October Term 2010 · Docket 09-529
Can a state agency sue state officials in federal court?
VOPA seeks to inspect state hospital records. The state argues this violates its sovereignty.
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
VOPA argued it has a federal right to inspect records.
State officials argued sovereign dignity is impaired by such suits.
Chief Justice Roberts questioned the independence of state agencies.
Read the official transcript for this argument · Official argument details
Sources used for this argument breakdown
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 18, lines 46-16 — Transcript, file page 18, lines 46-16
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 29, lines 8-18 — Transcript, file page 29, lines 8-18
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 20-48 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 20-48
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 50-8 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 50-8
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 8-18 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 8-18
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 16-20 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 16-20
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 38-40 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 38-40
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 52-6 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 52-6
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 20-30 — Transcript, file page 5, lines 20-30
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 42-50 — Transcript, file page 5, lines 42-50
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 16-20 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 16-20
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 28-40 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 28-40
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 10-26 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 10-26
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 42-46 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 42-46
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 34-4 — Transcript, file page 8, lines 34-4
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 8-16 — Transcript, file page 9, lines 8-16
A citizen's guide to the whole case
What this case is about
VOPA wants to enforce federal record-access laws. The state officials want to block the suit.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 18, lines 46-16 — Transcript, file page 18, lines 46-16
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 29, lines 8-18 — Transcript, file page 29, lines 8-18
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 20-48 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 20-48
How the case got here
The Supreme Court heard oral argument in this case on December 1, 2010.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 8-18 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 8-18
What each side wants
VOPA wants to inspect and copy state hospital records.
State officials want to dismiss the federal lawsuit.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 18, lines 46-16 — Transcript, file page 18, lines 46-16
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 29, lines 8-18 — Transcript, file page 29, lines 8-18
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 20-48 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 20-48
What each side says
VOPA argues its status as a state agency allows federal jurisdiction.
State officials argue a state cannot sue itself in federal court.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 18, lines 46-16 — Transcript, file page 18, lines 46-16
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 29, lines 8-18 — Transcript, file page 29, lines 8-18
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 20-48 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 20-48
What the justices asked
Chief Justice Roberts asked if a state agency is independent from the state.
Chief Justice Roberts asked if federal courts would hear a suit between state subsidiaries.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 50-8 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 50-8
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 16-20 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 16-20
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 38-40 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 38-40
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 52-6 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 52-6
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 20-30 — Transcript, file page 5, lines 20-30
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 42-50 — Transcript, file page 5, lines 42-50
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 16-20 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 16-20
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 28-40 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 28-40
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 10-26 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 10-26
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 42-46 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 42-46
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 34-4 — Transcript, file page 8, lines 34-4
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 8-16 — Transcript, file page 9, lines 8-16
Why it matters
This case defines the limits of federal court jurisdiction over state agencies. It determines whether state entities can enforce federal rights against their own governments.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 18, lines 46-16 — Transcript, file page 18, lines 46-16
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 29, lines 8-18 — Transcript, file page 29, lines 8-18
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 20-48 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 20-48
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 50-8 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 50-8
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 8-18 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 8-18
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 16-20 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 16-20
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 38-40 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 38-40
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 52-6 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 52-6
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 20-30 — Transcript, file page 5, lines 20-30
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 42-50 — Transcript, file page 5, lines 42-50
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 16-20 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 16-20
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 28-40 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 28-40
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 10-26 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 10-26
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 42-46 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 42-46
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 34-4 — Transcript, file page 8, lines 34-4
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 8-16 — Transcript, file page 9, lines 8-16
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 18, lines 46-16 — Transcript, file page 18, lines 46-16
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 29, lines 8-18 — Transcript, file page 29, lines 8-18
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 20-48 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 20-48
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 18, lines 46-16 — Transcript, file page 18, lines 46-16
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 29, lines 8-18 — Transcript, file page 29, lines 8-18
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 20-48 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 20-48
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.