{"argument_date":"2010-02-23T00:00:00Z","arguments":[{"argument_date":"2010-02-23T00:00:00Z","heading":"What happened at the argument","official_detail_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcript/2009","official_transcript_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2009/08-1498.pdf","paragraphs":["Cole framed the case as an as-applied challenge.","He asked if the government can criminalize their speech.","Kagan responded that the law targets material support.","Roberts questioned the scope of the government's power."],"reargument":false,"sequence":1,"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 31, lines 35-39","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2009/08-1498.pdf","page_label":"file page 31, lines 35-39"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 21-19","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2009/08-1498.pdf","page_label":"file page 4, lines 21-19"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 7-19","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2009/08-1498.pdf","page_label":"file page 4, lines 7-19"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 21-23","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2009/08-1498.pdf","page_label":"file page 5, lines 21-23"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 41-43","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2009/08-1498.pdf","page_label":"file page 5, lines 41-43"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 15-23","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2009/08-1498.pdf","page_label":"file page 6, lines 15-23"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 29-31","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2009/08-1498.pdf","page_label":"file page 6, lines 29-31"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 37-43","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2009/08-1498.pdf","page_label":"file page 6, lines 37-43"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 60, lines 3-43","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2009/08-1498.pdf","page_label":"file page 60, lines 3-43"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 60, lines 45-47","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2009/08-1498.pdf","page_label":"file page 60, lines 45-47"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 61, lines 15-19","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2009/08-1498.pdf","page_label":"file page 61, lines 15-19"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 61, lines 47-3","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2009/08-1498.pdf","page_label":"file page 61, lines 47-3"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 62, lines 49-7","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2009/08-1498.pdf","page_label":"file page 62, lines 49-7"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 63, lines 11-17","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2009/08-1498.pdf","page_label":"file page 63, lines 11-17"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 63, lines 27-31","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2009/08-1498.pdf","page_label":"file page 63, lines 27-31"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 21-27","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2009/08-1498.pdf","page_label":"file page 7, lines 21-27"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 3-3","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2009/08-1498.pdf","page_label":"file page 7, lines 3-3"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 37-39","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2009/08-1498.pdf","page_label":"file page 7, lines 37-39"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 41-43","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2009/08-1498.pdf","page_label":"file page 7, lines 41-43"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 33-37","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2009/08-1498.pdf","page_label":"file page 8, lines 33-37"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 5-5","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2009/08-1498.pdf","page_label":"file page 8, lines 5-5"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 9-29","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2009/08-1498.pdf","page_label":"file page 8, lines 9-29"}]}],"caption":"Holder v. Humanitarian Law Project","case_history":[{"changed_at":"2026-08-29T20:06:36.148230Z","explanation":"An official oral-argument transcript was verified.","status":"argued"},{"changed_at":"2026-08-29T20:06:36.151814Z","explanation":"An official oral-argument transcript was verified.","status":"argued"}],"case_status":"argued","dek":"Humanitarian groups argue the law bans protected speech. The government claims it prevents material support.","dek_sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 31, lines 35-39","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2009/08-1498.pdf","page_label":"file page 31, lines 35-39"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 21-19","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2009/08-1498.pdf","page_label":"file page 4, lines 21-19"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 60, lines 3-43","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2009/08-1498.pdf","page_label":"file page 60, lines 3-43"}],"dispositions":[],"latest_court_document_date":"2010-02-23T00:00:00Z","maturity":"official_transcript","official_detail_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcript/2009","official_disposition_urls":[],"official_docket_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/docket/docketfiles/html/public/08-1498.html","primary_docket":"08-1498","revisions":[{"correction_note":"Rewritten to the concise citizen-facing editorial standard.","created_at":"2026-08-31T01:30:11.699706Z","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 First Amendment limits on anti-terrorism statutes."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 31, lines 35-39","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2009/08-1498.pdf","page_label":"file page 31, lines 35-39"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 21-19","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2009/08-1498.pdf","page_label":"file page 4, lines 21-19"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 60, lines 3-43","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2009/08-1498.pdf","page_label":"file page 60, lines 3-43"}]},{"heading":"How the case got here","paragraphs":["The Supreme Court heard oral argument in this case on February 23, 2010."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 7-19","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2009/08-1498.pdf","page_label":"file page 4, lines 7-19"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 60, lines 45-47","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2009/08-1498.pdf","page_label":"file page 60, lines 45-47"}]},{"heading":"What each side wants","paragraphs":["Humanitarian groups want the law struck down as applied to them.","The government wants the law upheld to ban all support."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 31, lines 35-39","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2009/08-1498.pdf","page_label":"file page 31, lines 35-39"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 21-19","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2009/08-1498.pdf","page_label":"file page 4, lines 21-19"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 60, lines 3-43","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2009/08-1498.pdf","page_label":"file page 60, lines 3-43"}]},{"heading":"What each side says","paragraphs":["Cole argues the law criminalizes protected political speech.","Kagan argues the law prevents material support to terrorists."