{"argument_date":"2003-04-30T00:00:00Z","arguments":[{"argument_date":"2003-04-30T00:00:00Z","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/2002/02-371.pdf","paragraphs":["The city claims the ordinance targets criminal conduct, not speech.","Hicks claims the ordinance chills protected expression by requiring proof of purpose.","The city argues public housing residents need protection from drug markets.","Hicks argues the law restricts basic movement without clear justification."],"reargument":false,"sequence":1,"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 20, lines 15-21","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2002/02-371.pdf","page_label":"file page 20, lines 15-21"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 29, lines 33-9","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2002/02-371.pdf","page_label":"file page 29, lines 33-9"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 17-1","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2002/02-371.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 17-1"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 5-15","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2002/02-371.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 5-15"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 52, lines 15-33","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2002/02-371.pdf","page_label":"file page 52, lines 15-33"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 53, lines 37-39","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2002/02-371.pdf","page_label":"file page 53, lines 37-39"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 53, lines 41-41","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2002/02-371.pdf","page_label":"file page 53, lines 41-41"}]}],"caption":"Virginia v. Hicks","case_history":[{"changed_at":"2026-08-29T20:06:31.174787Z","explanation":"An official oral-argument transcript was verified.","status":"argued"},{"changed_at":"2026-08-29T20:06:31.180878Z","explanation":"An official oral-argument transcript was verified.","status":"argued"}],"case_status":"argued","dek":"Richmond banned loitering to stop drug sales. Hicks argues this law targets protected speech.","dek_sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 20, lines 15-21","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2002/02-371.pdf","page_label":"file page 20, lines 15-21"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 29, lines 33-9","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2002/02-371.pdf","page_label":"file page 29, lines 33-9"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 17-1","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2002/02-371.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 17-1"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 52, lines 15-33","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2002/02-371.pdf","page_label":"file page 52, lines 15-33"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 53, lines 41-41","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2002/02-371.pdf","page_label":"file page 53, lines 41-41"}],"dispositions":[],"latest_court_document_date":"2003-04-30T00:00:00Z","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/02-371.html","primary_docket":"02-371","revisions":[{"correction_note":"Rewritten to the concise citizen-facing editorial standard.","created_at":"2026-08-31T22:29:41.391490Z","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":["This case tests if a general anti-loitering law violates the First Amendment. The city claims the rule targets criminal conduct, not speech. Hicks claims the rule chills protected expression."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 20, lines 15-21","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2002/02-371.pdf","page_label":"file page 20, lines 15-21"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 29, lines 33-9","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2002/02-371.pdf","page_label":"file page 29, lines 33-9"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 17-1","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2002/02-371.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 17-1"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 52, lines 15-33","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2002/02-371.pdf","page_label":"file page 52, lines 15-33"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 53, lines 41-41","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2002/02-371.pdf","page_label":"file page 53, lines 41-41"}]},{"heading":"How the case got here","paragraphs":["The Supreme Court heard oral argument in this case on April 30, 2003."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 5-15","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2002/02-371.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 5-15"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 53, lines 37-39","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2002/02-371.pdf","page_label":"file page 53, lines 37-39"}]},{"heading":"What each side wants","paragraphs":["The city wants the court to uphold the loitering ban as a valid safety measure.","Hicks wants the court to strike down the ban as a violation of free speech."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 20, lines 15-21","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2002/02-371.pdf","page_label":"file page 20, lines 15-21"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 29, lines 33-9","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2002/02-371.pdf","page_label":"file page 29, lines 33-9"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 17-1","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2002/02-371.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 17-1"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 52, lines 15-33","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2002/02-371.pdf","page_label":"file page 52, lines 15-33"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 53, lines 41-41","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2002/02-371.pdf","page_label":"file page 53, lines 41-41"}]},{"heading":"What each side says","paragraphs":["The city argues the law targets conduct, not speech, so First Amendment rules do not apply.","Hicks argues the law is overbroad and chills protected expression by requiring proof of purpose."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 20, lines 15-21","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2002/02-371.pdf","page_label":"file page 20, lines 15-21"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 29, lines 33-9","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2002/02-371.pdf","page_label":"file page 29, lines 33-9"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 17-1","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2002/02-371.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 17-1"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 52, lines 15-33","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2002/02-371.pdf","page_label":"file page 52, lines 15-33"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 53, lines 41-41","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2002/02-371.pdf","page_label":"file page 53, lines 41-41"}]},{"heading":"What the justices asked","paragraphs":["Does a general law against loitering target speech or conduct?","Can a city require proof of purpose to walk on a sidewalk?"],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 53, lines 37-39","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2002/02-371.pdf","page_label":"file page 53, lines 37-39"}]},{"heading":"Why it matters","paragraphs":["This dispute defines the limits of city power to regulate public spaces. It affects how residents use sidewalks and streets. It balances public safety against individual freedom of movement."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 20, lines 15-21","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2002/02-371.pdf","page_label":"file page 20, lines 15-21"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 29, lines 33-9","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2002/02-371.pdf","page_label":"file page 29, lines 33-9"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 17-1","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2002/02-371.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 17-1"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 52, lines 15-33","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2002/02-371.pdf","page_label":"file page 52, lines 15-33"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 53, lines 41-41","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2002/02-371.pdf","page_label":"file page 53, lines 41-41"}]},{"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/2002/02-371.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 5-15"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 53, lines 37-39","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2002/02-371.pdf","page_label":"file page 53, lines 37-39"}]}],"slug":"2002-02-371-virginia-v-hicks","term":"2002","title":"Can a city ban loitering without violating free speech rights?","title_sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 20, lines 15-21","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2002/02-371.pdf","page_label":"file page 20, lines 15-21"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 29, lines 33-9","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2002/02-371.pdf","page_label":"file page 29, lines 33-9"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 17-1","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2002/02-371.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 17-1"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 52, lines 15-33","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2002/02-371.pdf","page_label":"file page 52, lines 15-33"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 53, lines 41-41","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2002/02-371.pdf","page_label":"file page 53, lines 41-41"}],"topics":[],"undated_disposition_date_fallback":null,"updated_at":"2026-09-05T03:22:24Z"}