{"argument_date":"2009-10-07T00:00:00Z","arguments":[{"argument_date":"2009-10-07T00:00:00Z","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/2009/08-472.pdf","paragraphs":["General Kagan argued that the transfer divests the government of the property.","She stated that the Establishment Clause does not prohibit this sensible action.","She noted that the district court gave Congress two basic options.","She argued that the private group can remove the memorial if it chooses."],"reargument":false,"sequence":1,"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 25, lines 35-7","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2009/08-472.pdf","page_label":"file page 25, lines 35-7"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 17-43","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2009/08-472.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 17-43"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 45-51","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2009/08-472.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 45-51"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 7-15","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2009/08-472.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 7-15"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 27-35","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2009/08-472.pdf","page_label":"file page 4, lines 27-35"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 43-47","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2009/08-472.pdf","page_label":"file page 4, lines 43-47"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 13-17","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2009/08-472.pdf","page_label":"file page 5, lines 13-17"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 27-29","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2009/08-472.pdf","page_label":"file page 5, lines 27-29"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 33-35","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2009/08-472.pdf","page_label":"file page 5, lines 33-35"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 47-5","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2009/08-472.pdf","page_label":"file page 5, lines 47-5"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 57, lines 17-21","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2009/08-472.pdf","page_label":"file page 57, lines 17-21"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 57, lines 23-25","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2009/08-472.pdf","page_label":"file page 57, lines 23-25"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 57, lines 31-31","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2009/08-472.pdf","page_label":"file page 57, lines 31-31"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 58, lines 35-39","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2009/08-472.pdf","page_label":"file page 58, lines 35-39"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 41-11","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2009/08-472.pdf","page_label":"file page 6, lines 41-11"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 29-31","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2009/08-472.pdf","page_label":"file page 7, lines 29-31"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 37-43","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2009/08-472.pdf","page_label":"file page 7, lines 37-43"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 35-49","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2009/08-472.pdf","page_label":"file page 8, lines 35-49"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 7-11","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2009/08-472.pdf","page_label":"file page 8, lines 7-11"}]}],"caption":"Salazar v. Buono","case_history":[{"changed_at":"2026-08-29T20:06:26.198081Z","explanation":"An official oral-argument transcript was verified.","status":"argued"},{"changed_at":"2026-08-29T20:06:26.204399Z","explanation":"An official oral-argument transcript was verified.","status":"argued"}],"case_status":"argued","dek":"The dispute centers on whether transferring a cross from public to private land satisfies the Establishment Clause.","dek_sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 25, lines 35-7","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2009/08-472.pdf","page_label":"file page 25, lines 35-7"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 17-43","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2009/08-472.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 17-43"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 57, lines 17-21","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2009/08-472.pdf","page_label":"file page 57, lines 17-21"}],"dispositions":[],"latest_court_document_date":"2009-10-07T00:00:00Z","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/08-472.html","primary_docket":"08-472","revisions":[{"correction_note":"Rewritten to the concise citizen-facing editorial standard.","created_at":"2026-08-31T02:05:42.465282Z","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 involves a cross on public land. The government wants to transfer it to a private group. The challengers argue this transfer violates the Constitution."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 25, lines 35-7","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2009/08-472.pdf","page_label":"file page 25, lines 35-7"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 17-43","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2009/08-472.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 17-43"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 57, lines 17-21","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2009/08-472.pdf","page_label":"file page 57, lines 17-21"}]},{"heading":"How the case got here","paragraphs":["The Supreme Court heard oral argument in this case on October 7, 2009."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 7-15","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2009/08-472.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 7-15"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 58, lines 35-39","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2009/08-472.pdf","page_label":"file page 58, lines 35-39"}]},{"heading":"What each side wants","paragraphs":["The government wants to transfer the cross to a private group to end the legal dispute.","The challengers want the court to block the transfer and remove the cross from public view."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 25, lines 35-7","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2009/08-472.pdf","page_label":"file page 25, lines 35-7"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 17-43","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2009/08-472.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 17-43"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 57, lines 17-21","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2009/08-472.pdf","page_label":"file page 57, lines 17-21"}]},{"heading":"What each side says","paragraphs":["The government argues that transferring the property removes it from government endorsement.","The challengers argue that the transfer does not cure the original constitutional violation."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 25, lines 35-7","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2009/08-472.pdf","page_label":"file page 25, lines 35-7"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 17-43","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2009/08-472.