{"argument_date":"2001-11-28T00:00:00Z","arguments":[{"argument_date":"2001-11-28T00:00:00Z","heading":"What happened at the argument","official_detail_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcript/2001","official_transcript_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2001/00-1293.pdf","paragraphs":["Ms. Beeson argued the law creates compelled speech concerns. She noted many web operators are single individuals.","General Olson argued the government has a responsibility to protect children. He cited the Ginsberg case for this principle.","General Olson stated all three branches of government support this view. He claimed pornography is widely available to children online."],"reargument":false,"sequence":1,"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 23, lines 47-31","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2001/00-1293.pdf","page_label":"file page 23, lines 47-31"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 17-41","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2001/00-1293.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 17-41"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 5-15","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2001/00-1293.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 5-15"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 50, lines 9-9","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2001/00-1293.pdf","page_label":"file page 50, lines 9-9"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 51, lines 33-41","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2001/00-1293.pdf","page_label":"file page 51, lines 33-41"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 55, lines 1-1","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2001/00-1293.pdf","page_label":"file page 55, lines 1-1"}]}],"caption":"Ashcroft v. American Civil Liberties Union","case_history":[{"changed_at":"2026-08-29T20:06:32.687917Z","explanation":"An official oral-argument transcript was verified.","status":"argued"},{"changed_at":"2026-08-29T20:06:32.716630Z","explanation":"An official oral-argument transcript was verified.","status":"argued"}],"case_status":"argued","dek":"The ACLU argues the law criminalizes protected speech. The government claims it protects children from harm.","dek_sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 23, lines 47-31","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2001/00-1293.pdf","page_label":"file page 23, lines 47-31"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 17-41","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2001/00-1293.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 17-41"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 50, lines 9-9","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2001/00-1293.pdf","page_label":"file page 50, lines 9-9"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 51, lines 33-41","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2001/00-1293.pdf","page_label":"file page 51, lines 33-41"}],"dispositions":[],"latest_court_document_date":"2001-11-28T00:00:00Z","maturity":"official_transcript","official_detail_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcript/2001","official_disposition_urls":[],"official_docket_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/docket/docketfiles/html/public/00-1293.html","primary_docket":"00-1293","revisions":[{"correction_note":"Rewritten to the concise citizen-facing editorial standard.","created_at":"2026-08-31T17:27:20.377742Z","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 Child Online Protection Act. The ACLU says the law bans protected speech. The government says the law serves a compelling interest in child safety."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 23, lines 47-31","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2001/00-1293.pdf","page_label":"file page 23, lines 47-31"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 17-41","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2001/00-1293.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 17-41"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 50, lines 9-9","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2001/00-1293.pdf","page_label":"file page 50, lines 9-9"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 51, lines 33-41","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2001/00-1293.pdf","page_label":"file page 51, lines 33-41"}]},{"heading":"How the case got here","paragraphs":["The Supreme Court heard oral argument in this case on November 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/2001/00-1293.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 5-15"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 55, lines 1-1","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2001/00-1293.pdf","page_label":"file page 55, lines 1-1"}]},{"heading":"What each side wants","paragraphs":["The ACLU wants the Court to strike down the law. They argue it bans protected speech.","The government wants the Court to uphold the law. They argue it protects children from harm."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 23, lines 47-31","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2001/00-1293.pdf","page_label":"file page 23, lines 47-31"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 17-41","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2001/00-1293.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 17-41"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 50, lines 9-9","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2001/00-1293.pdf","page_label":"file page 50, lines 9-9"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 51, lines 33-41","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2001/00-1293.pdf","page_label":"file page 51, lines 33-41"}]},{"heading":"What each side says","paragraphs":["The ACLU claims the law criminalizes protected speech. They argue it forces compelled speech on web operators.","The government claims pornography causes substantial damage to children. They argue protecting children is a compelling national interest."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 23, lines 47-31","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2001/00-1293.pdf","page_label":"file page 23, lines 47-31"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 17-41","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2001/00-1293.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 17-41"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 50, lines 9-9","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2001/00-1293.pdf","page_label":"file page 50, lines 9-9"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 51, lines 33-41","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2001/00-1293.pdf","page_label":"file page 51, lines 33-41"}]},{"heading":"What the justices asked","paragraphs":["Chief Justice Rehnquist asked if the case was submitted. He ended the oral argument session."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 55, lines 1-1","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2001/00-1293.pdf","page_label":"file page 55, lines 1-1"}]},{"heading":"Why it matters","paragraphs":["The outcome defines the scope of government power over internet speech. It balances child safety against adult free expression. The ruling sets a precedent for online content regulation."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 23, lines 47-31","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2001/00-1293.pdf","page_label":"file page 23, lines 47-31"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 17-41","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2001/00-1293.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 17-41"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 50, lines 9-9","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2001/00-1293.pdf","page_label":"file page 50, lines 9-9"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 51, lines 33-41","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2001/00-1293.pdf","page_label":"file page 51, lines 33-41"}]},{"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/2001/00-1293.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 5-15"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 55, lines 1-1","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2001/00-1293.pdf","page_label":"file page 55, lines 1-1"}]}],"slug":"2001-00-1293-ashcroft-v-american-civil-liberties-union","term":"2001","title":"Does the Child Online Protection Act violate free speech rights?","title_sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 23, lines 47-31","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2001/00-1293.pdf","page_label":"file page 23, lines 47-31"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 17-41","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2001/00-1293.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 17-41"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 50, lines 9-9","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2001/00-1293.pdf","page_label":"file page 50, lines 9-9"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 51, lines 33-41","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2001/00-1293.pdf","page_label":"file page 51, lines 33-41"}],"topics":[],"undated_disposition_date_fallback":null,"updated_at":"2026-09-05T03:22:24Z"}