{"argument_date":"2003-03-05T00:00:00Z","arguments":[{"argument_date":"2003-03-05T00:00:00Z","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/2002/02-361.pdf","paragraphs":["Mr. Smith argued the law is unconstitutional for two separate reasons.","He stated the act requires libraries to engage in presumptively unconstitutional conduct.","Mr. Olson argued blocking pornography is similar to excluding books from shelves.","He claimed offering internet access without pornography expands freedom of speech."],"reargument":false,"sequence":1,"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 25, lines 31-1","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2002/02-361.pdf","page_label":"file page 25, lines 31-1"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 17-9","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2002/02-361.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 17-9"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 5-15","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2002/02-361.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 5-15"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 52, lines 15-37","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2002/02-361.pdf","page_label":"file page 52, lines 15-37"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 56, lines 11-31","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2002/02-361.pdf","page_label":"file page 56, lines 11-31"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 59, lines 45-45","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2002/02-361.pdf","page_label":"file page 59, lines 45-45"}]}],"caption":"United States v. American Library Assn., Inc.","case_history":[{"changed_at":"2026-08-29T20:06:31.388867Z","explanation":"An official oral-argument transcript was verified.","status":"argued"},{"changed_at":"2026-08-29T20:06:31.410919Z","explanation":"An official oral-argument transcript was verified.","status":"argued"}],"case_status":"argued","dek":"Libraries argue blocking porn protects speech. The government argues blocking prevents harm.","dek_sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 25, lines 31-1","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2002/02-361.pdf","page_label":"file page 25, lines 31-1"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 17-9","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2002/02-361.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 17-9"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 52, lines 15-37","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2002/02-361.pdf","page_label":"file page 52, lines 15-37"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 56, lines 11-31","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2002/02-361.pdf","page_label":"file page 56, lines 11-31"}],"dispositions":[],"latest_court_document_date":"2003-03-05T00:00:00Z","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/02-361.html","primary_docket":"02-361","revisions":[{"correction_note":"Rewritten to the concise citizen-facing editorial standard.","created_at":"2026-08-31T22:31:35.224926Z","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 Children's Internet Protection Act ties federal funds to internet filters. Libraries say this forces unconstitutional conduct. The government says filters expand free speech."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 25, lines 31-1","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2002/02-361.pdf","page_label":"file page 25, lines 31-1"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 17-9","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2002/02-361.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 17-9"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 52, lines 15-37","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2002/02-361.pdf","page_label":"file page 52, lines 15-37"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 56, lines 11-31","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2002/02-361.pdf","page_label":"file page 56, lines 11-31"}]},{"heading":"How the case got here","paragraphs":["The Supreme Court heard oral argument in this case on March 5, 2003."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 5-15","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2002/02-361.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 5-15"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 59, lines 45-45","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2002/02-361.pdf","page_label":"file page 59, lines 45-45"}]},{"heading":"What each side wants","paragraphs":["Libraries want the law struck down as unconstitutional.","The government wants the law upheld to protect children."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 25, lines 31-1","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2002/02-361.pdf","page_label":"file page 25, lines 31-1"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 17-9","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2002/02-361.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 17-9"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 52, lines 15-37","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2002/02-361.pdf","page_label":"file page 52, lines 15-37"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 56, lines 11-31","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2002/02-361.pdf","page_label":"file page 56, lines 11-31"}]},{"heading":"What each side says","paragraphs":["Libraries argue the law forces them to engage in presumptively unconstitutional conduct.","The government argues blocking porn expands freedom of speech rather than abridging it."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 25, lines 31-1","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2002/02-361.pdf","page_label":"file page 25, lines 31-1"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 17-9","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2002/02-361.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 17-9"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 52, lines 15-37","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2002/02-361.pdf","page_label":"file page 52, lines 15-37"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 56, lines 11-31","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2002/02-361.pdf","page_label":"file page 56, lines 11-31"}]},{"heading":"What the justices asked","paragraphs":["Chief Justice Rehnquist asked if the case was submitted."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 59, lines 45-45","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2002/02-361.pdf","page_label":"file page 59, lines 45-45"}]},{"heading":"Why it matters","paragraphs":["This case determines whether public libraries must filter internet content to receive federal money. It defines the balance between child safety and free speech in public spaces."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 25, lines 31-1","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2002/02-361.pdf","page_label":"file page 25, lines 31-1"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 17-9","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2002/02-361.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 17-9"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 52, lines 15-37","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2002/02-361.pdf","page_label":"file page 52, lines 15-37"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 56, lines 11-31","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2002/02-361.pdf","page_label":"file page 56, lines 11-31"}]},{"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/2002/02-361.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 5-15"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 59, lines 45-45","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2002/02-361.pdf","page_label":"file page 59, lines 45-45"}]}],"slug":"2002-02-361-united-states-v-american-library-assn-inc","term":"2002","title":"Does federal funding require libraries to block online pornography?","title_sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 25, lines 31-1","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2002/02-361.pdf","page_label":"file page 25, lines 31-1"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 17-9","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2002/02-361.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 17-9"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 52, lines 15-37","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2002/02-361.pdf","page_label":"file page 52, lines 15-37"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 56, lines 11-31","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2002/02-361.pdf","page_label":"file page 56, lines 11-31"}],"topics":[],"undated_disposition_date_fallback":null,"updated_at":"2026-09-05T03:22:24Z"}