October Term 2020 · Docket 19-547
Does a draft biological opinion count as a final agency decision?
Sierra Club wants to see draft opinions. The Fish and Wildlife Service claims they are privileged.
Verified source milestones
- — An official oral-argument transcript was verified.
- — An official oral-argument transcript was verified.
- — An official Court opinion 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
Guarnieri argued the drafts are privileged.
Narayan argued the drafts explain final decisions.
Roberts questioned the definition of finality.
Alito asked where to draw the line.
Read the official transcript for this argument · Official argument details
Sources used for this argument breakdown
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 10, lines 24-44 — Transcript, file page 10, lines 24-44
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 11, lines 34-38 — Transcript, file page 11, lines 34-38
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 12, lines 14-24 — Transcript, file page 12, lines 14-24
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 15, lines 18-26 — Transcript, file page 15, lines 18-26
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 16, lines 12-28 — Transcript, file page 16, lines 12-28
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 16, lines 46-20 — Transcript, file page 16, lines 46-20
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 18, lines 18-20 — Transcript, file page 18, lines 18-20
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 20, lines 8-22 — Transcript, file page 20, lines 8-22
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 36, lines 10-52 — Transcript, file page 36, lines 10-52
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 10-22 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 10-22
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 24-28 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 24-28
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 30-44 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 30-44
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 65, lines 52-16 — Transcript, file page 65, lines 52-16
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 66, lines 18-20 — Transcript, file page 66, lines 18-20
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 67, lines 54-52 — Transcript, file page 67, lines 54-52
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 14-24 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 14-24
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 40-12 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 40-12
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 70, lines 54-6 — Transcript, file page 70, lines 54-6
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 12-24 — Transcript, file page 9, lines 12-24
A citizen's guide to the whole case
What this case is about
The dispute centers on whether draft biological opinions are final decisions. The Service argues they are predecisional. Sierra Club argues they carry legal weight.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 36, lines 10-52 — Transcript, file page 36, lines 10-52
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 24-28 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 24-28
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 65, lines 52-16 — Transcript, file page 65, lines 52-16
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 67, lines 54-52 — Transcript, file page 67, lines 54-52
How the case got here
The Supreme Court heard oral argument in this case on November 2, 2020.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 10-22 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 10-22
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 70, lines 54-6 — Transcript, file page 70, lines 54-6
What each side wants
The Service wants to keep the drafts secret.
Sierra Club wants to read the drafts.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 36, lines 10-52 — Transcript, file page 36, lines 10-52
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 24-28 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 24-28
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 65, lines 52-16 — Transcript, file page 65, lines 52-16
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 67, lines 54-52 — Transcript, file page 67, lines 54-52
What each side says
The Service argues drafts are not final decisions.
Sierra Club argues drafts have legal consequences.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 36, lines 10-52 — Transcript, file page 36, lines 10-52
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 24-28 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 24-28
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 65, lines 52-16 — Transcript, file page 65, lines 52-16
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 67, lines 54-52 — Transcript, file page 67, lines 54-52
What the justices asked
Justice Sotomayor asked why drafts lack coercive effect.
Justice Thomas asked if anything short of sending is non-final.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 10, lines 24-44 — Transcript, file page 10, lines 24-44
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 11, lines 34-38 — Transcript, file page 11, lines 34-38
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 12, lines 14-24 — Transcript, file page 12, lines 14-24
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 15, lines 18-26 — Transcript, file page 15, lines 18-26
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 16, lines 12-28 — Transcript, file page 16, lines 12-28
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 16, lines 46-20 — Transcript, file page 16, lines 46-20
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 18, lines 18-20 — Transcript, file page 18, lines 18-20
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 20, lines 8-22 — Transcript, file page 20, lines 8-22
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 30-44 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 30-44
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 66, lines 18-20 — Transcript, file page 66, lines 18-20
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 14-24 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 14-24
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 40-12 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 40-12
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 70, lines 54-6 — Transcript, file page 70, lines 54-6
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 12-24 — Transcript, file page 9, lines 12-24
Why it matters
This case defines when agency advice becomes final. It shapes public access to environmental decisions. It clarifies the scope of the deliberative process privilege.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 36, lines 10-52 — Transcript, file page 36, lines 10-52
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 24-28 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 24-28
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 65, lines 52-16 — Transcript, file page 65, lines 52-16
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 67, lines 54-52 — Transcript, file page 67, lines 54-52
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 24-44 — Transcript, file page 10, lines 24-44
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 11, lines 34-38 — Transcript, file page 11, lines 34-38
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 12, lines 14-24 — Transcript, file page 12, lines 14-24
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 15, lines 18-26 — Transcript, file page 15, lines 18-26
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 16, lines 12-28 — Transcript, file page 16, lines 12-28
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 16, lines 46-20 — Transcript, file page 16, lines 46-20
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 18, lines 18-20 — Transcript, file page 18, lines 18-20
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 20, lines 8-22 — Transcript, file page 20, lines 8-22
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 10-22 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 10-22
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 30-44 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 30-44
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 66, lines 18-20 — Transcript, file page 66, lines 18-20
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 14-24 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 14-24
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 40-12 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 40-12
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 70, lines 54-6 — Transcript, file page 70, lines 54-6
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 12-24 — Transcript, file page 9, lines 12-24
Official Court provenance
Official docket and case history · Official Supreme Court oral-argument detail page
Verified official opinions and orders
Title and summary sources
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 36, lines 10-52 — Transcript, file page 36, lines 10-52
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 24-28 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 24-28
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 65, lines 52-16 — Transcript, file page 65, lines 52-16
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 67, lines 54-52 — Transcript, file page 67, lines 54-52
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 36, lines 10-52 — Transcript, file page 36, lines 10-52
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 24-28 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 24-28
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 65, lines 52-16 — Transcript, file page 65, lines 52-16
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 67, lines 54-52 — Transcript, file page 67, lines 54-52
Revision history
- Revision 1 · Post Opinion ·
Correction: Rewritten to the concise citizen-facing editorial standard.
- Revision 2 · Post Opinion ·
Correction: Migrated to the dated official Court activity contract without model use.