October Term 2013 · Docket 12-842
Can U.S. courts compel foreign states to reveal global assets?
Argentina disputes a lower court order requiring it to disclose worldwide property to satisfy a debt.
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
Argentina's counsel argued the lower court order targets immune property.
Creditors' counsel referenced legislative reports to support their position.
justice_questions
Read the official transcript for this argument · Official argument details
Sources used for this argument breakdown
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 17, lines 11-29 — Transcript, file page 17, lines 11-29
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 27, lines 7-47 — Transcript, file page 27, lines 7-47
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 19-39 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 19-39
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 41-3 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 41-3
- 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 19-23 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 19-23
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 35-45 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 35-45
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 49-1 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 49-1
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 31-41 — Transcript, file page 5, lines 31-41
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 5-17 — Transcript, file page 5, lines 5-17
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 3-23 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 3-23
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 35-5 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 35-5
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 47-21 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 47-21
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 9-33 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 9-33
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 35-45 — Transcript, file page 8, lines 35-45
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 9-19 — Transcript, file page 9, lines 9-19
A citizen's guide to the whole case
What this case is about
Argentina seeks to stop a broad asset search. Creditors demand full disclosure to collect a debt.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 17, lines 11-29 — Transcript, file page 17, lines 11-29
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 27, lines 7-47 — Transcript, file page 27, lines 7-47
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 19-39 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 19-39
How the case got here
The Supreme Court heard oral argument in this case on April 21, 2014.
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
Argentina wants to limit the asset search to U.S. territory.
Creditors want a global search to find collectible assets.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 17, lines 11-29 — Transcript, file page 17, lines 11-29
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 27, lines 7-47 — Transcript, file page 27, lines 7-47
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 19-39 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 19-39
What each side says
Argentina argues the law protects foreign state property from broad process.
Creditors argue the law allows execution on property within the United States.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 17, lines 11-29 — Transcript, file page 17, lines 11-29
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 27, lines 7-47 — Transcript, file page 27, lines 7-47
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 19-39 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 19-39
What the justices asked
Justice Ginsburg asked if the law restricts discovery of exempt property.
Justice Scalia asked if a New York judgment reaches Florida assets.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 41-3 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 41-3
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 19-23 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 19-23
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 35-45 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 35-45
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 49-1 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 49-1
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 31-41 — Transcript, file page 5, lines 31-41
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 5-17 — Transcript, file page 5, lines 5-17
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 3-23 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 3-23
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 35-5 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 35-5
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 47-21 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 47-21
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 9-33 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 9-33
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 35-45 — Transcript, file page 8, lines 35-45
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 9-19 — Transcript, file page 9, lines 9-19
Why it matters
This case defines the scope of asset searches against foreign states. It determines how creditors collect debts from sovereign entities.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 17, lines 11-29 — Transcript, file page 17, lines 11-29
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 27, lines 7-47 — Transcript, file page 27, lines 7-47
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 19-39 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 19-39
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 41-3 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 41-3
- 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 19-23 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 19-23
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 35-45 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 35-45
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 49-1 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 49-1
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 31-41 — Transcript, file page 5, lines 31-41
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 5-17 — Transcript, file page 5, lines 5-17
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 3-23 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 3-23
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 35-5 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 35-5
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 47-21 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 47-21
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 9-33 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 9-33
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 35-45 — Transcript, file page 8, lines 35-45
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 9-19 — Transcript, file page 9, lines 9-19
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 17, lines 11-29 — Transcript, file page 17, lines 11-29
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 27, lines 7-47 — Transcript, file page 27, lines 7-47
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 19-39 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 19-39
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 17, lines 11-29 — Transcript, file page 17, lines 11-29
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 27, lines 7-47 — Transcript, file page 27, lines 7-47
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 19-39 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 19-39
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.