October Term 2018 · Docket 17-340
Do independent contractor agreements count as employment contracts under federal arbitration law?
The dispute centers on whether the Federal Arbitration Act exempts independent contractor agreements from mandatory arbitration clauses.
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
the side that brought the case argued that the statute's plain meaning excludes independent contractors from the employment exemption.
the opposing side argued that the statute's purpose covers all workers performing services, including independent contractors.
questions_asked_by_justices
Read the official transcript for this argument · Official argument details
Sources used for this argument breakdown
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 10, lines 16-23 — Transcript, file page 10, lines 16-23
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 10, lines 34-30 — Transcript, file page 10, lines 34-30
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 12, lines 20-21 — Transcript, file page 12, lines 20-21
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 12, lines 25-28 — Transcript, file page 12, lines 25-28
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 13, lines 34-1 — Transcript, file page 13, lines 34-1
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 29, lines 23-10 — Transcript, file page 29, lines 23-10
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 16-12 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 16-12
- 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 13-23 — Transcript, file page 5, lines 13-23
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 26-28 — Transcript, file page 5, lines 26-28
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 13-21 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 13-21
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 30-6 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 30-6
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 15-22 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 15-22
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 17-20 — Transcript, file page 8, lines 17-20
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 8-28 — Transcript, file page 9, lines 8-28
A citizen's guide to the whole case
What this case is about
The case tests the scope of a statutory exemption. the side that brought the case argues the exemption covers only common-law employees. the opposing side argues it covers all workers performing services.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 29, lines 23-10 — Transcript, file page 29, lines 23-10
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 16-12 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 16-12
How the case got here
The Supreme Court heard oral argument in this case on October 3, 2018.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 8-15 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 8-15
What each side wants
the side that brought the case wants the Court to limit the statutory exemption to common-law employees only.
the opposing side wants the Court to include independent contractors within the statutory exemption.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 29, lines 23-10 — Transcript, file page 29, lines 23-10
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 16-12 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 16-12
What each side says
the side that brought the case argues the statute uses ordinary language that excludes independent contractors from the employment definition.
the opposing side argues the statute covers all workers performing services, regardless of their employment status.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 29, lines 23-10 — Transcript, file page 29, lines 23-10
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 16-12 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 16-12
What the justices asked
Justice Ginsburg asked how the Court should treat seamen who are independent contractors.
Justice Sotomayor asked whether other legal treatises treated independent contractors differently from employees.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 10, lines 16-23 — Transcript, file page 10, lines 16-23
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 10, lines 34-30 — Transcript, file page 10, lines 34-30
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 12, lines 20-21 — Transcript, file page 12, lines 20-21
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 12, lines 25-28 — Transcript, file page 12, lines 25-28
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 13, lines 34-1 — Transcript, file page 13, lines 34-1
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 13-23 — Transcript, file page 5, lines 13-23
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 26-28 — Transcript, file page 5, lines 26-28
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 13-21 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 13-21
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 30-6 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 30-6
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 15-22 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 15-22
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 17-20 — Transcript, file page 8, lines 17-20
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 8-28 — Transcript, file page 9, lines 8-28
Why it matters
This case defines who must arbitrate disputes under federal law. It determines whether independent contractors can sue in court or must use private arbitration. The outcome shapes labor rights and dispute resolution for millions of workers.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 29, lines 23-10 — Transcript, file page 29, lines 23-10
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 16-12 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 16-12
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 16-23 — Transcript, file page 10, lines 16-23
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 10, lines 34-30 — Transcript, file page 10, lines 34-30
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 12, lines 20-21 — Transcript, file page 12, lines 20-21
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 12, lines 25-28 — Transcript, file page 12, lines 25-28
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 13, lines 34-1 — Transcript, file page 13, lines 34-1
- 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 13-23 — Transcript, file page 5, lines 13-23
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 26-28 — Transcript, file page 5, lines 26-28
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 13-21 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 13-21
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 30-6 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 30-6
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 15-22 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 15-22
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 17-20 — Transcript, file page 8, lines 17-20
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 8-28 — Transcript, file page 9, lines 8-28
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 29, lines 23-10 — Transcript, file page 29, lines 23-10
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 16-12 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 16-12
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 29, lines 23-10 — Transcript, file page 29, lines 23-10
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 16-12 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 16-12
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.