October Term 2017 · Docket 16-1371
Can a rental car contract waive a driver's Fourth Amendment rights?
The dispute centers on whether a rental agreement's consent clause allows police to search a car driven by an unauthorized person.
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
Mr. Loeb argued the government seeks to transform a contract violation into a constitutional waiver.
Mr. Feigin argued the side that brought the case must prove a connection to the car to claim privacy rights.
Mr. Loeb stated the government's claim that the driver violated criminal law is incorrect.
Mr. Feigin questioned the validity of claiming privacy in a vehicle one is not allowed to drive.
Read the official transcript for this argument · Official argument details
Sources used for this argument breakdown
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 10, lines 19-25 — Transcript, file page 10, lines 19-25
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 10, lines 37-45 — Transcript, file page 10, lines 37-45
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 34, lines 55-29 — Transcript, file page 34, lines 55-29
- 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 23-15 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 23-15
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 17-21 — Transcript, file page 5, lines 17-21
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 51-11 — Transcript, file page 5, lines 51-11
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 17-21 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 17-21
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 31-41 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 31-41
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 51-1 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 51-1
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 69, lines 11-25 — Transcript, file page 69, lines 11-25
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 69, lines 27-29 — Transcript, file page 69, lines 27-29
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 69, lines 49-43 — Transcript, file page 69, lines 49-43
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 11-15 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 11-15
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 39-7 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 39-7
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 71, lines 45-7 — Transcript, file page 71, lines 45-7
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 73, lines 17-19 — Transcript, file page 73, lines 17-19
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 15-17 — Transcript, file page 8, lines 15-17
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 29-43 — Transcript, file page 8, lines 29-43
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 13-25 — Transcript, file page 9, lines 13-25
A citizen's guide to the whole case
What this case is about
This case tests the scope of Fourth Amendment protections in rental vehicles. The core issue is whether a contractual clause waives privacy rights for drivers not listed on the rental agreement.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 34, lines 55-29 — Transcript, file page 34, lines 55-29
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 23-15 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 23-15
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 69, lines 11-25 — Transcript, file page 69, lines 11-25
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 69, lines 49-43 — Transcript, file page 69, lines 49-43
How the case got here
The Supreme Court heard oral argument in this case on January 9, 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 17-19 — Transcript, file page 73, lines 17-19
What each side wants
The government wants the court to uphold the search based on the rental contract's consent clause.
the side that brought the case wants the court to rule that the contract does not waive his Fourth Amendment rights.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 34, lines 55-29 — Transcript, file page 34, lines 55-29
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 23-15 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 23-15
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 69, lines 11-25 — Transcript, file page 69, lines 11-25
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 69, lines 49-43 — Transcript, file page 69, lines 49-43
What each side says
The government argues the rental agreement's consent clause authorizes police to search the vehicle.
the side that brought the case argues the contract cannot strip an unauthorized driver of constitutional privacy protections.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 34, lines 55-29 — Transcript, file page 34, lines 55-29
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 23-15 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 23-15
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 69, lines 11-25 — Transcript, file page 69, lines 11-25
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 69, lines 49-43 — Transcript, file page 69, lines 49-43
What the justices asked
Justice Alito asked if Budget's consent to search would validate the search if the driver was unauthorized.
Chief Justice Roberts asked if the rental agreement itself constitutes consent to a police search.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 10, lines 19-25 — Transcript, file page 10, lines 19-25
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 10, lines 37-45 — Transcript, file page 10, lines 37-45
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 17-21 — Transcript, file page 5, lines 17-21
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 51-11 — Transcript, file page 5, lines 51-11
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 17-21 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 17-21
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 31-41 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 31-41
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 51-1 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 51-1
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 69, lines 27-29 — Transcript, file page 69, lines 27-29
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 11-15 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 11-15
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 39-7 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 39-7
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 71, lines 45-7 — Transcript, file page 71, lines 45-7
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 73, lines 17-19 — Transcript, file page 73, lines 17-19
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 15-17 — Transcript, file page 8, lines 15-17
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 29-43 — Transcript, file page 8, lines 29-43
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 13-25 — Transcript, file page 9, lines 13-25
Why it matters
This case defines the boundary between private contracts and constitutional rights. It determines whether rental companies can waive driver privacy through standard agreements. The outcome shapes police search powers in shared vehicles. It impacts millions of drivers who use rental cars. It clarifies the scope of Fourth Amendment protections in commercial contexts.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 34, lines 55-29 — Transcript, file page 34, lines 55-29
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 23-15 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 23-15
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 69, lines 11-25 — Transcript, file page 69, lines 11-25
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 69, lines 49-43 — Transcript, file page 69, lines 49-43
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 19-25 — Transcript, file page 10, lines 19-25
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 10, lines 37-45 — Transcript, file page 10, lines 37-45
- 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 17-21 — Transcript, file page 5, lines 17-21
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 51-11 — Transcript, file page 5, lines 51-11
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 17-21 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 17-21
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 31-41 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 31-41
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 51-1 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 51-1
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 69, lines 27-29 — Transcript, file page 69, lines 27-29
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 11-15 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 11-15
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 39-7 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 39-7
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 71, lines 45-7 — Transcript, file page 71, lines 45-7
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 73, lines 17-19 — Transcript, file page 73, lines 17-19
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 15-17 — Transcript, file page 8, lines 15-17
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 29-43 — Transcript, file page 8, lines 29-43
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 13-25 — Transcript, file page 9, lines 13-25
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 34, lines 55-29 — Transcript, file page 34, lines 55-29
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 23-15 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 23-15
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 69, lines 11-25 — Transcript, file page 69, lines 11-25
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 69, lines 49-43 — Transcript, file page 69, lines 49-43
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 34, lines 55-29 — Transcript, file page 34, lines 55-29
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 23-15 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 23-15
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 69, lines 11-25 — Transcript, file page 69, lines 11-25
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 69, lines 49-43 — Transcript, file page 69, lines 49-43
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.