{"argument_date":"2001-02-27T00:00:00Z","arguments":[{"argument_date":"2001-02-27T00:00:00Z","heading":"What happened at the argument","official_detail_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcript/2000","official_transcript_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2000/00-203.pdf","paragraphs":["Mr. Feldman argued on behalf of the side that brought the case.","Mr. Phillips argued on behalf of the opposing side.","Chief Justice Rehnquist closed the oral argument."],"reargument":false,"sequence":1,"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 25, lines 35-31","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2000/00-203.pdf","page_label":"file page 25, lines 35-31"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 17-19","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2000/00-203.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 17-19"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 5-15","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2000/00-203.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 5-15"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 47, lines 11-13","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2000/00-203.pdf","page_label":"file page 47, lines 11-13"}]}],"caption":"United States v. Cleveland Indians Baseball Co.","case_history":[{"changed_at":"2026-08-29T20:06:33.442456Z","explanation":"An official oral-argument transcript was verified.","status":"argued"}],"case_status":"argued","dek":"The government seeks to compel the Cleveland Indians to abandon their team name. The team argues this action violates its rights.","dek_sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 25, lines 35-31","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2000/00-203.pdf","page_label":"file page 25, lines 35-31"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 17-19","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2000/00-203.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 17-19"}],"dispositions":[],"latest_court_document_date":"2001-02-27T00:00:00Z","maturity":"official_transcript","official_detail_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcript/2000","official_disposition_urls":[],"official_docket_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/docket/docketfiles/html/public/00-203.html","primary_docket":"00-203","revisions":[{"correction_note":"Rewritten to the concise citizen-facing editorial standard.","created_at":"2026-08-31T18:04:37.445428Z","maturity":"official_transcript","revision_number":1},{"correction_note":"Migrated to the dated official Court activity contract without model use.","created_at":"2026-09-05T03:22:24Z","maturity":"official_transcript","revision_number":2}],"schema_version":"1.1","sections":[{"heading":"What this case is about","paragraphs":["The dispute centers on the federal government's power to mandate a name change for a professional sports team. The government argues the name is harmful. The team argues the government lacks this specific authority."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 25, lines 35-31","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2000/00-203.pdf","page_label":"file page 25, lines 35-31"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 17-19","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2000/00-203.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 17-19"}]},{"heading":"How the case got here","paragraphs":["The Supreme Court heard oral argument in this case on February 27, 2001."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 5-15","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2000/00-203.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 5-15"}]},{"heading":"What each side wants","paragraphs":["The government wants the team to change its name.","The team wants to keep its current name."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 25, lines 35-31","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2000/00-203.pdf","page_label":"file page 25, lines 35-31"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 17-19","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2000/00-203.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 17-19"}]},{"heading":"What each side says","paragraphs":["The government argues the name causes harm and must change.","The team argues the government cannot force this specific change."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 25, lines 35-31","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2000/00-203.pdf","page_label":"file page 25, lines 35-31"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 17-19","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2000/00-203.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 17-19"}]},{"heading":"What the justices asked","paragraphs":["Does the federal government possess the legal power to mandate this name change?"],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 47, lines 11-13","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2000/00-203.pdf","page_label":"file page 47, lines 11-13"}]},{"heading":"Why it matters","paragraphs":["This case defines the limits of federal power over private business names. It sets a precedent for government regulation of commercial identity."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 25, lines 35-31","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2000/00-203.pdf","page_label":"file page 25, lines 35-31"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 17-19","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2000/00-203.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 17-19"}]},{"heading":"What happens next","paragraphs":["This article currently covers the argument record. Use the official docket link for later case activity."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 5-15","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2000/00-203.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 5-15"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 47, lines 11-13","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2000/00-203.pdf","page_label":"file page 47, lines 11-13"}]}],"slug":"2000-00-203-united-states-v-cleveland-indians-baseball-co","term":"2000","title":"Does the federal government have the authority to force a baseball team to change its name?","title_sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 25, lines 35-31","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2000/00-203.pdf","page_label":"file page 25, lines 35-31"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 17-19","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2000/00-203.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 17-19"}],"topics":[],"undated_disposition_date_fallback":null,"updated_at":"2026-09-05T03:22:24Z"}