October Term 2018 · Docket 17-1184
Can a vocational expert rely on unverified data?
the sides that brought the case argue experts must cite verified sources. The government claims experts may use general knowledge.
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. Bhabha argued expert testimony must rely on statistical data.
Mr. Yang explained how vocational experts assess national job markets.
Mr. Bhabha countered that the government mischaracterized expert handbook requirements.
Read the official transcript for this argument · Official argument details
Sources used for this argument breakdown
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 10, lines 14-34 — Transcript, file page 10, lines 14-34
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 11, lines 10-16 — Transcript, file page 11, lines 10-16
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 12, lines 16-13 — Transcript, file page 12, lines 16-13
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 13, lines 34-31 — Transcript, file page 13, lines 34-31
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 15, lines 26-19 — Transcript, file page 15, lines 26-19
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 16, lines 21-31 — Transcript, file page 16, lines 21-31
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 16, lines 34-8 — Transcript, file page 16, lines 34-8
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 18, lines 23-5 — Transcript, file page 18, lines 23-5
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 30, lines 35-31 — Transcript, file page 30, lines 35-31
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 15-11 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 15-11
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 8-14 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 8-14
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 21-10 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 21-10
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 67, lines 15-31 — Transcript, file page 67, lines 15-31
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 67, lines 32-6 — Transcript, file page 67, lines 32-6
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 68, lines 34-1 — Transcript, file page 68, lines 34-1
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 31-8 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 31-8
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 71, lines 15-18 — Transcript, file page 71, lines 15-18
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 71, lines 35-5 — Transcript, file page 71, lines 35-5
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 24-30 — Transcript, file page 8, lines 24-30
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 11-24 — Transcript, file page 9, lines 11-24
A citizen's guide to the whole case
What this case is about
The case tests whether vocational experts must cite specific data sources. the sides that brought the case seek a strict rule on expert testimony. The government seeks flexibility in how experts present evidence.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 30, lines 35-31 — Transcript, file page 30, lines 35-31
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 15-11 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 15-11
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 67, lines 15-31 — Transcript, file page 67, lines 15-31
How the case got here
The Supreme Court heard oral argument in this case on December 4, 2018.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 8-14 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 8-14
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 71, lines 35-5 — Transcript, file page 71, lines 35-5
What each side wants
the sides that brought the case want a rule requiring experts to cite verified data sources.
The government wants courts to accept expert testimony based on general knowledge.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 30, lines 35-31 — Transcript, file page 30, lines 35-31
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 15-11 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 15-11
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 67, lines 15-31 — Transcript, file page 67, lines 15-31
What each side says
the sides that brought the case argue expert testimony must rest on statistical data-driven sources.
The government argues experts may rely on general professional knowledge.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 30, lines 35-31 — Transcript, file page 30, lines 35-31
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 15-11 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 15-11
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 67, lines 15-31 — Transcript, file page 67, lines 15-31
What the justices asked
Justice Sotomayor asked if the expert extrapolated questionable methodology.
Justice Alito asked how this connects to the substantial evidence standard.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 10, lines 14-34 — Transcript, file page 10, lines 14-34
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 11, lines 10-16 — Transcript, file page 11, lines 10-16
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 12, lines 16-13 — Transcript, file page 12, lines 16-13
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 13, lines 34-31 — Transcript, file page 13, lines 34-31
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 15, lines 26-19 — Transcript, file page 15, lines 26-19
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 16, lines 21-31 — Transcript, file page 16, lines 21-31
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 16, lines 34-8 — Transcript, file page 16, lines 34-8
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 18, lines 23-5 — Transcript, file page 18, lines 23-5
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 21-10 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 21-10
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 67, lines 32-6 — Transcript, file page 67, lines 32-6
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 68, lines 34-1 — Transcript, file page 68, lines 34-1
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 31-8 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 31-8
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 71, lines 15-18 — Transcript, file page 71, lines 15-18
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 71, lines 35-5 — Transcript, file page 71, lines 35-5
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 24-30 — Transcript, file page 8, lines 24-30
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 11-24 — Transcript, file page 9, lines 11-24
Why it matters
This dispute defines the evidentiary standard for vocational expert testimony. It determines how courts evaluate expert claims about job availability. The outcome shapes future disability benefit determinations nationwide.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 30, lines 35-31 — Transcript, file page 30, lines 35-31
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 15-11 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 15-11
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 67, lines 15-31 — Transcript, file page 67, lines 15-31
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 14-34 — Transcript, file page 10, lines 14-34
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 11, lines 10-16 — Transcript, file page 11, lines 10-16
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 12, lines 16-13 — Transcript, file page 12, lines 16-13
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 13, lines 34-31 — Transcript, file page 13, lines 34-31
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 15, lines 26-19 — Transcript, file page 15, lines 26-19
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 16, lines 21-31 — Transcript, file page 16, lines 21-31
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 16, lines 34-8 — Transcript, file page 16, lines 34-8
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 18, lines 23-5 — Transcript, file page 18, lines 23-5
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 8-14 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 8-14
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 21-10 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 21-10
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 67, lines 32-6 — Transcript, file page 67, lines 32-6
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 68, lines 34-1 — Transcript, file page 68, lines 34-1
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 31-8 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 31-8
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 71, lines 15-18 — Transcript, file page 71, lines 15-18
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 71, lines 35-5 — Transcript, file page 71, lines 35-5
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 24-30 — Transcript, file page 8, lines 24-30
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 11-24 — Transcript, file page 9, lines 11-24
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 30, lines 35-31 — Transcript, file page 30, lines 35-31
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 15-11 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 15-11
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 67, lines 15-31 — Transcript, file page 67, lines 15-31
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 30, lines 35-31 — Transcript, file page 30, lines 35-31
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 15-11 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 15-11
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 67, lines 15-31 — Transcript, file page 67, lines 15-31
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.