October Term 2010 · Docket 09-1227
Can a person challenge a federal law if Congress acted within its powers but violated the Tenth Amendment?
The dispute centers on whether a person can challenge a federal statute based on Tenth Amendment limits even if Congress acted within its enumerated powers.
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
Justice Kagan questioned whether the side that brought the case admits Congress acted within its enumerated powers.
Justice Kagan asked if the side that brought the case asserts an independent Tenth Amendment limitation on Congress.
Justice Scalia discussed the relationship between statutory basis and constitutional claims.
Justice Kennedy asked if a specific injury allows a client to argue government exceeded its powers.
Read the official transcript for this argument · Official argument details
Sources used for this argument breakdown
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 10, lines 17-29 — Transcript, file page 10, lines 17-29
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 11, lines 11-17 — Transcript, file page 11, lines 11-17
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 11, lines 33-45 — Transcript, file page 11, lines 33-45
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 17, lines 35-25 — Transcript, file page 17, lines 35-25
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 19-3 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 19-3
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 7-17 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 7-17
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 34, lines 17-37 — Transcript, file page 34, lines 17-37
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 43-51 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 43-51
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 5-9 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 5-9
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 15-23 — Transcript, file page 5, lines 15-23
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 33-43 — Transcript, file page 5, lines 33-43
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 52, lines 27-37 — Transcript, file page 52, lines 27-37
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 55, lines 39-51 — Transcript, file page 55, lines 39-51
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 31-51 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 31-51
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 15-23 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 15-23
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 37-47 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 37-47
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 19-27 — Transcript, file page 8, lines 19-27
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 9-19 — Transcript, file page 9, lines 9-19
A citizen's guide to the whole case
What this case is about
The case involves a challenge to a federal statute. the side that brought the case argues the law exceeds Congress's powers. The government argues the law is valid. The Court must decide the scope of constitutional challenges.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 17, lines 35-25 — Transcript, file page 17, lines 35-25
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 19-3 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 19-3
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 34, lines 17-37 — Transcript, file page 34, lines 17-37
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 52, lines 27-37 — Transcript, file page 52, lines 27-37
How the case got here
The Supreme Court heard oral argument in this case on February 22, 2011.
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 55, lines 39-51 — Transcript, file page 55, lines 39-51
What each side wants
the side that brought the case wants the Court to allow a Tenth Amendment challenge to the federal statute.
The government wants the Court to reject the Tenth Amendment challenge and uphold the statute.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 17, lines 35-25 — Transcript, file page 17, lines 35-25
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 19-3 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 19-3
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 34, lines 17-37 — Transcript, file page 34, lines 17-37
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 52, lines 27-37 — Transcript, file page 52, lines 27-37
What each side says
the side that brought the case argues the statute violates the Tenth Amendment despite Congress's enumerated powers.
The government argues the statute is valid because Congress acted within its enumerated powers.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 17, lines 35-25 — Transcript, file page 17, lines 35-25
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 19-3 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 19-3
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 34, lines 17-37 — Transcript, file page 34, lines 17-37
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 52, lines 27-37 — Transcript, file page 52, lines 27-37
What the justices asked
Justice Kagan asked if the side that brought the case claims Congress acted outside its enumerated powers.
Justice Kagan asked if the side that brought the case makes a specific Tenth Amendment claim independent of Article I powers.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 10, lines 17-29 — Transcript, file page 10, lines 17-29
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 11, lines 11-17 — Transcript, file page 11, lines 11-17
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 11, lines 33-45 — Transcript, file page 11, lines 33-45
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 43-51 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 43-51
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 5-9 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 5-9
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 15-23 — Transcript, file page 5, lines 15-23
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 33-43 — Transcript, file page 5, lines 33-43
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 55, lines 39-51 — Transcript, file page 55, lines 39-51
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 31-51 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 31-51
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 15-23 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 15-23
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 37-47 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 37-47
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 19-27 — Transcript, file page 8, lines 19-27
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 9-19 — Transcript, file page 9, lines 9-19
Why it matters
The outcome defines the scope of individual rights against federal power. It clarifies how courts review federal statutes. It impacts the balance between state and federal authority.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 17, lines 35-25 — Transcript, file page 17, lines 35-25
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 19-3 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 19-3
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 34, lines 17-37 — Transcript, file page 34, lines 17-37
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 52, lines 27-37 — Transcript, file page 52, lines 27-37
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 17-29 — Transcript, file page 10, lines 17-29
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 11, lines 11-17 — Transcript, file page 11, lines 11-17
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 11, lines 33-45 — Transcript, file page 11, lines 33-45
- 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 43-51 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 43-51
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 5-9 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 5-9
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 15-23 — Transcript, file page 5, lines 15-23
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 33-43 — Transcript, file page 5, lines 33-43
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 55, lines 39-51 — Transcript, file page 55, lines 39-51
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 31-51 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 31-51
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 15-23 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 15-23
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 37-47 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 37-47
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 19-27 — Transcript, file page 8, lines 19-27
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 9-19 — Transcript, file page 9, lines 9-19
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 17, lines 35-25 — Transcript, file page 17, lines 35-25
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 19-3 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 19-3
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 34, lines 17-37 — Transcript, file page 34, lines 17-37
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 52, lines 27-37 — Transcript, file page 52, lines 27-37
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 17, lines 35-25 — Transcript, file page 17, lines 35-25
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 19-3 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 19-3
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 34, lines 17-37 — Transcript, file page 34, lines 17-37
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 52, lines 27-37 — Transcript, file page 52, lines 27-37
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.