October Term 2017 · Docket 17-43
Does a federal wiretap order need a specific state name?
the sides that brought the case argue the order lacked a required state name. The government says the order was valid.
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
Shanmugam argued the wiretap statute protects individual privacy.
Shanmugam stated the statute requires detailed requirements for wiretaps.
Roberts questioned the need for a territorial limitation statement.
Ginsburg asked if the order cited the statutory section.
Read the official transcript for this argument · Official argument details
Sources used for this argument breakdown
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 10, lines 16-18 — Transcript, file page 10, lines 16-18
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 10, lines 21-23 — Transcript, file page 10, lines 21-23
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 10, lines 33-34 — Transcript, file page 10, lines 33-34
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 11, lines 17-18 — Transcript, file page 11, lines 17-18
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 11, lines 7-10 — Transcript, file page 11, lines 7-10
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 12, lines 8-13 — Transcript, file page 12, lines 8-13
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 32, lines 22-11 — Transcript, file page 32, lines 22-11
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 16-6 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 16-6
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 8-15 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 8-15
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 26-30 — Transcript, file page 5, lines 26-30
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 7-18 — Transcript, file page 5, lines 7-18
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 68, lines 15-16 — Transcript, file page 68, lines 15-16
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 69, lines 6-7 — Transcript, file page 69, lines 6-7
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 11-13 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 11-13
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 10-30 — Transcript, file page 8, lines 10-30
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 18-23 — Transcript, file page 9, lines 18-23
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 31-32 — Transcript, file page 9, lines 31-32
A citizen's guide to the whole case
What this case is about
The case tests if a wiretap order must name a specific state to be valid.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 32, lines 22-11 — Transcript, file page 32, lines 22-11
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 16-6 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 16-6
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 68, lines 15-16 — Transcript, file page 68, lines 15-16
How the case got here
The Supreme Court heard oral argument in this case on February 21, 2018.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 8-15 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 8-15
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 69, lines 6-7 — Transcript, file page 69, lines 6-7
What each side wants
the sides that brought the case want the court to void the wiretap order.
The government wants the court to keep the wiretap order valid.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 32, lines 22-11 — Transcript, file page 32, lines 22-11
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 16-6 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 16-6
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 68, lines 15-16 — Transcript, file page 68, lines 15-16
What each side says
the sides that brought the case argue the order failed a statutory requirement.
The government argues the order met all legal standards.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 32, lines 22-11 — Transcript, file page 32, lines 22-11
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 16-6 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 16-6
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 68, lines 15-16 — Transcript, file page 68, lines 15-16
What the justices asked
Chief Justice Roberts asked if the order needed a territorial statement.
Justice Ginsburg asked if the order cited the statutory section.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 10, lines 16-18 — Transcript, file page 10, lines 16-18
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 10, lines 21-23 — Transcript, file page 10, lines 21-23
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 10, lines 33-34 — Transcript, file page 10, lines 33-34
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 11, lines 17-18 — Transcript, file page 11, lines 17-18
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 11, lines 7-10 — Transcript, file page 11, lines 7-10
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 12, lines 8-13 — Transcript, file page 12, lines 8-13
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 26-30 — Transcript, file page 5, lines 26-30
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 7-18 — Transcript, file page 5, lines 7-18
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 69, lines 6-7 — Transcript, file page 69, lines 6-7
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 11-13 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 11-13
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 10-30 — Transcript, file page 8, lines 10-30
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 18-23 — Transcript, file page 9, lines 18-23
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 31-32 — Transcript, file page 9, lines 31-32
Why it matters
This case defines the strictness of federal wiretap authorization rules.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 32, lines 22-11 — Transcript, file page 32, lines 22-11
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 16-6 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 16-6
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 68, lines 15-16 — Transcript, file page 68, lines 15-16
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 16-18 — Transcript, file page 10, lines 16-18
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 10, lines 21-23 — Transcript, file page 10, lines 21-23
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 10, lines 33-34 — Transcript, file page 10, lines 33-34
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 11, lines 17-18 — Transcript, file page 11, lines 17-18
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 11, lines 7-10 — Transcript, file page 11, lines 7-10
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 12, lines 8-13 — Transcript, file page 12, lines 8-13
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 8-15 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 8-15
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 26-30 — Transcript, file page 5, lines 26-30
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 7-18 — Transcript, file page 5, lines 7-18
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 69, lines 6-7 — Transcript, file page 69, lines 6-7
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 11-13 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 11-13
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 10-30 — Transcript, file page 8, lines 10-30
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 18-23 — Transcript, file page 9, lines 18-23
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 31-32 — Transcript, file page 9, lines 31-32
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 32, lines 22-11 — Transcript, file page 32, lines 22-11
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 16-6 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 16-6
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 68, lines 15-16 — Transcript, file page 68, lines 15-16
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 32, lines 22-11 — Transcript, file page 32, lines 22-11
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 16-6 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 16-6
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 68, lines 15-16 — Transcript, file page 68, lines 15-16
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.