{"argument_date":"2004-03-24T00:00:00Z","arguments":[{"argument_date":"2004-03-24T00:00:00Z","heading":"What happened at the argument","official_detail_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcript/2003","official_transcript_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2003/02-1624.pdf","paragraphs":["Mr. Cassidy argued the Pledge does not violate the Establishment Clause. He stated the Ninth Circuit decision was incorrect. He claimed acknowledging religion's role is not an endorsement.","Mr. Olson argued the father lacks the right to sue. He stated the father has no independent legal right. He claimed the father cannot challenge his daughter's education conditions.","Mr. Newdow argued the Pledge violates the Constitution. He stated his daughter is required to stand and recite it. He maintained the school's policy is unconstitutional."],"reargument":false,"sequence":1,"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 11, lines 41-23","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2003/02-1624.pdf","page_label":"file page 11, lines 41-23"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 23, lines 49-5","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2003/02-1624.pdf","page_label":"file page 23, lines 49-5"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 17-11","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2003/02-1624.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 17-11"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 5-15","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2003/02-1624.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 5-15"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 49, lines 39-3","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2003/02-1624.pdf","page_label":"file page 49, lines 39-3"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 52, lines 29-37","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2003/02-1624.pdf","page_label":"file page 52, lines 29-37"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 55, lines 41-43","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2003/02-1624.pdf","page_label":"file page 55, lines 41-43"}]}],"caption":"Elk Grove Unified School Dist. v. Newdow","case_history":[{"changed_at":"2026-08-29T20:06:30.299889Z","explanation":"An official oral-argument transcript was verified.","status":"argued"},{"changed_at":"2026-08-29T20:06:30.304597Z","explanation":"An official oral-argument transcript was verified.","status":"argued"}],"case_status":"argued","dek":"A father challenged his daughter's school district. He argued the daily Pledge of Allegiance violates the Constitution.","dek_sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 11, lines 41-23","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2003/02-1624.pdf","page_label":"file page 11, lines 41-23"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 23, lines 49-5","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2003/02-1624.pdf","page_label":"file page 23, lines 49-5"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 17-11","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2003/02-1624.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 17-11"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 49, lines 39-3","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2003/02-1624.pdf","page_label":"file page 49, lines 39-3"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 52, lines 29-37","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2003/02-1624.pdf","page_label":"file page 52, lines 29-37"}],"dispositions":[],"latest_court_document_date":"2004-03-24T00:00:00Z","maturity":"official_transcript","official_detail_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcript/2003","official_disposition_urls":[],"official_docket_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/docket/docketfiles/html/public/02-1624.html","primary_docket":"02-1624","revisions":[{"correction_note":"Rewritten to the concise citizen-facing editorial standard.","created_at":"2026-08-31T22:20:44.244533Z","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 centers on a father's legal standing. He sued the school district that enrolled his daughter. The district argued he lacked the right to sue on her behalf."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 11, lines 41-23","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2003/02-1624.pdf","page_label":"file page 11, lines 41-23"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 23, lines 49-5","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2003/02-1624.pdf","page_label":"file page 23, lines 49-5"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 17-11","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2003/02-1624.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 17-11"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 49, lines 39-3","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2003/02-1624.pdf","page_label":"file page 49, lines 39-3"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 52, lines 29-37","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2003/02-1624.pdf","page_label":"file page 52, lines 29-37"}]},{"heading":"How the case got here","paragraphs":["The Supreme Court heard oral argument in this case on March 24, 2004."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 5-15","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2003/02-1624.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 5-15"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 55, lines 41-43","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2003/02-1624.pdf","page_label":"file page 55, lines 41-43"}]},{"heading":"What each side wants","paragraphs":["The school district wants the Supreme Court to dismiss the case. It argues the father lacks the legal right to sue for his daughter.","The father wants the Supreme Court to keep the lower court's ruling. He argues the Pledge of Allegiance violates the Establishment Clause."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 11, lines 41-23","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2003/02-1624.pdf","page_label":"file page 11, lines 41-23"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 23, lines 49-5","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2003/02-1624.pdf","page_label":"file page 23, lines 49-5"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 17-11","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2003/02-1624.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 17-11"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 49, lines 39-3","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2003/02-1624.pdf","page_label":"file page 49, lines 39-3"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 52, lines 29-37","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2003/02-1624.pdf","page_label":"file page 52, lines 29-37"}]},{"heading":"What each side says","paragraphs":["The school district argues the father has no independent legal right. He cannot challenge his daughter's education conditions in federal court.","The father argues the daily recitation of the Pledge violates the Establishment Clause. He claims the school endorses religion through this practice."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 11, lines 41-23","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2003/02-1624.pdf","page_label":"file page 11, lines 41-23"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 23, lines 49-5","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2003/02-1624.pdf","page_label":"file page 23, lines 49-5"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 17-11","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2003/02-1624.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 17-11"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 49, lines 39-3","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2003/02-1624.pdf","page_label":"file page 49, lines 39-3"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 52, lines 29-37","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2003/02-1624.pdf","page_label":"file page 52, lines 29-37"}]},{"heading":"What the justices asked","paragraphs":["Chief Justice Rehnquist asked the advocates to proceed with their arguments. He then closed the session by stating the case was submitted."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 55, lines 41-43","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2003/02-1624.pdf","page_label":"file page 55, lines 41-43"}]},{"heading":"Why it matters","paragraphs":["This case defines who can challenge school policies. It clarifies the legal standing of parents in federal courts. The outcome shapes the scope of parental rights in education disputes."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 11, lines 41-23","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2003/02-1624.pdf","page_label":"file page 11, lines 41-23"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 23, lines 49-5","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2003/02-1624.pdf","page_label":"file page 23, lines 49-5"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 17-11","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2003/02-1624.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 17-11"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 49, lines 39-3","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2003/02-1624.pdf","page_label":"file page 49, lines 39-3"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 52, lines 29-37","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2003/02-1624.pdf","page_label":"file page 52, lines 29-37"}]},{"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/2003/02-1624.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 5-15"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 55, lines 41-43","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2003/02-1624.pdf","page_label":"file page 55, lines 41-43"}]}],"slug":"2003-02-1624-elk-grove-unified-school-dist-v-newdow","term":"2003","title":"Can a parent sue a school district over the Pledge of Allegiance?","title_sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 11, lines 41-23","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2003/02-1624.pdf","page_label":"file page 11, lines 41-23"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 23, lines 49-5","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2003/02-1624.pdf","page_label":"file page 23, lines 49-5"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 17-11","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2003/02-1624.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 17-11"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 49, lines 39-3","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2003/02-1624.pdf","page_label":"file page 49, lines 39-3"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 52, lines 29-37","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2003/02-1624.pdf","page_label":"file page 52, lines 29-37"}],"topics":[],"undated_disposition_date_fallback":null,"updated_at":"2026-09-05T03:22:24Z"}