{"argument_date":"2002-03-26T00:00:00Z","arguments":[{"argument_date":"2002-03-26T00:00:00Z","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/2001/01-521.pdf","paragraphs":["Mr. Bopp argued the rule restricts candidate speech.","Mr. Gilbert clarified the construed rule's meaning.","Mr. Bopp noted the state brief used two formulations.","Mr. Gilbert described the state's advisory opinion process."],"reargument":false,"sequence":1,"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 27, lines 25-41","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2001/01-521.pdf","page_label":"file page 27, lines 25-41"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 15-39","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2001/01-521.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 15-39"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 5-13","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2001/01-521.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 5-13"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 54, lines 15-39","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2001/01-521.pdf","page_label":"file page 54, lines 15-39"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 55, lines 17-27","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2001/01-521.pdf","page_label":"file page 55, lines 17-27"}]}],"caption":"Republican Party of Minn. v. White","case_history":[{"changed_at":"2026-08-29T20:06:36.052020Z","explanation":"An official oral-argument transcript was verified.","status":"argued"},{"changed_at":"2026-08-29T20:06:36.082330Z","explanation":"An official oral-argument transcript was verified.","status":"argued"}],"case_status":"argued","dek":"Minnesota bans judicial candidates from stating how they would decide cases. the sides that brought the case argue this rule violates free speech rights.","dek_sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 27, lines 25-41","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2001/01-521.pdf","page_label":"file page 27, lines 25-41"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 15-39","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2001/01-521.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 15-39"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 54, lines 15-39","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2001/01-521.pdf","page_label":"file page 54, lines 15-39"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 55, lines 17-27","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2001/01-521.pdf","page_label":"file page 55, lines 17-27"}],"dispositions":[],"latest_court_document_date":"2002-03-26T00:00:00Z","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/01-521.html","primary_docket":"01-521","revisions":[{"correction_note":"Rewritten to the concise citizen-facing editorial standard.","created_at":"2026-08-31T17:01:15.592198Z","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":["Minnesota restricts judicial candidates' speech. the sides that brought the case claim this rule violates the First Amendment. the opposing sides defend the state's interest in judicial impartiality."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 27, lines 25-41","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2001/01-521.pdf","page_label":"file page 27, lines 25-41"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 15-39","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2001/01-521.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 15-39"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 54, lines 15-39","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2001/01-521.pdf","page_label":"file page 54, lines 15-39"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 55, lines 17-27","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2001/01-521.pdf","page_label":"file page 55, lines 17-27"}]},{"heading":"How the case got here","paragraphs":["The Supreme Court heard oral argument in this case on March 26, 2002."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 5-13","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2001/01-521.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 5-13"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 54, lines 15-39","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2001/01-521.pdf","page_label":"file page 54, lines 15-39"}]},{"heading":"What each side wants","paragraphs":["the sides that brought the case want the Court to strike down the Minnesota rule.","the opposing sides want the Court to uphold the Minnesota rule."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 27, lines 25-41","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2001/01-521.pdf","page_label":"file page 27, lines 25-41"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 15-39","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2001/01-521.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 15-39"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 54, lines 15-39","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2001/01-521.pdf","page_label":"file page 54, lines 15-39"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 55, lines 17-27","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2001/01-521.pdf","page_label":"file page 55, lines 17-27"}]},{"heading":"What each side says","paragraphs":["the sides that brought the case argue the rule denies voters necessary information.","the opposing sides argue the rule protects judicial impartiality."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 27, lines 25-41","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2001/01-521.pdf","page_label":"file page 27, lines 25-41"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 15-39","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2001/01-521.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 15-39"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 54, lines 15-39","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2001/01-521.pdf","page_label":"file page 54, lines 15-39"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 55, lines 17-27","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2001/01-521.pdf","page_label":"file page 55, lines 17-27"}]},{"heading":"What the justices asked","paragraphs":["Does the rule unconstitutionally restrict candidate speech?","How does the rule define prohibited statements?"],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 27, lines 25-41","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2001/01-521.pdf","page_label":"file page 27, lines 25-41"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 15-39","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2001/01-521.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 15-39"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 5-13","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2001/01-521.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 5-13"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 54, lines 15-39","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2001/01-521.pdf","page_label":"file page 54, lines 15-39"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 55, lines 17-27","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2001/01-521.pdf","page_label":"file page 55, lines 17-27"}]},{"heading":"Why it matters","paragraphs":["The case defines the scope of free speech for judicial candidates. It balances voter information against judicial impartiality. The outcome shapes election rules nationwide."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 27, lines 25-41","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2001/01-521.pdf","page_label":"file page 27, lines 25-41"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 15-39","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2001/01-521.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 15-39"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 54, lines 15-39","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2001/01-521.pdf","page_label":"file page 54, lines 15-39"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 55, lines 17-27","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2001/01-521.pdf","page_label":"file page 55, lines 17-27"}]},{"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 27, lines 25-41","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2001/01-521.pdf","page_label":"file page 27, lines 25-41"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 15-39","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2001/01-521.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 15-39"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 5-13","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2001/01-521.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 5-13"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 54, lines 15-39","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2001/01-521.pdf","page_label":"file page 54, lines 15-39"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 55, lines 17-27","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2001/01-521.pdf","page_label":"file page 55, lines 17-27"}]}],"slug":"2001-01-521-republican-party-of-minn-v-white","term":"2001","title":"Can Minnesota ban judicial candidates from stating how they would decide cases?","title_sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 27, lines 25-41","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2001/01-521.pdf","page_label":"file page 27, lines 25-41"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 15-39","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2001/01-521.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 15-39"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 54, lines 15-39","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2001/01-521.pdf","page_label":"file page 54, lines 15-39"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 55, lines 17-27","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2001/01-521.pdf","page_label":"file page 55, lines 17-27"}],"topics":[],"undated_disposition_date_fallback":null,"updated_at":"2026-09-05T03:22:24Z"}