October Term 2016 · Docket 15-1191
Does a gender-based citizenship law violate equal protection?
A father argues the law unfairly denies his son citizenship based on gender.
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
Edwin Kneedler argued the Constitution does not grant citizenship to those born abroad.
He stated Congress determines which categories receive citizenship by statute.
Justice Kagan questioned if the statute violates equal protection.
She asked if Congress could have written the law differently to avoid gender bias.
Read the official transcript for this argument · Official argument details
Sources used for this argument breakdown
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 10, lines 22-26 — Transcript, file page 10, lines 22-26
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 10, lines 46-10 — Transcript, file page 10, lines 46-10
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 11, lines 26-46 — Transcript, file page 11, lines 26-46
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 12, lines 40-6 — Transcript, file page 12, lines 40-6
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 13, lines 20-32 — Transcript, file page 13, lines 20-32
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 27, lines 8-30 — Transcript, file page 27, lines 8-30
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 20-16 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 20-16
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 8-18 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 8-18
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 18-20 — Transcript, file page 5, lines 18-20
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 48-52 — Transcript, file page 5, lines 48-52
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 24-32 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 24-32
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 50-18 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 50-18
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 52-6 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 52-6
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 50-10 — Transcript, file page 8, lines 50-10
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 38-52 — Transcript, file page 9, lines 38-52
A citizen's guide to the whole case
What this case is about
The case tests a statute that grants citizenship to children of unwed mothers but not unwed fathers.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 27, lines 8-30 — Transcript, file page 27, lines 8-30
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 20-16 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 20-16
How the case got here
The Supreme Court heard oral argument in this case on November 9, 2016.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 8-18 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 8-18
What each side wants
The government wants the Court to uphold the statute as written.
The father wants the Court to strike down the gender-based distinction.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 27, lines 8-30 — Transcript, file page 27, lines 8-30
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 20-16 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 20-16
What each side says
The government argues Congress has plenary power to define citizenship categories.
The father argues the law creates an unconstitutional gender-based classification.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 27, lines 8-30 — Transcript, file page 27, lines 8-30
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 20-16 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 20-16
What the justices asked
Justice Kagan asked if Congress could have used gender-neutral language.
Justice Ginsburg asked why parents are not similarly situated regarding U.S. values.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 10, lines 22-26 — Transcript, file page 10, lines 22-26
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 10, lines 46-10 — Transcript, file page 10, lines 46-10
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 11, lines 26-46 — Transcript, file page 11, lines 26-46
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 12, lines 40-6 — Transcript, file page 12, lines 40-6
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 13, lines 20-32 — Transcript, file page 13, lines 20-32
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 18-20 — Transcript, file page 5, lines 18-20
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 48-52 — Transcript, file page 5, lines 48-52
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 24-32 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 24-32
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 50-18 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 50-18
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 52-6 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 52-6
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 50-10 — Transcript, file page 8, lines 50-10
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 38-52 — Transcript, file page 9, lines 38-52
Why it matters
The outcome defines how Congress may allocate citizenship to children born abroad.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 27, lines 8-30 — Transcript, file page 27, lines 8-30
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 20-16 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 20-16
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 22-26 — Transcript, file page 10, lines 22-26
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 10, lines 46-10 — Transcript, file page 10, lines 46-10
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 11, lines 26-46 — Transcript, file page 11, lines 26-46
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 12, lines 40-6 — Transcript, file page 12, lines 40-6
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 13, lines 20-32 — Transcript, file page 13, lines 20-32
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 8-18 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 8-18
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 18-20 — Transcript, file page 5, lines 18-20
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 48-52 — Transcript, file page 5, lines 48-52
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 24-32 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 24-32
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 50-18 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 50-18
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 52-6 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 52-6
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 50-10 — Transcript, file page 8, lines 50-10
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 38-52 — Transcript, file page 9, lines 38-52
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 8-30 — Transcript, file page 27, lines 8-30
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 20-16 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 20-16
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 27, lines 8-30 — Transcript, file page 27, lines 8-30
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 20-16 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 20-16
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.