{"argument_date":"2002-10-09T00:00:00Z","arguments":[{"argument_date":"2002-10-09T00:00:00Z","heading":"What happened at the argument","official_detail_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcript/2002","official_transcript_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2002/01-618.pdf","paragraphs":["Lawrence Lessig argued the extension exceeds congressional power. He cited First Amendment violations.","Theodore Olson argued the first Congress protected existing copyrights. He cited historical precedent for the extension.","Chief Justice Rehnquist introduced the case. He noted the how the case got here of the dispute."],"reargument":false,"sequence":1,"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 1, lines 13-3","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2002/01-618.pdf","page_label":"file page 1, lines 13-3"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 25, lines 17-25","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2002/01-618.pdf","page_label":"file page 25, lines 17-25"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 15-15","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2002/01-618.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 15-15"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 5-13","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2002/01-618.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 5-13"}]}],"caption":"Eldred v. Ashcroft","case_history":[{"changed_at":"2026-08-29T20:06:36.557061Z","explanation":"An official oral-argument transcript was verified.","status":"argued"}],"case_status":"argued","dek":"the sides that brought the case challenge the 1998 Copyright Term Extension Act. They argue it exceeds congressional power. the opposing sides defend the statute's validity.","dek_sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 1, lines 13-3","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2002/01-618.pdf","page_label":"file page 1, lines 13-3"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 25, lines 17-25","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2002/01-618.pdf","page_label":"file page 25, lines 17-25"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 15-15","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2002/01-618.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 15-15"}],"dispositions":[],"latest_court_document_date":"2002-10-09T00:00:00Z","maturity":"official_transcript","official_detail_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcript/2002","official_disposition_urls":[],"official_docket_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/docket/docketfiles/html/public/01-618.html","primary_docket":"01-618","revisions":[{"correction_note":"Rewritten to the concise citizen-facing editorial standard.","created_at":"2026-08-31T16:48:38.818084Z","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 case tests the limits of copyright law. It asks if Congress can extend terms for existing works. The outcome affects public access to creative material."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 1, lines 13-3","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2002/01-618.pdf","page_label":"file page 1, lines 13-3"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 25, lines 17-25","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2002/01-618.pdf","page_label":"file page 25, lines 17-25"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 15-15","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2002/01-618.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 15-15"}]},{"heading":"How the case got here","paragraphs":["The Supreme Court heard oral argument in this case on October 9, 2002."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 5-13","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2002/01-618.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 5-13"}]},{"heading":"What each side wants","paragraphs":["the sides that brought the case want the court to strike down the 1998 Act. They seek to restore public domain access to older works.","the opposing sides want the court to uphold the 1998 Act. They seek to maintain extended copyright protection for existing works."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 1, lines 13-3","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2002/01-618.pdf","page_label":"file page 1, lines 13-3"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 25, lines 17-25","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2002/01-618.pdf","page_label":"file page 25, lines 17-25"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 15-15","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2002/01-618.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 15-15"}]},{"heading":"What each side says","paragraphs":["the sides that brought the case argue the extension exceeds congressional power. They claim it violates the First Amendment.","the opposing sides argue the first Congress protected existing copyrights. They claim this history supports the current extension."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 1, lines 13-3","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2002/01-618.pdf","page_label":"file page 1, lines 13-3"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 25, lines 17-25","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2002/01-618.pdf","page_label":"file page 25, lines 17-25"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 15-15","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2002/01-618.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 15-15"}]},{"heading":"What the justices asked","paragraphs":["Does the Copyright Clause allow extending terms for existing works?","Does the First Amendment limit copyright term extensions?"],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 1, lines 13-3","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2002/01-618.pdf","page_label":"file page 1, lines 13-3"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 25, lines 17-25","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2002/01-618.pdf","page_label":"file page 25, lines 17-25"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 15-15","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2002/01-618.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 15-15"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 5-13","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2002/01-618.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 5-13"}]},{"heading":"Why it matters","paragraphs":["This case defines the boundary of copyright protection. It determines how long works remain private. It shapes public access to cultural material."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 1, lines 13-3","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2002/01-618.pdf","page_label":"file page 1, lines 13-3"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 25, lines 17-25","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2002/01-618.pdf","page_label":"file page 25, lines 17-25"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 15-15","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2002/01-618.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 15-15"}]},{"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 1, lines 13-3","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2002/01-618.pdf","page_label":"file page 1, lines 13-3"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 25, lines 17-25","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2002/01-618.pdf","page_label":"file page 25, lines 17-25"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 15-15","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2002/01-618.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 15-15"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 5-13","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2002/01-618.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 5-13"}]}],"slug":"2002-01-618-eldred-v-ashcroft","term":"2002","title":"Can Congress extend copyright terms for existing works?","title_sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 1, lines 13-3","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2002/01-618.pdf","page_label":"file page 1, lines 13-3"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 25, lines 17-25","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2002/01-618.pdf","page_label":"file page 25, lines 17-25"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 15-15","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2002/01-618.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 15-15"}],"topics":[],"undated_disposition_date_fallback":null,"updated_at":"2026-09-05T03:22:24Z"}