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 31, lines 35-39","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2009/08-1498.pdf","page_label":"file page 31, lines 35-39"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 21-19","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2009/08-1498.pdf","page_label":"file page 4, lines 21-19"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 60, lines 3-43","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2009/08-1498.pdf","page_label":"file page 60, lines 3-43"}]},{"heading":"What the justices asked","paragraphs":["Stevens asked if all speech at issue is protected.","Roberts asked about speech regarding a group's mere existence."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 21-23","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2009/08-1498.pdf","page_label":"file page 5, lines 21-23"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 41-43","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2009/08-1498.pdf","page_label":"file page 5, lines 41-43"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 15-23","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2009/08-1498.pdf","page_label":"file page 6, lines 15-23"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 29-31","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2009/08-1498.pdf","page_label":"file page 6, lines 29-31"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 37-43","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2009/08-1498.pdf","page_label":"file page 6, lines 37-43"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 60, lines 45-47","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2009/08-1498.pdf","page_label":"file page 60, lines 45-47"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 61, lines 15-19","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2009/08-1498.pdf","page_label":"file page 61, lines 15-19"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 61, lines 47-3","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2009/08-1498.pdf","page_label":"file page 61, lines 47-3"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 62, lines 49-7","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2009/08-1498.pdf","page_label":"file page 62, lines 49-7"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 63, lines 11-17","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2009/08-1498.pdf","page_label":"file page 63, lines 11-17"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 63, lines 27-31","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2009/08-1498.pdf","page_label":"file page 63, lines 27-31"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 21-27","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2009/08-1498.pdf","page_label":"file page 7, lines 21-27"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 3-3","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2009/08-1498.pdf","page_label":"file page 7, lines 3-3"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 37-39","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2009/08-1498.pdf","page_label":"file page 7, lines 37-39"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 41-43","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2009/08-1498.pdf","page_label":"file page 7, lines 41-43"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 33-37","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2009/08-1498.pdf","page_label":"file page 8, lines 33-37"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 5-5","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2009/08-1498.pdf","page_label":"file page 8, lines 5-5"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 9-29","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2009/08-1498.pdf","page_label":"file page 8, lines 9-29"}]},{"heading":"Why it matters","paragraphs":["The outcome defines the boundary between free speech and national security."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 31, lines 35-39","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2009/08-1498.pdf","page_label":"file page 31, lines 35-39"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 21-19","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2009/08-1498.pdf","page_label":"file page 4, lines 21-19"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 60, lines 3-43","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2009/08-1498.pdf","page_label":"file page 60, lines 3-43"}]},{"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 4, lines 7-19","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2009/08-1498.pdf","page_label":"file page 4, lines 7-19"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 21-23","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2009/08-1498.pdf","page_label":"file page 5, lines 21-23"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 41-43","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2009/08-1498.pdf","page_label":"file page 5, lines 41-43"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 15-23","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2009/08-1498.pdf","page_label":"file page 6, lines 15-23"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 29-31","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2009/08-1498.pdf","page_label":"file page 6, lines 29-31"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 37-43","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2009/08-1498.pdf","page_label":"file page 6, lines 37-43"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 60, lines 45-47","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2009/08-1498.pdf","page_label":"file page 60, lines 45-47"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 61, lines 15-19","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2009/08-1498.pdf","page_label":"file page 61, lines 15-19"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 61, lines 47-3","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2009/08-1498.pdf","page_label":"file page 61, lines 47-3"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 62, lines 49-7","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2009/08-1498.pdf","page_label":"file page 62, lines 49-7"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 63, lines 11-17","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2009/08-1498.pdf","page_label":"file page 63, lines 11-17"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 63, lines 27-31","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2009/08-1498.pdf","page_label":"file page 63, lines 27-31"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 21-27","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2009/08-1498.pdf","page_label":"file page 7, lines 21-27"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 3-3","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2009/08-1498.pdf","page_label":"file page 7, lines 3-3"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 37-39","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2009/08-1498.pdf","page_label":"file page 7, lines 37-39"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 41-43","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2009/08-1498.pdf","page_label":"file page 7, lines 41-43"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 33-37","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2009/08-1498.pdf","page_label":"file page 8, lines 33-37"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 5-5","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2009/08-1498.pdf","page_label":"file page 8, lines 5-5"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 9-29","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2009/08-1498.pdf","page_label":"file page 8, lines 9-29"}]}],"slug":"2009-08-1498-holder-v-humanitarian-law-project","term":"2009","title":"Can the government criminalize speech to designated terrorist groups?","title_sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 31, lines 35-39","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2009/08-1498.pdf","page_label":"file page 31, lines 35-39"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 21-19","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2009/08-1498.pdf","page_label":"file page 4, lines 21-19"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 60, lines 3-43","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2009/08-1498.pdf","page_label":"file page 60, lines 3-43"}],"topics":[],"undated_disposition_date_fallback":null,"updated_at":"2026-09-05T03:22:24Z"}