October Term 2014 · Docket 14-185
Can a court review a board's denial of a deadline extension?
The parties dispute whether a federal court can review a board's decision to deny a deadline extension.
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
Mr. Fleming argued the Court should take the short path to resolve the case.
Mr. Yang argued the lower court committed a basic error in administrative law.
Mr. Peterson offered a brief opening statement to the Court.
Read the official transcript for this argument · Official argument details
Sources used for this argument breakdown
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 10, lines 40-44 — Transcript, file page 10, lines 40-44
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 11, lines 12-20 — Transcript, file page 11, lines 12-20
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 11, lines 46-1 — Transcript, file page 11, lines 46-1
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 12, lines 14-18 — Transcript, file page 12, lines 14-18
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 12, lines 22-32 — Transcript, file page 12, lines 22-32
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 14, lines 18-38 — Transcript, file page 14, lines 18-38
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 23, lines 30-28 — Transcript, file page 23, lines 30-28
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 18-32 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 18-32
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 8-16 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 8-16
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 34-44 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 34-44
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 16-16 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 16-16
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 20-34 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 20-34
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 16-24 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 16-24
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 44-46 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 44-46
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 8-12 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 8-12
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 6-14 — Transcript, file page 9, lines 6-14
A citizen's guide to the whole case
What this case is about
Mata seeks a court review of a board's denial of a deadline extension. Lynch argues the court lacks jurisdiction to review that specific denial.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 14, lines 18-38 — Transcript, file page 14, lines 18-38
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 23, lines 30-28 — Transcript, file page 23, lines 30-28
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 18-32 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 18-32
How the case got here
The Supreme Court heard oral argument in this case on April 29, 2015.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 8-16 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 8-16
What each side wants
Mata wants the Supreme Court to allow review of the board's extension denial.
Lynch wants the Supreme Court to confirm the lower court lacked jurisdiction to review the denial.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 14, lines 18-38 — Transcript, file page 14, lines 18-38
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 23, lines 30-28 — Transcript, file page 23, lines 30-28
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 18-32 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 18-32
What each side says
Mata argues the lower court made a fundamental administrative law error by recharacterizing the legal question.
Lynch argues the board's denial was a discretionary action that courts cannot review.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 14, lines 18-38 — Transcript, file page 14, lines 18-38
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 23, lines 30-28 — Transcript, file page 23, lines 30-28
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 18-32 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 18-32
What the justices asked
Justice Scalia asked why the Fifth Circuit treated the extension denial as a sua sponte action.
Justice Ginsburg asked how the Court can clarify jurisdiction if the statute does not allow equitable tolling.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 10, lines 40-44 — Transcript, file page 10, lines 40-44
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 11, lines 12-20 — Transcript, file page 11, lines 12-20
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 11, lines 46-1 — Transcript, file page 11, lines 46-1
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 12, lines 14-18 — Transcript, file page 12, lines 14-18
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 12, lines 22-32 — Transcript, file page 12, lines 22-32
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 34-44 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 34-44
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 16-16 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 16-16
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 20-34 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 20-34
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 16-24 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 16-24
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 44-46 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 44-46
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 8-12 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 8-12
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 6-14 — Transcript, file page 9, lines 6-14
Why it matters
This case defines the scope of judicial review over agency deadline extensions. It determines whether courts can correct legal errors in agency scheduling decisions. The outcome shapes the balance between agency discretion and judicial oversight.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 14, lines 18-38 — Transcript, file page 14, lines 18-38
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 23, lines 30-28 — Transcript, file page 23, lines 30-28
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 18-32 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 18-32
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 40-44 — Transcript, file page 10, lines 40-44
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 11, lines 12-20 — Transcript, file page 11, lines 12-20
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 11, lines 46-1 — Transcript, file page 11, lines 46-1
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 12, lines 14-18 — Transcript, file page 12, lines 14-18
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 12, lines 22-32 — Transcript, file page 12, lines 22-32
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 8-16 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 8-16
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 34-44 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 34-44
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 16-16 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 16-16
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 20-34 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 20-34
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 16-24 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 16-24
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 44-46 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 44-46
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 8-12 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 8-12
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 6-14 — Transcript, file page 9, lines 6-14
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 14, lines 18-38 — Transcript, file page 14, lines 18-38
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 23, lines 30-28 — Transcript, file page 23, lines 30-28
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 18-32 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 18-32
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 14, lines 18-38 — Transcript, file page 14, lines 18-38
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 23, lines 30-28 — Transcript, file page 23, lines 30-28
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 18-32 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 18-32
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.