Supreme Court·Oral argument

Supreme Court hears Nielsen v. Watanabe Monday as Trump administration urges end to prison-care damages suits

Published 4:58 PM CT, Sunday, November 8, 2026 · Updated 5:06 PM CT
In the 5 PM CT update

The Court will hear argument Monday, Nov. 9, in No. 25-417, Nielsen v. Watanabe, on whether a federal prisoner can sue a prison paramedic for damages under Bivens over alleged denial of medical care, followed by Hoffmann v. WBI Energy Transmission (No. 25-159), according to the Court's Monday day call. SCOTUSblog reported that Solicitor General D. John Sauer told the justices "Carlson has become entirely obsolete," but urged them not to overrule Bivens in this case; Nielsen himself asks the Court to overrule it. A decision is expected next year.

• Supreme Court
• Nielsen v. Watanabe
• Bivens
• Carlson v. Green
• Solicitor General Sauer
• Eighth Amendment
• federal prisons
• oral argument
• Hoffmann v. WBI Energy