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 17-43"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 57, lines 17-21","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2009/08-472.pdf","page_label":"file page 57, lines 17-21"}]},{"heading":"What the justices asked","paragraphs":["Justice Ginsburg asked if the government must approve the memorial to grant it national status.","Justice Scalia asked if the court of appeals prohibited the private group from substituting the memorial."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 45-51","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2009/08-472.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 45-51"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 27-35","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2009/08-472.pdf","page_label":"file page 4, lines 27-35"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 43-47","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2009/08-472.pdf","page_label":"file page 4, lines 43-47"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 13-17","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2009/08-472.pdf","page_label":"file page 5, lines 13-17"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 27-29","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2009/08-472.pdf","page_label":"file page 5, lines 27-29"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 33-35","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2009/08-472.pdf","page_label":"file page 5, lines 33-35"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 47-5","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2009/08-472.pdf","page_label":"file page 5, lines 47-5"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 57, lines 23-25","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2009/08-472.pdf","page_label":"file page 57, lines 23-25"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 57, lines 31-31","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2009/08-472.pdf","page_label":"file page 57, lines 31-31"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 58, lines 35-39","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2009/08-472.pdf","page_label":"file page 58, lines 35-39"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 41-11","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2009/08-472.pdf","page_label":"file page 6, lines 41-11"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 29-31","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2009/08-472.pdf","page_label":"file page 7, lines 29-31"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 37-43","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2009/08-472.pdf","page_label":"file page 7, lines 37-43"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 35-49","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2009/08-472.pdf","page_label":"file page 8, lines 35-49"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 7-11","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2009/08-472.pdf","page_label":"file page 8, lines 7-11"}]},{"heading":"Why it matters","paragraphs":["This case defines the limits of government action regarding religious symbols on public land. It determines how the state handles property disputes involving religious expression. The outcome shapes future interactions between government and religious groups."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 25, lines 35-7","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2009/08-472.pdf","page_label":"file page 25, lines 35-7"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 17-43","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2009/08-472.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 17-43"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 57, lines 17-21","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2009/08-472.pdf","page_label":"file page 57, lines 17-21"}]},{"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 45-51","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2009/08-472.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 45-51"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 7-15","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2009/08-472.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 7-15"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 27-35","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2009/08-472.pdf","page_label":"file page 4, lines 27-35"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 43-47","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2009/08-472.pdf","page_label":"file page 4, lines 43-47"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 13-17","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2009/08-472.pdf","page_label":"file page 5, lines 13-17"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 27-29","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2009/08-472.pdf","page_label":"file page 5, lines 27-29"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 33-35","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2009/08-472.pdf","page_label":"file page 5, lines 33-35"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 47-5","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2009/08-472.pdf","page_label":"file page 5, lines 47-5"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 57, lines 23-25","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2009/08-472.pdf","page_label":"file page 57, lines 23-25"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 57, lines 31-31","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2009/08-472.pdf","page_label":"file page 57, lines 31-31"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 58, lines 35-39","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2009/08-472.pdf","page_label":"file page 58, lines 35-39"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 41-11","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2009/08-472.pdf","page_label":"file page 6, lines 41-11"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 29-31","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2009/08-472.pdf","page_label":"file page 7, lines 29-31"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 37-43","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2009/08-472.pdf","page_label":"file page 7, lines 37-43"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 35-49","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2009/08-472.pdf","page_label":"file page 8, lines 35-49"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 7-11","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2009/08-472.pdf","page_label":"file page 8, lines 7-11"}]}],"slug":"2009-08-472-salazar-v-buono","term":"2009","title":"Can the government transfer a religious memorial to private land to avoid an Establishment Clause violation?","title_sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 25, lines 35-7","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2009/08-472.pdf","page_label":"file page 25, lines 35-7"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 17-43","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2009/08-472.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 17-43"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 57, lines 17-21","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2009/08-472.pdf","page_label":"file page 57, lines 17-21"}],"topics":[],"undated_disposition_date_fallback":null,"updated_at":"2026-09-05T03:22:24Z"}