October Term 2021 · Docket 20-480
Does a dual-status technician's civilian pay count as uniformed service?
A retired technician argues his civilian pay qualifies for a Social Security exception. The government says only military pay counts.
Verified source milestones
- — 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
Mr. Katyal cited the statutory text excluding non-uniformed service payments.
Ms. Reaves explained that dual-status technicians receive two separate payment streams.
questions_and_argument_context
Read the official transcript for this argument · Official argument details
Sources used for this argument breakdown
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 10, lines 23-13 — Transcript, file page 10, lines 23-13
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 13, lines 39-43 — Transcript, file page 13, lines 39-43
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 13, lines 47-49 — Transcript, file page 13, lines 47-49
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 13, lines 53-53 — Transcript, file page 13, lines 53-53
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 14, lines 13-33 — Transcript, file page 14, lines 13-33
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 36, lines 49-45 — Transcript, file page 36, lines 49-45
- 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 23-15 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 23-15
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 17-25 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 17-25
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 43-17 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 43-17
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 31-35 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 31-35
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 39-39 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 39-39
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 51-51 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 51-51
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 55-7 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 55-7
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 37-43 — Transcript, file page 8, lines 37-43
A citizen's guide to the whole case
What this case is about
Babcock v. Kijakazi
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 36, lines 49-45 — Transcript, file page 36, lines 49-45
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 23-15 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 23-15
How the case got here
The Supreme Court heard oral argument in this case on October 13, 2021.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 11-21 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 11-21
What each side wants
The technician wants his civilian pay to count as uniformed service.
The government wants only his military pay to count as uniformed service.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 36, lines 49-45 — Transcript, file page 36, lines 49-45
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 23-15 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 23-15
What each side says
The technician argues the statute covers all his service payments.
The government argues the statute excludes civilian-based payments.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 36, lines 49-45 — Transcript, file page 36, lines 49-45
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 23-15 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 23-15
What the justices asked
Justice Thomas asked why the technician receives both civilian and military pensions.
Chief Justice Roberts asked about the two different payment statuses.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 10, lines 23-13 — Transcript, file page 10, lines 23-13
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 13, lines 39-43 — Transcript, file page 13, lines 39-43
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 13, lines 47-49 — Transcript, file page 13, lines 47-49
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 13, lines 53-53 — Transcript, file page 13, lines 53-53
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 14, lines 13-33 — Transcript, file page 14, lines 13-33
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 17-25 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 17-25
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 43-17 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 43-17
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 31-35 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 31-35
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 39-39 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 39-39
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 51-51 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 51-51
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 55-7 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 55-7
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 37-43 — Transcript, file page 8, lines 37-43
Why it matters
This case defines which payments qualify for a Social Security benefit exception. It affects how dual-status technicians calculate their retirement income.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 36, lines 49-45 — Transcript, file page 36, lines 49-45
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 23-15 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 23-15
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 23-13 — Transcript, file page 10, lines 23-13
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 13, lines 39-43 — Transcript, file page 13, lines 39-43
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 13, lines 47-49 — Transcript, file page 13, lines 47-49
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 13, lines 53-53 — Transcript, file page 13, lines 53-53
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 14, lines 13-33 — Transcript, file page 14, lines 13-33
- 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 17-25 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 17-25
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 43-17 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 43-17
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 31-35 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 31-35
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 39-39 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 39-39
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 51-51 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 51-51
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 55-7 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 55-7
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 37-43 — Transcript, file page 8, lines 37-43
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 49-45 — Transcript, file page 36, lines 49-45
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 23-15 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 23-15
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 36, lines 49-45 — Transcript, file page 36, lines 49-45
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 23-15 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 23-15
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.