October Term 2008 · Docket 07-1216
Can a state court decide a federal due process claim on alternate grounds?
Philip Morris argues the Oregon Supreme Court ignored federal instructions. Williams argues the state court acted within its power.
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
Philip Morris claims the state court ignored federal due process rules.
Williams argues the state court acted within its constitutional discretion.
questions_asked_by_justices
Read the official transcript for this argument · Official argument details
Sources used for this argument breakdown
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 27, lines 17-41 — Transcript, file page 27, lines 17-41
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 19-7 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 19-7
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 7-17 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 7-17
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 39-17 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 39-17
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 9-19 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 9-19
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 27-43 — Transcript, file page 5, lines 27-43
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 57, lines 21-25 — Transcript, file page 57, lines 21-25
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 57, lines 37-41 — Transcript, file page 57, lines 37-41
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 57, lines 5-19 — Transcript, file page 57, lines 5-19
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 57, lines 51-5 — Transcript, file page 57, lines 51-5
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 58, lines 19-21 — Transcript, file page 58, lines 19-21
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 3-5 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 3-5
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 33-3 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 33-3
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 9-19 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 9-19
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 29-31 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 29-31
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 37-43 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 37-43
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 51-15 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 51-15
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 45-7 — Transcript, file page 8, lines 45-7
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 23-25 — Transcript, file page 9, lines 23-25
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 45-47 — Transcript, file page 9, lines 45-47
A citizen's guide to the whole case
What this case is about
Philip Morris seeks a federal ruling on its due process claim. Williams defends the state court's alternate legal reasoning.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 27, lines 17-41 — Transcript, file page 27, lines 17-41
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 19-7 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 19-7
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 57, lines 5-19 — Transcript, file page 57, lines 5-19
How the case got here
The Supreme Court heard oral argument in this case on December 3, 2008.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 7-17 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 7-17
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 58, lines 19-21 — Transcript, file page 58, lines 19-21
What each side wants
Philip Morris wants the Court to enforce its federal due process claim.
Williams wants the Court to uphold the state court's alternate reasoning.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 27, lines 17-41 — Transcript, file page 27, lines 17-41
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 19-7 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 19-7
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 57, lines 5-19 — Transcript, file page 57, lines 5-19
What each side says
Philip Morris argues the state court failed to follow federal directions.
Williams argues state courts may resolve cases on alternate state law grounds.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 27, lines 17-41 — Transcript, file page 27, lines 17-41
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 19-7 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 19-7
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 57, lines 5-19 — Transcript, file page 57, lines 5-19
What the justices asked
Justice Scalia asked what issue was debated four times.
Justice Ginsburg asked if state courts can use alternate grounds.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 39-17 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 39-17
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 9-19 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 9-19
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 27-43 — Transcript, file page 5, lines 27-43
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 57, lines 21-25 — Transcript, file page 57, lines 21-25
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 57, lines 37-41 — Transcript, file page 57, lines 37-41
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 57, lines 51-5 — Transcript, file page 57, lines 51-5
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 58, lines 19-21 — Transcript, file page 58, lines 19-21
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 3-5 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 3-5
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 33-3 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 33-3
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 9-19 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 9-19
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 29-31 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 29-31
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 37-43 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 37-43
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 51-15 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 51-15
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 45-7 — Transcript, file page 8, lines 45-7
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 23-25 — Transcript, file page 9, lines 23-25
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 45-47 — Transcript, file page 9, lines 45-47
Why it matters
This case defines the boundary between state and federal court authority. It determines how lower courts handle conflicting legal standards.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 27, lines 17-41 — Transcript, file page 27, lines 17-41
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 19-7 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 19-7
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 57, lines 5-19 — Transcript, file page 57, lines 5-19
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 7-17 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 7-17
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 39-17 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 39-17
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 9-19 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 9-19
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 27-43 — Transcript, file page 5, lines 27-43
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 57, lines 21-25 — Transcript, file page 57, lines 21-25
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 57, lines 37-41 — Transcript, file page 57, lines 37-41
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 57, lines 51-5 — Transcript, file page 57, lines 51-5
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 58, lines 19-21 — Transcript, file page 58, lines 19-21
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 3-5 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 3-5
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 33-3 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 33-3
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 9-19 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 9-19
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 29-31 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 29-31
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 37-43 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 37-43
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 51-15 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 51-15
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 45-7 — Transcript, file page 8, lines 45-7
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 23-25 — Transcript, file page 9, lines 23-25
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 45-47 — Transcript, file page 9, lines 45-47
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 17-41 — Transcript, file page 27, lines 17-41
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 19-7 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 19-7
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 57, lines 5-19 — Transcript, file page 57, lines 5-19
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 27, lines 17-41 — Transcript, file page 27, lines 17-41
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 19-7 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 19-7
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 57, lines 5-19 — Transcript, file page 57, lines 5-19
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.