October Term 2021 · Docket 21-441
Does the Bankruptcy Clause forbid different fees for identical debtors in different states?
the sides that brought the case argue a 2017 fee law violates constitutional uniformity. the opposing sides defend the state-based fee structure.
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
the sides that brought the case claim the fee law violates the Bankruptcy Clause.
the opposing sides argue the statute reflects congressional intent.
Justices questioned the rationale behind the state-based division.
Read the official transcript for this argument · Official argument details
Sources used for this argument breakdown
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 10, lines 27-31 — Transcript, file page 10, lines 27-31
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 10, lines 35-49 — Transcript, file page 10, lines 35-49
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 11, lines 17-29 — Transcript, file page 11, lines 17-29
- 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 23-27 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 23-27
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 47, lines 21-15 — Transcript, file page 47, lines 21-15
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 29-37 — Transcript, file page 5, lines 29-37
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 13-23 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 13-23
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 51-15 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 51-15
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 66, lines 15-21 — Transcript, file page 66, lines 15-21
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 66, lines 23-25 — Transcript, file page 66, lines 23-25
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 66, lines 27-29 — Transcript, file page 66, lines 27-29
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 66, lines 47-1 — Transcript, file page 66, lines 47-1
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 68, lines 23-21 — Transcript, file page 68, lines 23-21
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 69, lines 37-39 — Transcript, file page 69, lines 37-39
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 21-41 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 21-41
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 45-45 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 45-45
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 53-1 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 53-1
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 70, lines 25-29 — Transcript, file page 70, lines 25-29
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 70, lines 35-39 — Transcript, file page 70, lines 35-39
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 71, lines 11-17 — Transcript, file page 71, lines 11-17
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 71, lines 37-1 — Transcript, file page 71, lines 37-1
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 72, lines 45-9 — Transcript, file page 72, lines 45-9
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 73, lines 33-39 — Transcript, file page 73, lines 33-39
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 75, lines 23-37 — Transcript, file page 75, lines 23-37
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 41-45 — Transcript, file page 8, lines 41-45
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 9-11 — Transcript, file page 8, lines 9-11
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 86, lines 45-13 — Transcript, file page 86, lines 45-13
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 25-1 — Transcript, file page 9, lines 25-1
A citizen's guide to the whole case
What this case is about
The case tests whether Congress can set different bankruptcy fees based on location. the sides that brought the case claim this violates the Bankruptcy Clause. the opposing sides argue the law is valid.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 23-27 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 23-27
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 47, lines 21-15 — Transcript, file page 47, lines 21-15
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 66, lines 23-25 — Transcript, file page 66, lines 23-25
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 86, lines 45-13 — Transcript, file page 86, lines 45-13
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 75, lines 23-37 — Transcript, file page 75, lines 23-37
What each side wants
the sides that brought the case want the Court to strike down the 2017 fee law.
the opposing sides want the Court to uphold the state-based fee structure.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 23-27 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 23-27
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 47, lines 21-15 — Transcript, file page 47, lines 21-15
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 66, lines 23-25 — Transcript, file page 66, lines 23-25
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 86, lines 45-13 — Transcript, file page 86, lines 45-13
What each side says
the sides that brought the case argue the law arbitrarily divides debtors by state.
the opposing sides argue Congress intended this specific fee structure.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 23-27 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 23-27
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 47, lines 21-15 — Transcript, file page 47, lines 21-15
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 66, lines 23-25 — Transcript, file page 66, lines 23-25
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 86, lines 45-13 — Transcript, file page 86, lines 45-13
What the justices asked
Chief Justice Roberts asked why bankruptcy judges created this system.
Justice Breyer asked if states can choose procedural rules freely.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 10, lines 27-31 — Transcript, file page 10, lines 27-31
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 10, lines 35-49 — Transcript, file page 10, lines 35-49
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 11, lines 17-29 — Transcript, file page 11, lines 17-29
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 29-37 — Transcript, file page 5, lines 29-37
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 13-23 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 13-23
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 51-15 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 51-15
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 66, lines 15-21 — Transcript, file page 66, lines 15-21
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 66, lines 27-29 — Transcript, file page 66, lines 27-29
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 66, lines 47-1 — Transcript, file page 66, lines 47-1
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 68, lines 23-21 — Transcript, file page 68, lines 23-21
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 69, lines 37-39 — Transcript, file page 69, lines 37-39
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 21-41 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 21-41
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 45-45 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 45-45
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 53-1 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 53-1
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 70, lines 25-29 — Transcript, file page 70, lines 25-29
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 70, lines 35-39 — Transcript, file page 70, lines 35-39
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 71, lines 11-17 — Transcript, file page 71, lines 11-17
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 71, lines 37-1 — Transcript, file page 71, lines 37-1
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 72, lines 45-9 — Transcript, file page 72, lines 45-9
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 73, lines 33-39 — Transcript, file page 73, lines 33-39
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 75, lines 23-37 — Transcript, file page 75, lines 23-37
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 41-45 — Transcript, file page 8, lines 41-45
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 9-11 — Transcript, file page 8, lines 9-11
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 25-1 — Transcript, file page 9, lines 25-1
Why it matters
This case determines whether identical debtors pay different fees based on location. It defines the limits of congressional power over bankruptcy procedures.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 23-27 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 23-27
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 47, lines 21-15 — Transcript, file page 47, lines 21-15
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 66, lines 23-25 — Transcript, file page 66, lines 23-25
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 86, lines 45-13 — Transcript, file page 86, lines 45-13
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 27-31 — Transcript, file page 10, lines 27-31
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 10, lines 35-49 — Transcript, file page 10, lines 35-49
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 11, lines 17-29 — Transcript, file page 11, lines 17-29
- 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 29-37 — Transcript, file page 5, lines 29-37
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 13-23 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 13-23
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 51-15 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 51-15
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 66, lines 15-21 — Transcript, file page 66, lines 15-21
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 66, lines 27-29 — Transcript, file page 66, lines 27-29
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 66, lines 47-1 — Transcript, file page 66, lines 47-1
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 68, lines 23-21 — Transcript, file page 68, lines 23-21
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 69, lines 37-39 — Transcript, file page 69, lines 37-39
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 21-41 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 21-41
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 45-45 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 45-45
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 53-1 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 53-1
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 70, lines 25-29 — Transcript, file page 70, lines 25-29
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 70, lines 35-39 — Transcript, file page 70, lines 35-39
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 71, lines 11-17 — Transcript, file page 71, lines 11-17
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 71, lines 37-1 — Transcript, file page 71, lines 37-1
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 72, lines 45-9 — Transcript, file page 72, lines 45-9
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 73, lines 33-39 — Transcript, file page 73, lines 33-39
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 75, lines 23-37 — Transcript, file page 75, lines 23-37
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 41-45 — Transcript, file page 8, lines 41-45
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 9-11 — Transcript, file page 8, lines 9-11
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 25-1 — Transcript, file page 9, lines 25-1
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 4, lines 23-27 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 23-27
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 47, lines 21-15 — Transcript, file page 47, lines 21-15
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 66, lines 23-25 — Transcript, file page 66, lines 23-25
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 86, lines 45-13 — Transcript, file page 86, lines 45-13
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 23-27 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 23-27
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 47, lines 21-15 — Transcript, file page 47, lines 21-15
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 66, lines 23-25 — Transcript, file page 66, lines 23-25
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 86, lines 45-13 — Transcript, file page 86, lines 45-13
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.