{"argument_date":"2001-02-28T00:00:00Z","arguments":[{"argument_date":"2001-02-28T00:00:00Z","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/2000/99-2036.pdf","paragraphs":["Thomas Marcelle argued the case involves free speech rights.","He noted the school building houses multiple grade levels.","He corrected a record description regarding the building's use.","The school's attorney argued the exclusion prevents religious endorsement."],"reargument":false,"sequence":1,"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 24, lines 11-31","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2000/99-2036.pdf","page_label":"file page 24, lines 11-31"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 17-58","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2000/99-2036.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 17-58"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 5-15","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2000/99-2036.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 5-15"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 52, lines 21-33","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2000/99-2036.pdf","page_label":"file page 52, lines 21-33"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 52, lines 35-21","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2000/99-2036.pdf","page_label":"file page 52, lines 35-21"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 56, lines 1-5","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2000/99-2036.pdf","page_label":"file page 56, lines 1-5"}]}],"caption":"Good News Club v. Milford Central School","case_history":[{"changed_at":"2026-08-29T20:06:33.454955Z","explanation":"An official oral-argument transcript was verified.","status":"argued"},{"changed_at":"2026-08-29T20:06:33.479094Z","explanation":"An official oral-argument transcript was verified.","status":"argued"}],"case_status":"argued","dek":"A religious group seeks access to a public school building. The school district denies that access.","dek_sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 24, lines 11-31","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2000/99-2036.pdf","page_label":"file page 24, lines 11-31"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 17-58","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2000/99-2036.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 17-58"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 52, lines 21-33","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2000/99-2036.pdf","page_label":"file page 52, lines 21-33"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 52, lines 35-21","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2000/99-2036.pdf","page_label":"file page 52, lines 35-21"}],"dispositions":[],"latest_court_document_date":"2001-02-28T00:00:00Z","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/99-2036.html","primary_docket":"99-2036","revisions":[{"correction_note":"Rewritten to the concise citizen-facing editorial standard.","created_at":"2026-08-31T18:03:51.099396Z","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":["Good News Club wants to hold meetings in a public school. Milford Central School denies the request. The group claims this violates free speech rights. The school claims it must avoid religious endorsement."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 24, lines 11-31","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2000/99-2036.pdf","page_label":"file page 24, lines 11-31"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 17-58","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2000/99-2036.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 17-58"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 52, lines 21-33","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2000/99-2036.pdf","page_label":"file page 52, lines 21-33"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 52, lines 35-21","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2000/99-2036.pdf","page_label":"file page 52, lines 35-21"}]},{"heading":"How the case got here","paragraphs":["The Supreme Court heard oral argument in this case on February 28, 2001."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 5-15","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2000/99-2036.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 5-15"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 56, lines 1-5","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2000/99-2036.pdf","page_label":"file page 56, lines 1-5"}]},{"heading":"What each side wants","paragraphs":["Good News Club wants permission to meet in the school building.","Milford Central School wants to keep the religious group out."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 24, lines 11-31","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2000/99-2036.pdf","page_label":"file page 24, lines 11-31"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 17-58","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2000/99-2036.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 17-58"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 52, lines 21-33","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2000/99-2036.pdf","page_label":"file page 52, lines 21-33"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 52, lines 35-21","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2000/99-2036.pdf","page_label":"file page 52, lines 35-21"}]},{"heading":"What each side says","paragraphs":["The club argues the school cannot exclude it based on religious content.","The school argues it must avoid appearing to endorse religion."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 24, lines 11-31","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2000/99-2036.pdf","page_label":"file page 24, lines 11-31"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 17-58","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2000/99-2036.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 17-58"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 52, lines 21-33","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2000/99-2036.pdf","page_label":"file page 52, lines 21-33"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 52, lines 35-21","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2000/99-2036.pdf","page_label":"file page 52, lines 35-21"}]},{"heading":"What the justices asked","paragraphs":["Does the school's exclusion violate the First Amendment?","Can the school deny access to avoid religious endorsement?"],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 56, lines 1-5","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2000/99-2036.pdf","page_label":"file page 56, lines 1-5"}]},{"heading":"Why it matters","paragraphs":["This case defines public school access rules. It balances free speech against religious neutrality. Schools must decide how to manage shared spaces. Religious groups seek equal access to public facilities. The outcome shapes future school policies nationwide."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 24, lines 11-31","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2000/99-2036.pdf","page_label":"file page 24, lines 11-31"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 17-58","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2000/99-2036.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 17-58"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 52, lines 21-33","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2000/99-2036.pdf","page_label":"file page 52, lines 21-33"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 52, lines 35-21","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2000/99-2036.pdf","page_label":"file page 52, lines 35-21"}]},{"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/2000/99-2036.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 5-15"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 56, lines 1-5","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2000/99-2036.pdf","page_label":"file page 56, lines 1-5"}]}],"slug":"2000-99-2036-good-news-club-v-milford-central-school","term":"2000","title":"Can a public school bar a religious club from using its building after hours?","title_sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 24, lines 11-31","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2000/99-2036.pdf","page_label":"file page 24, lines 11-31"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 17-58","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2000/99-2036.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 17-58"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 52, lines 21-33","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2000/99-2036.pdf","page_label":"file page 52, lines 21-33"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 52, lines 35-21","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2000/99-2036.pdf","page_label":"file page 52, lines 35-21"}],"topics":[],"undated_disposition_date_fallback":null,"updated_at":"2026-09-05T03:22:24Z"}