October Term 2010 · Docket 10-313
Must incumbents build new lines for competitors?
Competitors demand new physical connections. Incumbents refuse to build them.
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
Bursch argued interconnection drives local competition.
Miller focused on specific FCC regulations.
Angstreich claimed the agency created new rules.
Read the official transcript for this argument · Official argument details
Sources used for this argument breakdown
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 11, lines 15-23 — Transcript, file page 11, lines 15-23
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 11, lines 27-33 — Transcript, file page 11, lines 27-33
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 11, lines 37-17 — Transcript, file page 11, lines 37-17
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 13, lines 15-15 — Transcript, file page 13, lines 15-15
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 13, lines 19-23 — Transcript, file page 13, lines 19-23
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 13, lines 37-41 — Transcript, file page 13, lines 37-41
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 19, lines 27-21 — Transcript, file page 19, lines 27-21
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 29, lines 15-43 — Transcript, file page 29, lines 15-43
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 19-41 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 19-41
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 43-45 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 43-45
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 7-17 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 7-17
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 58, lines 25-45 — Transcript, file page 58, lines 25-45
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 59, lines 47-49 — Transcript, file page 59, lines 47-49
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 23-33 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 23-33
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 47-31 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 47-31
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 5-13 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 5-13
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 51-5 — Transcript, file page 8, lines 51-5
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 43-47 — Transcript, file page 9, lines 43-47
A citizen's guide to the whole case
What this case is about
Talk America wants new phone lines. Michigan Bell refuses to build them.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 19, lines 27-21 — Transcript, file page 19, lines 27-21
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 29, lines 15-43 — Transcript, file page 29, lines 15-43
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 19-41 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 19-41
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 58, lines 25-45 — Transcript, file page 58, lines 25-45
How the case got here
The Supreme Court heard oral argument in this case on March 30, 2011.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 7-17 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 7-17
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 59, lines 47-49 — Transcript, file page 59, lines 47-49
What each side wants
Talk America wants new physical lines built.
Michigan Bell wants to avoid building new lines.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 19, lines 27-21 — Transcript, file page 19, lines 27-21
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 29, lines 15-43 — Transcript, file page 29, lines 15-43
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 19-41 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 19-41
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 58, lines 25-45 — Transcript, file page 58, lines 25-45
What each side says
Talk America argues Congress mandates new connections.
Michigan Bell argues the FCC lacks authority.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 19, lines 27-21 — Transcript, file page 19, lines 27-21
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 29, lines 15-43 — Transcript, file page 29, lines 15-43
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 19-41 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 19-41
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 58, lines 25-45 — Transcript, file page 58, lines 25-45
What the justices asked
Justice Scalia asked about building orange cords.
Justice Kennedy asked about multiple competitor requests.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 11, lines 15-23 — Transcript, file page 11, lines 15-23
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 11, lines 27-33 — Transcript, file page 11, lines 27-33
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 11, lines 37-17 — Transcript, file page 11, lines 37-17
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 13, lines 15-15 — Transcript, file page 13, lines 15-15
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 13, lines 19-23 — Transcript, file page 13, lines 19-23
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 13, lines 37-41 — Transcript, file page 13, lines 37-41
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 43-45 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 43-45
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 59, lines 47-49 — Transcript, file page 59, lines 47-49
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 23-33 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 23-33
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 47-31 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 47-31
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 5-13 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 5-13
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 51-5 — Transcript, file page 8, lines 51-5
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 43-47 — Transcript, file page 9, lines 43-47
Why it matters
This case defines local phone competition rules. It determines who pays for new infrastructure.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 19, lines 27-21 — Transcript, file page 19, lines 27-21
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 29, lines 15-43 — Transcript, file page 29, lines 15-43
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 19-41 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 19-41
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 58, lines 25-45 — Transcript, file page 58, lines 25-45
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 11, lines 15-23 — Transcript, file page 11, lines 15-23
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 11, lines 27-33 — Transcript, file page 11, lines 27-33
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 11, lines 37-17 — Transcript, file page 11, lines 37-17
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 13, lines 15-15 — Transcript, file page 13, lines 15-15
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 13, lines 19-23 — Transcript, file page 13, lines 19-23
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 13, lines 37-41 — Transcript, file page 13, lines 37-41
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 43-45 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 43-45
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 7-17 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 7-17
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 59, lines 47-49 — Transcript, file page 59, lines 47-49
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 23-33 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 23-33
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 47-31 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 47-31
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 5-13 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 5-13
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 51-5 — Transcript, file page 8, lines 51-5
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 43-47 — Transcript, file page 9, lines 43-47
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 19, lines 27-21 — Transcript, file page 19, lines 27-21
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 29, lines 15-43 — Transcript, file page 29, lines 15-43
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 19-41 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 19-41
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 58, lines 25-45 — Transcript, file page 58, lines 25-45
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 19, lines 27-21 — Transcript, file page 19, lines 27-21
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 29, lines 15-43 — Transcript, file page 29, lines 15-43
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 19-41 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 19-41
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 58, lines 25-45 — Transcript, file page 58, lines 25-45
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.