October Term 2010 · Docket 09-530
Can the government ask job applicants about medical treatment?
NASA seeks to enforce background checks that ask about medical counseling.
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
General Katyal argued the lower court erred.
He stated background checks are standard business practice.
Justice Sotomayor questioned the limit on government inquiries.
Justice Ginsburg focused on the specific contested questions.
Read the official transcript for this argument · Official argument details
Sources used for this argument breakdown
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 27, lines 43-7 — Transcript, file page 27, lines 43-7
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 19-19 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 19-19
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 21-49 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 21-49
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 51-3 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 51-3
- 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 15-15 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 15-15
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 19-25 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 19-25
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 31-41 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 31-41
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 49-51 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 49-51
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 7-7 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 7-7
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 13-21 — Transcript, file page 5, lines 13-21
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 27-41 — Transcript, file page 5, lines 27-41
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 15-19 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 15-19
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 43-51 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 43-51
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 33-39 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 33-39
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 9-13 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 9-13
A citizen's guide to the whole case
What this case is about
NASA wants to keep medical questions on job forms. Applicants want to stop these intrusive inquiries.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 27, lines 43-7 — Transcript, file page 27, lines 43-7
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 19-19 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 19-19
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 21-49 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 21-49
How the case got here
The Supreme Court heard oral argument in this case on October 5, 2010.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 7-17 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 7-17
What each side wants
NASA wants to ask about medical treatment.
Applicants want to stop these specific questions.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 27, lines 43-7 — Transcript, file page 27, lines 43-7
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 19-19 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 19-19
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 21-49 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 21-49
What each side says
NASA argues background checks are standard practice.
Applicants argue the government intrudes on private lives.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 27, lines 43-7 — Transcript, file page 27, lines 43-7
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 19-19 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 19-19
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 21-49 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 21-49
What the justices asked
Justice Sotomayor asked if government questions have limits.
Justice Ginsburg asked why the scope is so broad.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 51-3 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 51-3
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 15-15 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 15-15
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 19-25 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 19-25
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 31-41 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 31-41
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 49-51 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 49-51
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 7-7 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 7-7
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 13-21 — Transcript, file page 5, lines 13-21
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 27-41 — Transcript, file page 5, lines 27-41
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 15-19 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 15-19
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 43-51 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 43-51
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 33-39 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 33-39
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 9-13 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 9-13
Why it matters
This case defines the boundary of government privacy intrusion. It affects every citizen's right to personal medical information.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 27, lines 43-7 — Transcript, file page 27, lines 43-7
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 19-19 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 19-19
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 21-49 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 21-49
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 3, lines 51-3 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 51-3
- 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 15-15 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 15-15
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 19-25 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 19-25
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 31-41 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 31-41
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 49-51 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 49-51
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 7-7 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 7-7
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 13-21 — Transcript, file page 5, lines 13-21
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 27-41 — Transcript, file page 5, lines 27-41
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 15-19 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 15-19
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 43-51 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 43-51
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 33-39 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 33-39
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 9-13 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 9-13
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 43-7 — Transcript, file page 27, lines 43-7
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 19-19 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 19-19
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 21-49 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 21-49
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 27, lines 43-7 — Transcript, file page 27, lines 43-7
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 19-19 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 19-19
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 21-49 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 21-49
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.