October Term 2012 · Docket 11-1175
Does the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act bar courts from awarding costs to prevailing defendants?
The dispute centers on whether a specific debt collection statute overrides the general federal rule allowing courts to award costs to winning defendants.
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
the side that brought the case asserts the specific statute provides a different rule for costs.
the opposing side asserts the general rule applies unless expressly repealed by statute.
Justice Breyer questioned the legislative intent behind the specific statutory language.
Justice Sotomayor asked if the specific statute meets the requirement for express repeal.
Read the official transcript for this argument · Official argument details
Sources used for this argument breakdown
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 1, lines 13-5 — Transcript, file page 1, lines 13-5
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 12, lines 7-17 — Transcript, file page 12, lines 7-17
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 13, lines 13-39 — Transcript, file page 13, lines 13-39
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 14, lines 41-31 — Transcript, file page 14, lines 41-31
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 15, lines 39-5 — Transcript, file page 15, lines 39-5
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 16, lines 33-47 — Transcript, file page 16, lines 33-47
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 16, lines 9-23 — Transcript, file page 16, lines 9-23
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 24, lines 11-41 — Transcript, file page 24, lines 11-41
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 19-7 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 19-7
- 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 39-7 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 39-7
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 9-29 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 9-29
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 31-1 — Transcript, file page 5, lines 31-1
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 49-9 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 49-9
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 33-41 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 33-41
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 23-31 — Transcript, file page 8, lines 23-31
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 35-5 — Transcript, file page 8, lines 35-5
A citizen's guide to the whole case
What this case is about
This case tests the interaction between a specific federal statute and a general procedural rule. The core issue is whether the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act displaces the default rule for cost awards.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 1, lines 13-5 — Transcript, file page 1, lines 13-5
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 13, lines 13-39 — Transcript, file page 13, lines 13-39
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 24, lines 11-41 — Transcript, file page 24, lines 11-41
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 19-7 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 19-7
How the case got here
The Supreme Court heard oral argument in this case on November 7, 2012.
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
the side that brought the case wants the court to deny the defendant's request for costs.
the opposing side wants the court to uphold the lower court's award of costs.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 1, lines 13-5 — Transcript, file page 1, lines 13-5
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 13, lines 13-39 — Transcript, file page 13, lines 13-39
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 24, lines 11-41 — Transcript, file page 24, lines 11-41
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 19-7 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 19-7
What each side says
the side that brought the case argues the specific statute displaces the general rule for cost awards.
the opposing side argues the general rule remains available because the statute does not expressly repeal it.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 1, lines 13-5 — Transcript, file page 1, lines 13-5
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 13, lines 13-39 — Transcript, file page 13, lines 13-39
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 24, lines 11-41 — Transcript, file page 24, lines 11-41
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 19-7 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 19-7
What the justices asked
Justice Breyer asked why the drafter included a provision for attorney fees but not costs.
Justice Ginsburg noted that the specific statute covers costs only under a different section.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 12, lines 7-17 — Transcript, file page 12, lines 7-17
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 14, lines 41-31 — Transcript, file page 14, lines 41-31
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 15, lines 39-5 — Transcript, file page 15, lines 39-5
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 16, lines 33-47 — Transcript, file page 16, lines 33-47
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 16, lines 9-23 — Transcript, file page 16, lines 9-23
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 39-7 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 39-7
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 9-29 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 9-29
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 31-1 — Transcript, file page 5, lines 31-1
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 49-9 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 49-9
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 33-41 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 33-41
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 23-31 — Transcript, file page 8, lines 23-31
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 35-5 — Transcript, file page 8, lines 35-5
Why it matters
This case determines whether prevailing defendants in debt collection suits can recover court costs. The outcome affects the financial burden on debt collectors and the scope of judicial discretion in awarding costs.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 1, lines 13-5 — Transcript, file page 1, lines 13-5
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 13, lines 13-39 — Transcript, file page 13, lines 13-39
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 24, lines 11-41 — Transcript, file page 24, lines 11-41
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 19-7 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 19-7
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 12, lines 7-17 — Transcript, file page 12, lines 7-17
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 14, lines 41-31 — Transcript, file page 14, lines 41-31
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 15, lines 39-5 — Transcript, file page 15, lines 39-5
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 16, lines 33-47 — Transcript, file page 16, lines 33-47
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 16, lines 9-23 — Transcript, file page 16, lines 9-23
- 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 39-7 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 39-7
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 9-29 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 9-29
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 31-1 — Transcript, file page 5, lines 31-1
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 49-9 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 49-9
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 33-41 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 33-41
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 23-31 — Transcript, file page 8, lines 23-31
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 35-5 — Transcript, file page 8, lines 35-5
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 1, lines 13-5 — Transcript, file page 1, lines 13-5
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 13, lines 13-39 — Transcript, file page 13, lines 13-39
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 24, lines 11-41 — Transcript, file page 24, lines 11-41
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 19-7 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 19-7
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 1, lines 13-5 — Transcript, file page 1, lines 13-5
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 13, lines 13-39 — Transcript, file page 13, lines 13-39
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 24, lines 11-41 — Transcript, file page 24, lines 11-41
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 19-7 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 19-7
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.