October Term 2020 · Docket 19-963
Who decides if a contract dispute goes to arbitration?
The parties dispute whether a judge or an arbitrator decides if a specific claim falls under an arbitration clause.
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. Shanmugam argued the case concerns interpreting delegation agreements.
Mr. Geyser argued the clause does not delegate gateway questions.
Justice Breyer asked who decides the delegation question, judge or arbitrator.
Read the official transcript for this argument · Official argument details
Sources used for this argument breakdown
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 10, lines 41-51 — Transcript, file page 10, lines 41-51
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 12, lines 27-21 — Transcript, file page 12, lines 27-21
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 12, lines 7-23 — Transcript, file page 12, lines 7-23
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 15, lines 25-27 — Transcript, file page 15, lines 25-27
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 15, lines 41-51 — Transcript, file page 15, lines 41-51
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 16, lines 17-41 — Transcript, file page 16, lines 17-41
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 17, lines 45-37 — Transcript, file page 17, lines 45-37
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 19, lines 19-45 — Transcript, file page 19, lines 19-45
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 36, lines 23-31 — Transcript, file page 36, lines 23-31
- 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 23-23 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 23-23
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 25-11 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 25-11
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 66, lines 23-37 — Transcript, file page 66, lines 23-37
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 66, lines 39-39 — Transcript, file page 66, lines 39-39
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 66, lines 41-43 — Transcript, file page 66, lines 41-43
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 69, lines 25-29 — Transcript, file page 69, lines 25-29
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 33-41 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 33-41
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 72, lines 31-33 — Transcript, file page 72, lines 31-33
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 25-35 — Transcript, file page 8, lines 25-35
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 21-35 — Transcript, file page 9, lines 21-35
A citizen's guide to the whole case
What this case is about
This case tests who decides if a dispute is arbitrable. One side wants the arbitrator to decide. The other side wants the judge to decide.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 36, lines 23-31 — Transcript, file page 36, lines 23-31
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 23-23 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 23-23
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 66, lines 39-39 — Transcript, file page 66, lines 39-39
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 69, lines 25-29 — Transcript, file page 69, lines 25-29
How the case got here
The Supreme Court heard oral argument in this case on December 8, 2020.
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 72, lines 31-33 — Transcript, file page 72, lines 31-33
What each side wants
the side that brought the case wants the arbitrator to decide if the dispute is arbitrable.
the opposing side wants the judge to decide if the dispute is arbitrable.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 36, lines 23-31 — Transcript, file page 36, lines 23-31
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 23-23 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 23-23
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 66, lines 39-39 — Transcript, file page 66, lines 39-39
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 69, lines 25-29 — Transcript, file page 69, lines 25-29
What each side says
the side that brought the case argues the contract clearly delegates arbitrability questions to the arbitrator.
the opposing side argues the contract exempts this specific dispute from any delegation.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 36, lines 23-31 — Transcript, file page 36, lines 23-31
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 23-23 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 23-23
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 66, lines 39-39 — Transcript, file page 66, lines 39-39
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 69, lines 25-29 — Transcript, file page 69, lines 25-29
What the justices asked
Justice Alito asked about the basis for the presumption of arbitrability.
Chief Justice Roberts asked why a presumption against dividing actions exists here.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 10, lines 41-51 — Transcript, file page 10, lines 41-51
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 12, lines 27-21 — Transcript, file page 12, lines 27-21
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 12, lines 7-23 — Transcript, file page 12, lines 7-23
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 15, lines 25-27 — Transcript, file page 15, lines 25-27
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 15, lines 41-51 — Transcript, file page 15, lines 41-51
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 16, lines 17-41 — Transcript, file page 16, lines 17-41
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 17, lines 45-37 — Transcript, file page 17, lines 45-37
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 19, lines 19-45 — Transcript, file page 19, lines 19-45
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 25-11 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 25-11
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 66, lines 23-37 — Transcript, file page 66, lines 23-37
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 66, lines 41-43 — Transcript, file page 66, lines 41-43
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 33-41 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 33-41
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 72, lines 31-33 — Transcript, file page 72, lines 31-33
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 25-35 — Transcript, file page 8, lines 25-35
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 21-35 — Transcript, file page 9, lines 21-35
Why it matters
This case defines who decides if a contract dispute goes to arbitration. It shapes how courts handle gateway questions in commercial contracts.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 36, lines 23-31 — Transcript, file page 36, lines 23-31
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 23-23 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 23-23
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 66, lines 39-39 — Transcript, file page 66, lines 39-39
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 69, lines 25-29 — Transcript, file page 69, lines 25-29
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 41-51 — Transcript, file page 10, lines 41-51
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 12, lines 27-21 — Transcript, file page 12, lines 27-21
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 12, lines 7-23 — Transcript, file page 12, lines 7-23
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 15, lines 25-27 — Transcript, file page 15, lines 25-27
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 15, lines 41-51 — Transcript, file page 15, lines 41-51
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 16, lines 17-41 — Transcript, file page 16, lines 17-41
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 17, lines 45-37 — Transcript, file page 17, lines 45-37
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 19, lines 19-45 — Transcript, file page 19, lines 19-45
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 11-21 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 11-21
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 25-11 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 25-11
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 66, lines 23-37 — Transcript, file page 66, lines 23-37
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 66, lines 41-43 — Transcript, file page 66, lines 41-43
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 33-41 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 33-41
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 72, lines 31-33 — Transcript, file page 72, lines 31-33
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 25-35 — Transcript, file page 8, lines 25-35
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 21-35 — Transcript, file page 9, lines 21-35
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 36, lines 23-31 — Transcript, file page 36, lines 23-31
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 23-23 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 23-23
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 66, lines 39-39 — Transcript, file page 66, lines 39-39
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 69, lines 25-29 — Transcript, file page 69, lines 25-29
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 36, lines 23-31 — Transcript, file page 36, lines 23-31
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 23-23 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 23-23
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 66, lines 39-39 — Transcript, file page 66, lines 39-39
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 69, lines 25-29 — Transcript, file page 69, lines 25-29
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.