October Term 2011 · Docket 10-507
Does the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act cover land-based injuries?
A worker injured on dry land seeks compensation under federal offshore law.
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
Paul Clement argued the statute does not cover dry land injuries.
He stated the answer to the legal question is no.
Justice Scalia asked for examples of shelf injuries not from operations.
Justice Roberts asked where the state offshore limit falls under the definition.
Read the official transcript for this argument · Official argument details
Sources used for this argument breakdown
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 10, lines 3-11 — Transcript, file page 10, lines 3-11
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 11, lines 3-7 — Transcript, file page 11, lines 3-7
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 27, lines 5-17 — Transcript, file page 27, lines 5-17
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 19-41 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 19-41
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 43-49 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 43-49
- 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 33-43 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 33-43
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 42, lines 5-5 — Transcript, file page 42, lines 5-5
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 42, lines 7-31 — Transcript, file page 42, lines 7-31
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 21-41 — Transcript, file page 5, lines 21-41
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 57, lines 17-35 — Transcript, file page 57, lines 17-35
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 58, lines 37-43 — Transcript, file page 58, lines 37-43
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 59, lines 23-27 — Transcript, file page 59, lines 23-27
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 15-21 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 15-21
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 31-33 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 31-33
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 41-43 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 41-43
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 17-27 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 17-27
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 51-25 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 51-25
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 31-41 — Transcript, file page 8, lines 31-41
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 33-41 — Transcript, file page 9, lines 33-41
A citizen's guide to the whole case
What this case is about
The case tests the scope of the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act. It asks if this statute covers injuries that happen on land.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 27, lines 5-17 — Transcript, file page 27, lines 5-17
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 19-41 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 19-41
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 42, lines 5-5 — Transcript, file page 42, lines 5-5
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 42, lines 7-31 — Transcript, file page 42, lines 7-31
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 57, lines 17-35 — Transcript, file page 57, lines 17-35
How the case got here
The Supreme Court heard oral argument in this case on October 11, 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 57, lines 17-35 — Transcript, file page 57, lines 17-35
What each side wants
Pacific Operators Offshore wants the Court to reject the worker's claim.
Valladolid wants the Court to uphold his right to compensation.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 27, lines 5-17 — Transcript, file page 27, lines 5-17
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 19-41 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 19-41
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 42, lines 5-5 — Transcript, file page 42, lines 5-5
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 42, lines 7-31 — Transcript, file page 42, lines 7-31
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 57, lines 17-35 — Transcript, file page 57, lines 17-35
What each side says
Pacific Operators Offshore argues the statute only covers offshore operations.
Valladolid argues the injury resulted from offshore work activities.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 27, lines 5-17 — Transcript, file page 27, lines 5-17
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 19-41 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 19-41
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 42, lines 5-5 — Transcript, file page 42, lines 5-5
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 42, lines 7-31 — Transcript, file page 42, lines 7-31
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 57, lines 17-35 — Transcript, file page 57, lines 17-35
What the justices asked
Justice Ginsburg asked how many accountants work on platforms.
Justice Kennedy asked if substantial time offshore defines the worker's status.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 10, lines 3-11 — Transcript, file page 10, lines 3-11
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 11, lines 3-7 — Transcript, file page 11, lines 3-7
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 43-49 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 43-49
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 33-43 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 33-43
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 21-41 — Transcript, file page 5, lines 21-41
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 58, lines 37-43 — Transcript, file page 58, lines 37-43
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 59, lines 23-27 — Transcript, file page 59, lines 23-27
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 15-21 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 15-21
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 31-33 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 31-33
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 41-43 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 41-43
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 17-27 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 17-27
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 51-25 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 51-25
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 31-41 — Transcript, file page 8, lines 31-41
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 33-41 — Transcript, file page 9, lines 33-41
Why it matters
This case defines the boundary between land and offshore legal protections. It determines which workers receive federal compensation for injuries. The outcome shapes liability for offshore energy companies.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 27, lines 5-17 — Transcript, file page 27, lines 5-17
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 19-41 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 19-41
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 42, lines 5-5 — Transcript, file page 42, lines 5-5
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 42, lines 7-31 — Transcript, file page 42, lines 7-31
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 57, lines 17-35 — Transcript, file page 57, lines 17-35
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 3-11 — Transcript, file page 10, lines 3-11
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 11, lines 3-7 — Transcript, file page 11, lines 3-7
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 43-49 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 43-49
- 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 33-43 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 33-43
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 21-41 — Transcript, file page 5, lines 21-41
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 57, lines 17-35 — Transcript, file page 57, lines 17-35
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 58, lines 37-43 — Transcript, file page 58, lines 37-43
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 59, lines 23-27 — Transcript, file page 59, lines 23-27
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 15-21 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 15-21
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 31-33 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 31-33
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 41-43 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 41-43
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 17-27 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 17-27
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 51-25 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 51-25
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 31-41 — Transcript, file page 8, lines 31-41
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 33-41 — Transcript, file page 9, lines 33-41
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 5-17 — Transcript, file page 27, lines 5-17
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 19-41 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 19-41
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 42, lines 5-5 — Transcript, file page 42, lines 5-5
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 42, lines 7-31 — Transcript, file page 42, lines 7-31
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 57, lines 17-35 — Transcript, file page 57, lines 17-35
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 27, lines 5-17 — Transcript, file page 27, lines 5-17
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 19-41 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 19-41
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 42, lines 5-5 — Transcript, file page 42, lines 5-5
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 42, lines 7-31 — Transcript, file page 42, lines 7-31
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 57, lines 17-35 — Transcript, file page 57, lines 17-35
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.