October Term 2024 · Docket 23-621
Does a final judgment define a prevailing party for fee awards?
The dispute centers on whether a party needs a final judgment to claim attorney fees.
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 argue tangible relief creates prevailing party status under the statute.
the opposing sides argue a final judgment on the merits is the required standard.
justice_questioning
Read the official transcript for this argument · Official argument details
Sources used for this argument breakdown
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 10, lines 9-21 — Transcript, file page 10, lines 9-21
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 11, lines 7-1 — Transcript, file page 11, lines 7-1
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 12, lines 35-27 — Transcript, file page 12, lines 35-27
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 13, lines 35-35 — Transcript, file page 13, lines 35-35
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 13, lines 39-15 — Transcript, file page 13, lines 39-15
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 14, lines 43-51 — Transcript, file page 14, lines 43-51
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 15, lines 27-45 — Transcript, file page 15, lines 27-45
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 27, lines 41-47 — Transcript, file page 27, lines 41-47
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 11-21 — Transcript, file page 5, lines 11-21
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 23-49 — Transcript, file page 5, lines 23-49
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 53, lines 15-37 — Transcript, file page 53, lines 15-37
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 51-1 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 51-1
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 69, lines 13-25 — Transcript, file page 69, lines 13-25
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 69, lines 27-49 — Transcript, file page 69, lines 27-49
- 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 53-11 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 53-11
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 70, lines 15-15 — Transcript, file page 70, lines 15-15
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 70, lines 17-25 — Transcript, file page 70, lines 17-25
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 70, lines 37-47 — Transcript, file page 70, lines 37-47
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 71, lines 15-29 — Transcript, file page 71, lines 15-29
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 72, lines 17-39 — Transcript, file page 72, lines 17-39
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 74, lines 19-31 — Transcript, file page 74, lines 19-31
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 74, lines 51-11 — Transcript, file page 74, lines 51-11
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 75, lines 35-39 — Transcript, file page 75, lines 35-39
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 75, lines 53-39 — Transcript, file page 75, lines 53-39
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 76, lines 45-15 — Transcript, file page 76, lines 45-15
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 77, lines 33-35 — Transcript, file page 77, lines 33-35
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 15-25 — Transcript, file page 8, lines 15-25
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 55-39 — Transcript, file page 8, lines 55-39
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 90, lines 35-39 — Transcript, file page 90, lines 35-39
A citizen's guide to the whole case
What this case is about
This case tests the definition of a prevailing party under federal fee-shifting laws.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 27, lines 41-47 — Transcript, file page 27, lines 41-47
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 23-49 — Transcript, file page 5, lines 23-49
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 53, lines 15-37 — Transcript, file page 53, lines 15-37
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 69, lines 13-25 — Transcript, file page 69, lines 13-25
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 90, lines 35-39 — Transcript, file page 90, lines 35-39
How the case got here
The Supreme Court heard oral argument in this case on October 8, 2024.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 11-21 — Transcript, file page 5, lines 11-21
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 69, lines 27-49 — Transcript, file page 69, lines 27-49
What each side wants
the sides that brought the case want fees based on interim relief without a final judgment.
the opposing sides want fees only after a final judgment on the merits.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 27, lines 41-47 — Transcript, file page 27, lines 41-47
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 23-49 — Transcript, file page 5, lines 23-49
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 53, lines 15-37 — Transcript, file page 53, lines 15-37
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 69, lines 13-25 — Transcript, file page 69, lines 13-25
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 90, lines 35-39 — Transcript, file page 90, lines 35-39
What each side says
the sides that brought the case argue tangible relief from the court creates prevailing party status.
the opposing sides argue a final judgment on at least one claim is required.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 27, lines 41-47 — Transcript, file page 27, lines 41-47
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 23-49 — Transcript, file page 5, lines 23-49
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 53, lines 15-37 — Transcript, file page 53, lines 15-37
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 69, lines 13-25 — Transcript, file page 69, lines 13-25
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 90, lines 35-39 — Transcript, file page 90, lines 35-39
What the justices asked
Justice Thomas asked if the argument hinges on a merits ruling.
