{"argument_date":"2004-03-02T00:00:00Z","arguments":[{"argument_date":"2004-03-02T00:00:00Z","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/2003/03-218.pdf","paragraphs":["Ms. Beeson argued the law violates the First Amendment.","She claimed the statute suppresses protected speech between adults.","She stated the government has less restrictive tools available.","General Olson argued the law addresses a compelling problem. He described online pornography as causing substantial damage to children."],"reargument":false,"sequence":1,"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 23, lines 20-16","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2003/03-218.pdf","page_label":"file page 23, lines 20-16"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 10-5","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2003/03-218.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 10-5"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 3-9","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2003/03-218.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 3-9"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 50, lines 14-17","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2003/03-218.pdf","page_label":"file page 50, lines 14-17"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 53, lines 18-19","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2003/03-218.pdf","page_label":"file page 53, lines 18-19"}]}],"caption":"Ashcroft v. American Civil Liberties Union","case_history":[{"changed_at":"2026-08-29T20:06:30.484147Z","explanation":"An official oral-argument transcript was verified.","status":"argued"},{"changed_at":"2026-08-29T20:06:30.509130Z","explanation":"An official oral-argument transcript was verified.","status":"argued"}],"case_status":"argued","dek":"The ACLU argues the law bans protected adult speech. The government claims it protects children from online pornography.","dek_sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 23, lines 20-16","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2003/03-218.pdf","page_label":"file page 23, lines 20-16"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 10-5","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2003/03-218.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 10-5"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 50, lines 14-17","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2003/03-218.pdf","page_label":"file page 50, lines 14-17"}],"dispositions":[],"latest_court_document_date":"2004-03-02T00:00:00Z","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/03-218.html","primary_docket":"03-218","revisions":[{"correction_note":"Rewritten to the concise citizen-facing editorial standard.","created_at":"2026-08-31T15:52:35.699275Z","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 dispute centers on the constitutionality of the Child Online Protection Act. The ACLU contends the statute suppresses protected speech. The government asserts the law addresses a compelling harm to minors."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 23, lines 20-16","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2003/03-218.pdf","page_label":"file page 23, lines 20-16"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 10-5","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2003/03-218.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 10-5"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 50, lines 14-17","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2003/03-218.pdf","page_label":"file page 50, lines 14-17"}]},{"heading":"How the case got here","paragraphs":["The Supreme Court heard oral argument in this case on March 2, 2004."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 3-9","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2003/03-218.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 3-9"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 53, lines 18-19","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2003/03-218.pdf","page_label":"file page 53, lines 18-19"}]},{"heading":"What each side wants","paragraphs":["The ACLU wants the Court to strike down the statute.","The government wants the Court to uphold the statute."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 23, lines 20-16","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2003/03-218.pdf","page_label":"file page 23, lines 20-16"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 10-5","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2003/03-218.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 10-5"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 50, lines 14-17","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2003/03-218.pdf","page_label":"file page 50, lines 14-17"}]},{"heading":"What each side says","paragraphs":["The ACLU argues the law suppresses protected adult speech.","The government argues the law protects children from harmful content."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 23, lines 20-16","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2003/03-218.pdf","page_label":"file page 23, lines 20-16"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 10-5","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2003/03-218.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 10-5"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 50, lines 14-17","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2003/03-218.pdf","page_label":"file page 50, lines 14-17"}]},{"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 53, lines 18-19","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2003/03-218.pdf","page_label":"file page 53, lines 18-19"}]},{"heading":"Why it matters","paragraphs":["The outcome determines whether adults can access certain online content. It defines the government's power to regulate commercial speech. It balances child safety against free expression rights."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 23, lines 20-16","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2003/03-218.pdf","page_label":"file page 23, lines 20-16"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 10-5","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2003/03-218.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 10-5"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 50, lines 14-17","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2003/03-218.pdf","page_label":"file page 50, lines 14-17"}]},{"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 3-9","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2003/03-218.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 3-9"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 53, lines 18-19","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2003/03-218.pdf","page_label":"file page 53, lines 18-19"}]}],"slug":"2003-03-218-ashcroft-v-american-civil-liberties-union","term":"2003","title":"Does the Child Online Protection Act violate the First Amendment?","title_sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 23, lines 20-16","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2003/03-218.pdf","page_label":"file page 23, lines 20-16"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 10-5","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2003/03-218.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 10-5"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 50, lines 14-17","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2003/03-218.pdf","page_label":"file page 50, lines 14-17"}],"topics":[],"undated_disposition_date_fallback":null,"updated_at":"2026-09-05T03:22:24Z"}