October Term 2009 · Docket 08-1553
Does the Carmack Amendment cover the inland leg of an import shipment?
the sides that brought the case argue the statute excludes import legs. the opposing sides claim it covers all domestic transport.
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
Mr. Ballenger argued the statute excluded import legs for a century.
Mr. Yang addressed questions about the receiving carrier.
Chief Justice Roberts asked which statutory language prevails over boilerplate.
Read the official transcript for this argument · Official argument details
Sources used for this argument breakdown
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 10, lines 23-23 — Transcript, file page 10, lines 23-23
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 10, lines 27-29 — Transcript, file page 10, lines 27-29
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 20, lines 29-47 — Transcript, file page 20, lines 29-47
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 21-33 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 21-33
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 35-47 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 35-47
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 7-19 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 7-19
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 11-19 — Transcript, file page 5, lines 11-19
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 27-27 — Transcript, file page 5, lines 27-27
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 21-25 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 21-25
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 51-13 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 51-13
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 60, lines 43-49 — Transcript, file page 60, lines 43-49
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 61, lines 5-13 — Transcript, file page 61, lines 5-13
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 41-45 — Transcript, file page 8, lines 41-45
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 5-9 — Transcript, file page 8, lines 5-9
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 19-21 — Transcript, file page 9, lines 19-21
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 47-1 — Transcript, file page 9, lines 47-1
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 7-11 — Transcript, file page 9, lines 7-11
A citizen's guide to the whole case
What this case is about
The case tests the scope of the Carmack Amendment. It asks if the law covers the inland leg of an import shipment. the sides that brought the case say the statute excludes this leg. the opposing sides say the law covers all domestic transport. The dispute centers on statutory interpretation.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 20, lines 29-47 — Transcript, file page 20, lines 29-47
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 21-33 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 21-33
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 60, lines 43-49 — Transcript, file page 60, lines 43-49
How the case got here
The Supreme Court heard oral argument in this case on March 24, 2010.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 7-19 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 7-19
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 60, lines 43-49 — Transcript, file page 60, lines 43-49
What each side wants
the sides that brought the case want the Court to affirm the exclusion of import legs.
the opposing sides want the Court to apply the statute to import legs.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 20, lines 29-47 — Transcript, file page 20, lines 29-47
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 21-33 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 21-33
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 60, lines 43-49 — Transcript, file page 60, lines 43-49
What each side says
the sides that brought the case argue the statute has excluded import legs for a century.
the opposing sides argue the 1978 codification expanded the statute's scope.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 20, lines 29-47 — Transcript, file page 20, lines 29-47
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 21-33 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 21-33
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 60, lines 43-49 — Transcript, file page 60, lines 43-49
What the justices asked
Justice Sotomayor asked if the position differs from the Solicitor General's view.
Justice Ginsburg noted uniformity differs between state and federal statutes.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 10, lines 23-23 — Transcript, file page 10, lines 23-23
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 10, lines 27-29 — Transcript, file page 10, lines 27-29
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 35-47 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 35-47
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 11-19 — Transcript, file page 5, lines 11-19
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 27-27 — Transcript, file page 5, lines 27-27
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 21-25 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 21-25
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 51-13 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 51-13
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 61, lines 5-13 — Transcript, file page 61, lines 5-13
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 41-45 — Transcript, file page 8, lines 41-45
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 5-9 — Transcript, file page 8, lines 5-9
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 19-21 — Transcript, file page 9, lines 19-21
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 47-1 — Transcript, file page 9, lines 47-1
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 7-11 — Transcript, file page 9, lines 7-11
Why it matters
The outcome defines the scope of federal liability for domestic transport. It clarifies which carriers face statutory liability for import shipments. It resolves a conflict in statutory interpretation.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 20, lines 29-47 — Transcript, file page 20, lines 29-47
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 21-33 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 21-33
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 60, lines 43-49 — Transcript, file page 60, lines 43-49
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 23-23 — Transcript, file page 10, lines 23-23
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 10, lines 27-29 — Transcript, file page 10, lines 27-29
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 35-47 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 35-47
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 7-19 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 7-19
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 11-19 — Transcript, file page 5, lines 11-19
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 27-27 — Transcript, file page 5, lines 27-27
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 21-25 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 21-25
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 51-13 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 51-13
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 60, lines 43-49 — Transcript, file page 60, lines 43-49
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 61, lines 5-13 — Transcript, file page 61, lines 5-13
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 41-45 — Transcript, file page 8, lines 41-45
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 5-9 — Transcript, file page 8, lines 5-9
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 19-21 — Transcript, file page 9, lines 19-21
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 47-1 — Transcript, file page 9, lines 47-1
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 7-11 — Transcript, file page 9, lines 7-11
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 20, lines 29-47 — Transcript, file page 20, lines 29-47
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 21-33 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 21-33
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 60, lines 43-49 — Transcript, file page 60, lines 43-49
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 20, lines 29-47 — Transcript, file page 20, lines 29-47
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 21-33 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 21-33
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 60, lines 43-49 — Transcript, file page 60, lines 43-49
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.