this argument breakdown
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 27, lines 45-17 — Transcript, file page 27, lines 45-17
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 17-35 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 17-35
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 37-47 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 37-47
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 7-15 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 7-15
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 36, lines 7-11 — Transcript, file page 36, lines 7-11
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 25-41 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 25-41
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 47-47 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 47-47
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 45, lines 39-21 — Transcript, file page 45, lines 39-21
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 29-39 — Transcript, file page 5, lines 29-39
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 47-49 — Transcript, file page 5, lines 47-49
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 9-19 — Transcript, file page 5, lines 9-19
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 57, lines 33-24 — Transcript, file page 57, lines 33-24
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 11-21 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 11-21
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 25-39 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 25-39
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 47-21 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 47-21
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 43-15 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 43-15
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 27-31 — Transcript, file page 8, lines 27-31
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 43-47 — Transcript, file page 8, lines 43-47
A citizen's guide to the whole case
What this case is about
This case tests the limits of res judicata for non-parties.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 27, lines 45-17 — Transcript, file page 27, lines 45-17
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 17-35 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 17-35
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 36, lines 7-11 — Transcript, file page 36, lines 7-11
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 45, lines 39-21 — Transcript, file page 45, lines 39-21
How the case got here
The Supreme Court heard oral argument in this case on April 16, 2008.
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 57, lines 33-24 — Transcript, file page 57, lines 33-24
What each side wants
Taylor wants the prior judgment to have no effect on his case.
Sturgell wants the prior judgment to bind Taylor.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 27, lines 45-17 — Transcript, file page 27, lines 45-17
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 17-35 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 17-35
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 36, lines 7-11 — Transcript, file page 36, lines 7-11
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 45, lines 39-21 — Transcript, file page 45, lines 39-21
What each side says
Taylor argues a lawsuit does not decide the rights of non-parties.
Sturgell argues the lower court correctly found privity.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 27, lines 45-17 — Transcript, file page 27, lines 45-17
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 17-35 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 17-35
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 36, lines 7-11 — Transcript, file page 36, lines 7-11
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 45, lines 39-21 — Transcript, file page 45, lines 39-21
What the justices asked
Justice Souter asked why the lack of collusion matters.
Justice Alito asked if the facts show collusion to avoid preclusion.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 37-47 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 37-47
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 25-41 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 25-41
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 47-47 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 47-47
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 29-39 — Transcript, file page 5, lines 29-39
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 47-49 — Transcript, file page 5, lines 47-49
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 9-19 — Transcript, file page 5, lines 9-19
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 57, lines 33-24 — Transcript, file page 57, lines 33-24
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 11-21 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 11-21
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 25-39 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 25-39
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 47-21 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 47-21
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 43-15 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 43-15
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 27-31 — Transcript, file page 8, lines 27-31
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 43-47 — Transcript, file page 8, lines 43-47
Why it matters
This case defines who can be bound by prior judgments.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 27, lines 45-17 — Transcript, file page 27, lines 45-17
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 17-35 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 17-35
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 36, lines 7-11 — Transcript, file page 36, lines 7-11
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 45, lines 39-21 — Transcript, file page 45, lines 39-21
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 37-47 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 37-47
- 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 25-41 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 25-41
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 47-47 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 47-47
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 29-39 — Transcript, file page 5, lines 29-39
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 47-49 — Transcript, file page 5, lines 47-49
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 9-19 — Transcript, file page 5, lines 9-19
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 57, lines 33-24 — Transcript, file page 57, lines 33-24
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 11-21 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 11-21
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 25-39 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 25-39
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 47-21 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 47-21
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 43-15 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 43-15
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 27-31 — Transcript, file page 8, lines 27-31
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 43-47 — Transcript, file page 8, lines 43-47
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 27, lines 45-17 — Transcript, file page 27, lines 45-17
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 17-35 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 17-35
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 36, lines 7-11 — Transcript, file page 36, lines 7-11
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 45, lines 39-21 — Transcript, file page 45, lines 39-21
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 27, lines 45-17 — Transcript, file page 27, lines 45-17
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 17-35 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 17-35
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 36, lines 7-11 — Transcript, file page 36, lines 7-11
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 45, lines 39-21 — Transcript, file page 45, lines 39-21
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.