October Term 2021 · Docket 21-404
Can states regulate federal contractors under state workers' compensation laws?
The dispute centers on whether a state waiver statute allows Washington to apply its workers' compensation rules to federal contractors.
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
Ms. Heintz argued that Congress passed a waiver statute to protect workers on federal projects.
Mr. Stewart argued that the case is not moot despite recent state legislative changes.
Justice Kagan questioned the strength of non-textual arguments presented by the government.
Chief Justice Roberts asked whether state workers' compensation laws would apply to state-owned facilities.
Read the official transcript for this argument · Official argument details
Sources used for this argument breakdown
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 11, lines 27-39 — Transcript, file page 11, lines 27-39
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 11, lines 43-51 — Transcript, file page 11, lines 43-51
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 12, lines 35-47 — Transcript, file page 12, lines 35-47
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 13, lines 53-15 — Transcript, file page 13, lines 53-15
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 14, lines 47-49 — Transcript, file page 14, lines 47-49
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 15, lines 31-49 — Transcript, file page 15, lines 31-49
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 16, lines 49-35 — Transcript, file page 16, lines 49-35
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 18, lines 39-17 — Transcript, file page 18, lines 39-17
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 19, lines 37-41 — Transcript, file page 19, lines 37-41
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 30, lines 31-21 — Transcript, file page 30, lines 31-21
- 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 23-29 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 23-29
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 31-39 — Transcript, file page 5, lines 31-39
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 62, lines 49-27 — Transcript, file page 62, lines 49-27
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 66, lines 29-31 — Transcript, file page 66, lines 29-31
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 29-35 — Transcript, file page 9, lines 29-35
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 53-13 — Transcript, file page 9, lines 53-13
A citizen's guide to the whole case
What this case is about
The United States argues that state laws cannot regulate federal contractors. Washington argues that a federal waiver statute permits such regulation.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 30, lines 31-21 — Transcript, file page 30, lines 31-21
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 23-29 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 23-29
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 62, lines 49-27 — Transcript, file page 62, lines 49-27
How the case got here
The Supreme Court heard oral argument in this case on April 18, 2022.
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 66, lines 29-31 — Transcript, file page 66, lines 29-31
What each side wants
The United States wants the court to invalidate the state law.
Washington wants the court to uphold the state law.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 30, lines 31-21 — Transcript, file page 30, lines 31-21
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 23-29 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 23-29
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 62, lines 49-27 — Transcript, file page 62, lines 49-27
What each side says
The United States argues that state laws cannot regulate federal contractors.
Washington argues that a federal waiver statute allows states to regulate federal contractors.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 30, lines 31-21 — Transcript, file page 30, lines 31-21
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 23-29 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 23-29
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 62, lines 49-27 — Transcript, file page 62, lines 49-27
What the justices asked
Chief Justice Roberts asked how the waiver statute works if the state owned the facilities.
Justice Kagan asked if the government's real interest is to vacate the lower court judgment.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 11, lines 27-39 — Transcript, file page 11, lines 27-39
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 11, lines 43-51 — Transcript, file page 11, lines 43-51
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 12, lines 35-47 — Transcript, file page 12, lines 35-47
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 13, lines 53-15 — Transcript, file page 13, lines 53-15
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 14, lines 47-49 — Transcript, file page 14, lines 47-49
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 15, lines 31-49 — Transcript, file page 15, lines 31-49
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 16, lines 49-35 — Transcript, file page 16, lines 49-35
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 18, lines 39-17 — Transcript, file page 18, lines 39-17
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 19, lines 37-41 — Transcript, file page 19, lines 37-41
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 31-39 — Transcript, file page 5, lines 31-39
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 66, lines 29-31 — Transcript, file page 66, lines 29-31
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 29-35 — Transcript, file page 9, lines 29-35
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 53-13 — Transcript, file page 9, lines 53-13
Why it matters
This case determines whether states can regulate federal contractors using state workers' compensation laws.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 30, lines 31-21 — Transcript, file page 30, lines 31-21
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 23-29 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 23-29
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 62, lines 49-27 — Transcript, file page 62, lines 49-27
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 11, lines 27-39 — Transcript, file page 11, lines 27-39
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 11, lines 43-51 — Transcript, file page 11, lines 43-51
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 12, lines 35-47 — Transcript, file page 12, lines 35-47
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 13, lines 53-15 — Transcript, file page 13, lines 53-15
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 14, lines 47-49 — Transcript, file page 14, lines 47-49
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 15, lines 31-49 — Transcript, file page 15, lines 31-49
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 16, lines 49-35 — Transcript, file page 16, lines 49-35
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 18, lines 39-17 — Transcript, file page 18, lines 39-17
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 19, lines 37-41 — Transcript, file page 19, lines 37-41
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 11-21 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 11-21
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 31-39 — Transcript, file page 5, lines 31-39
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 66, lines 29-31 — Transcript, file page 66, lines 29-31
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 29-35 — Transcript, file page 9, lines 29-35
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 53-13 — Transcript, file page 9, lines 53-13
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 30, lines 31-21 — Transcript, file page 30, lines 31-21
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 23-29 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 23-29
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 62, lines 49-27 — Transcript, file page 62, lines 49-27
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 30, lines 31-21 — Transcript, file page 30, lines 31-21
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 23-29 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 23-29
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 62, lines 49-27 — Transcript, file page 62, lines 49-27
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.