October Term 2017 · Docket 142 ORIG.
Does a cap on Georgia water use fix Florida drought harm?
Florida seeks a cap on Georgia water use. Georgia argues the cap will not help.
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
Florida's lawyer argued Georgia's consumption is unreasonable. He said a cap is the only fix.
Georgia's lawyer argued Florida failed to prove its case. He said a cap alone will not increase water flow.
Justices questioned whether Florida proved its harm. They asked about the evidence in the record.
Read the official transcript for this argument · Official argument details
Sources used for this argument breakdown
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 10, lines 21-25 — Transcript, file page 10, lines 21-25
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 11, lines 17-19 — Transcript, file page 11, lines 17-19
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 11, lines 37-41 — Transcript, file page 11, lines 37-41
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 11, lines 45-19 — Transcript, file page 11, lines 45-19
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 11, lines 7-13 — Transcript, file page 11, lines 7-13
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 12, lines 23-25 — Transcript, file page 12, lines 23-25
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 12, lines 29-43 — Transcript, file page 12, lines 29-43
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 36, lines 23-43 — Transcript, file page 36, lines 23-43
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 11-21 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 11-21
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 23-21 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 23-21
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 23-47 — Transcript, file page 5, lines 23-47
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 59, lines 31-7 — Transcript, file page 59, lines 31-7
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 47-49 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 47-49
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 68, lines 37-19 — Transcript, file page 68, lines 37-19
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 69, lines 21-43 — Transcript, file page 69, lines 21-43
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 37-43 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 37-43
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 47-21 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 47-21
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 70, lines 39-11 — Transcript, file page 70, lines 39-11
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 71, lines 13-25 — Transcript, file page 71, lines 13-25
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 71, lines 47-53 — Transcript, file page 71, lines 47-53
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 72, lines 23-27 — Transcript, file page 72, lines 23-27
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 73, lines 39-41 — Transcript, file page 73, lines 39-41
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 31-37 — Transcript, file page 8, lines 31-37
A citizen's guide to the whole case
What this case is about
Florida claims Georgia uses too much water. This harms Florida during droughts. Georgia says Florida failed to prove this harm.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 36, lines 23-43 — Transcript, file page 36, lines 23-43
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 23-21 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 23-21
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 59, lines 31-7 — Transcript, file page 59, lines 31-7
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 68, lines 37-19 — Transcript, file page 68, lines 37-19
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 70, lines 39-11 — Transcript, file page 70, lines 39-11
How the case got here
The Supreme Court heard oral argument in this case on January 8, 2018.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 11-21 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 11-21
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 73, lines 39-41 — Transcript, file page 73, lines 39-41
What each side wants
Florida wants a cap on Georgia water use. It believes this will increase water flow to Florida.
Georgia wants the Court to deny the cap. It argues the cap will not change water flow.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 36, lines 23-43 — Transcript, file page 36, lines 23-43
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 23-21 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 23-21
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 59, lines 31-7 — Transcript, file page 59, lines 31-7
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 68, lines 37-19 — Transcript, file page 68, lines 37-19
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 70, lines 39-11 — Transcript, file page 70, lines 39-11
What each side says
Florida argues Georgia consumes unreasonable amounts of water. This consumption causes real harm to Florida.
Georgia argues Florida failed to prove a cap helps. It says Army Corps operations control water flow.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 36, lines 23-43 — Transcript, file page 36, lines 23-43
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 23-21 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 23-21
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 59, lines 31-7 — Transcript, file page 59, lines 31-7
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 68, lines 37-19 — Transcript, file page 68, lines 37-19
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 70, lines 39-11 — Transcript, file page 70, lines 39-11
What the justices asked
Justice Sotomayor asked Florida to review specific evidence. She questioned the Master's findings on water flow.
Justice Ginsburg noted Florida focused only on drought harm. She asked about benefits in normal periods.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 10, lines 21-25 — Transcript, file page 10, lines 21-25
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 11, lines 17-19 — Transcript, file page 11, lines 17-19
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 11, lines 37-41 — Transcript, file page 11, lines 37-41
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 11, lines 45-19 — Transcript, file page 11, lines 45-19
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 11, lines 7-13 — Transcript, file page 11, lines 7-13
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 12, lines 23-25 — Transcript, file page 12, lines 23-25
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 12, lines 29-43 — Transcript, file page 12, lines 29-43
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 23-47 — Transcript, file page 5, lines 23-47
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 47-49 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 47-49
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 69, lines 21-43 — Transcript, file page 69, lines 21-43
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 37-43 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 37-43
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 47-21 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 47-21
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 71, lines 13-25 — Transcript, file page 71, lines 13-25
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 71, lines 47-53 — Transcript, file page 71, lines 47-53
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 72, lines 23-27 — Transcript, file page 72, lines 23-27
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 73, lines 39-41 — Transcript, file page 73, lines 39-41
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 31-37 — Transcript, file page 8, lines 31-37
Why it matters
This case determines how states share river water. It sets rules for resolving interstate water disputes. It affects how courts handle environmental harm claims.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 36, lines 23-43 — Transcript, file page 36, lines 23-43
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 23-21 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 23-21
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 59, lines 31-7 — Transcript, file page 59, lines 31-7
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 68, lines 37-19 — Transcript, file page 68, lines 37-19
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 70, lines 39-11 — Transcript, file page 70, lines 39-11
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 21-25 — Transcript, file page 10, lines 21-25
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 11, lines 17-19 — Transcript, file page 11, lines 17-19
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 11, lines 37-41 — Transcript, file page 11, lines 37-41
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 11, lines 45-19 — Transcript, file page 11, lines 45-19
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 11, lines 7-13 — Transcript, file page 11, lines 7-13
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 12, lines 23-25 — Transcript, file page 12, lines 23-25
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 12, lines 29-43 — Transcript, file page 12, lines 29-43
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 11-21 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 11-21
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 23-47 — Transcript, file page 5, lines 23-47
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 47-49 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 47-49
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 69, lines 21-43 — Transcript, file page 69, lines 21-43
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 37-43 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 37-43
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 47-21 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 47-21
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 71, lines 13-25 — Transcript, file page 71, lines 13-25
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 71, lines 47-53 — Transcript, file page 71, lines 47-53
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 72, lines 23-27 — Transcript, file page 72, lines 23-27
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 73, lines 39-41 — Transcript, file page 73, lines 39-41
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 31-37 — Transcript, file page 8, lines 31-37
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 36, lines 23-43 — Transcript, file page 36, lines 23-43
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 23-21 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 23-21
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 59, lines 31-7 — Transcript, file page 59, lines 31-7
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 68, lines 37-19 — Transcript, file page 68, lines 37-19
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 70, lines 39-11 — Transcript, file page 70, lines 39-11
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 36, lines 23-43 — Transcript, file page 36, lines 23-43
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 23-21 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 23-21
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 59, lines 31-7 — Transcript, file page 59, lines 31-7
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 68, lines 37-19 — Transcript, file page 68, lines 37-19
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 70, lines 39-11 — Transcript, file page 70, lines 39-11
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.