Justice Sotomayor noted the parties received interim relief and drove for months.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 10, lines 9-21 — Transcript, file page 10, lines 9-21
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 11, lines 7-1 — Transcript, file page 11, lines 7-1
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 12, lines 35-27 — Transcript, file page 12, lines 35-27
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 13, lines 35-35 — Transcript, file page 13, lines 35-35
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 13, lines 39-15 — Transcript, file page 13, lines 39-15
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 14, lines 43-51 — Transcript, file page 14, lines 43-51
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 15, lines 27-45 — Transcript, file page 15, lines 27-45
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 51-1 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 51-1
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 69, lines 27-49 — Transcript, file page 69, lines 27-49
- 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 53-11 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 53-11
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 70, lines 15-15 — Transcript, file page 70, lines 15-15
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 70, lines 17-25 — Transcript, file page 70, lines 17-25
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 70, lines 37-47 — Transcript, file page 70, lines 37-47
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 71, lines 15-29 — Transcript, file page 71, lines 15-29
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 72, lines 17-39 — Transcript, file page 72, lines 17-39
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 74, lines 19-31 — Transcript, file page 74, lines 19-31
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 74, lines 51-11 — Transcript, file page 74, lines 51-11
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 75, lines 35-39 — Transcript, file page 75, lines 35-39
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 75, lines 53-39 — Transcript, file page 75, lines 53-39
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 76, lines 45-15 — Transcript, file page 76, lines 45-15
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 77, lines 33-35 — Transcript, file page 77, lines 33-35
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 15-25 — Transcript, file page 8, lines 15-25
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 55-39 — Transcript, file page 8, lines 55-39
Why it matters
The outcome defines who can recover legal costs in civil rights litigation.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 27, lines 41-47 — Transcript, file page 27, lines 41-47
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 23-49 — Transcript, file page 5, lines 23-49
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 53, lines 15-37 — Transcript, file page 53, lines 15-37
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 69, lines 13-25 — Transcript, file page 69, lines 13-25
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 90, lines 35-39 — Transcript, file page 90, lines 35-39
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 9-21 — Transcript, file page 10, lines 9-21
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 11, lines 7-1 — Transcript, file page 11, lines 7-1
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 12, lines 35-27 — Transcript, file page 12, lines 35-27
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 13, lines 35-35 — Transcript, file page 13, lines 35-35
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 13, lines 39-15 — Transcript, file page 13, lines 39-15
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 14, lines 43-51 — Transcript, file page 14, lines 43-51
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 15, lines 27-45 — Transcript, file page 15, lines 27-45
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 11-21 — Transcript, file page 5, lines 11-21
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 51-1 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 51-1
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 69, lines 27-49 — Transcript, file page 69, lines 27-49
- 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 53-11 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 53-11
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 70, lines 15-15 — Transcript, file page 70, lines 15-15
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 70, lines 17-25 — Transcript, file page 70, lines 17-25
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 70, lines 37-47 — Transcript, file page 70, lines 37-47
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 71, lines 15-29 — Transcript, file page 71, lines 15-29
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 72, lines 17-39 — Transcript, file page 72, lines 17-39
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 74, lines 19-31 — Transcript, file page 74, lines 19-31
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 74, lines 51-11 — Transcript, file page 74, lines 51-11
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 75, lines 35-39 — Transcript, file page 75, lines 35-39
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 75, lines 53-39 — Transcript, file page 75, lines 53-39
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 76, lines 45-15 — Transcript, file page 76, lines 45-15
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 77, lines 33-35 — Transcript, file page 77, lines 33-35
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 15-25 — Transcript, file page 8, lines 15-25
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 55-39 — Transcript, file page 8, lines 55-39
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 27, lines 41-47 — Transcript, file page 27, lines 41-47
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 23-49 — Transcript, file page 5, lines 23-49
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 53, lines 15-37 — Transcript, file page 53, lines 15-37
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 69, lines 13-25 — Transcript, file page 69, lines 13-25
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 90, lines 35-39 — Transcript, file page 90, lines 35-39
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 27, lines 41-47 — Transcript, file page 27, lines 41-47
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 23-49 — Transcript, file page 5, lines 23-49
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 53, lines 15-37 — Transcript, file page 53, lines 15-37
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 69, lines 13-25 — Transcript, file page 69, lines 13-25
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 90, lines 35-39 — Transcript, file page 90, lines 35-39
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.