{"argument_date":"2009-10-06T00:00:00Z","arguments":[{"argument_date":"2009-10-06T00:00:00Z","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/2009/08-769.pdf","paragraphs":["The defendant argued the Third Circuit erred. It claimed the court ignored overbreadth analysis.","The government argued the law targets conduct. It claimed the statute is narrowly tailored.","Chief Justice Roberts noted the law requires content review. He questioned the government's claim of content neutrality."],"reargument":false,"sequence":1,"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 10, lines 33-15","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2009/08-769.pdf","page_label":"file page 10, lines 33-15"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 12, lines 15-15","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2009/08-769.pdf","page_label":"file page 12, lines 15-15"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 27, lines 21-39","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2009/08-769.pdf","page_label":"file page 27, lines 21-39"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 17-5","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2009/08-769.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 17-5"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 7-15","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2009/08-769.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 7-15"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 27-37","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2009/08-769.pdf","page_label":"file page 4, lines 27-37"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 7-9","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2009/08-769.pdf","page_label":"file page 4, lines 7-9"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 17-21","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2009/08-769.pdf","page_label":"file page 5, lines 17-21"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 58, lines 25-25","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2009/08-769.pdf","page_label":"file page 58, lines 25-25"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 58, lines 31-5","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2009/08-769.pdf","page_label":"file page 58, lines 31-5"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 59, lines 29-33","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2009/08-769.pdf","page_label":"file page 59, lines 29-33"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 59, lines 43-47","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2009/08-769.pdf","page_label":"file page 59, lines 43-47"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 59, lines 7-19","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2009/08-769.pdf","page_label":"file page 59, lines 7-19"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 29-31","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2009/08-769.pdf","page_label":"file page 6, lines 29-31"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 7-13","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2009/08-769.pdf","page_label":"file page 6, lines 7-13"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 60, lines 11-15","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2009/08-769.pdf","page_label":"file page 60, lines 11-15"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 60, lines 31-35","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2009/08-769.pdf","page_label":"file page 60, lines 31-35"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 33-43","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2009/08-769.pdf","page_label":"file page 7, lines 33-43"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 37-51","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2009/08-769.pdf","page_label":"file page 8, lines 37-51"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 7-19","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2009/08-769.pdf","page_label":"file page 8, lines 7-19"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 11-31","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2009/08-769.pdf","page_label":"file page 9, lines 11-31"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 39-45","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2009/08-769.pdf","page_label":"file page 9, lines 39-45"}]}],"caption":"United States v. Stevens","case_history":[{"changed_at":"2026-08-29T20:06:26.171839Z","explanation":"An official oral-argument transcript was verified.","status":"argued"},{"changed_at":"2026-08-29T20:06:26.182381Z","explanation":"An official oral-argument transcript was verified.","status":"argued"}],"case_status":"argued","dek":"The government argues the law targets harmful conduct. The defendant argues it bans protected speech.","dek_sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 27, lines 21-39","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2009/08-769.pdf","page_label":"file page 27, lines 21-39"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 17-5","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2009/08-769.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 17-5"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 58, lines 25-25","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2009/08-769.pdf","page_label":"file page 58, lines 25-25"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 58, lines 31-5","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2009/08-769.pdf","page_label":"file page 58, lines 31-5"}],"dispositions":[],"latest_court_document_date":"2009-10-06T00:00:00Z","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/08-769.html","primary_docket":"08-769","revisions":[{"correction_note":"Rewritten to the concise citizen-facing editorial standard.","created_at":"2026-08-31T02:07:34.709385Z","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 a federal statute. It bans selling depictions of animal cruelty. The defendant claims this violates free speech rights. The government claims the law targets illegal acts."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 27, lines 21-39","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2009/08-769.pdf","page_label":"file page 27, lines 21-39"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 17-5","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2009/08-769.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 17-5"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 58, lines 25-25","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2009/08-769.pdf","page_label":"file page 58, lines 25-25"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 58, lines 31-5","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2009/08-769.pdf","page_label":"file page 58, lines 31-5"}]},{"heading":"How the case got here","paragraphs":["The Supreme Court heard oral argument in this case on October 6, 2009."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 7-15","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2009/08-769.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 7-15"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 60, lines 11-15","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2009/08-769.pdf","page_label":"file page 60, lines 11-15"}]},{"heading":"What each side wants","paragraphs":["The government wants the law upheld. It seeks to ban the sale of these videos.","The defendant wants the law struck down. It seeks to protect its right to sell the videos."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 27, lines 21-39","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2009/08-769.pdf","page_label":"file page 27, lines 21-39"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 17-5","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2009/08-769.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 17-5"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 58, lines 25-25","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2009/08-769.pdf","page_label":"file page 58, lines 25-25"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 58, lines 31-5","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2009/08-769.pdf","page_label":"file page 58, lines 31-5"}]},{"heading":"What each side says","paragraphs":["The government argues the law targets the act of cruelty. It claims the statute does not target the message.","The defendant argues the law targets the content of speech. It claims the statute is unconstitutionally broad."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 27, lines 21-39","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2009/08-769.pdf","page_label":"file page 27, lines 21-39"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 17-5","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2009/08-769.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 17-5"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 58, lines 25-25","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2009/08-769.pdf","page_label":"file page 58, lines 25-25"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 58, lines 31-5","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2009/08-769.pdf","page_label":"file page 58, lines 31-5"}]},{"heading":"What the justices asked","paragraphs":["Justice Scalia asked if the law targets communication. He questioned separating means from ends.","Chief Justice Roberts asked how to distinguish political videos. He cited animal rights groups using similar depictions."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 10, lines 33-15","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2009/08-769.pdf","page_label":"file page 10, lines 33-15"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 12, lines 15-15","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2009/08-769.pdf","page_label":"file page 12, lines 15-15"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 27-37","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2009/08-769.pdf","page_label":"file page 4, lines 27-37"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 7-9","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2009/08-769.pdf","page_label":"file page 4, lines 7-9"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 17-21","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2009/08-769.pdf","page_label":"file page 5, lines 17-21"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 59, lines 29-33","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2009/08-769.pdf","page_label":"file page 59, lines 29-33"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 59, lines 43-47","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2009/08-769.pdf","page_label":"file page 59, lines 43-47"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 59, lines 7-19","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2009/08-769.pdf","page_label":"file page 59, lines 7-19"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 29-31","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2009/08-769.pdf","page_label":"file page 6, lines 29-31"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 7-13","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2009/08-769.pdf","page_label":"file page 6, lines 7-13"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 60, lines 11-15","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2009/08-769.pdf","page_label":"file page 60, lines 11-15"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 60, lines 31-35","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2009/08-769.pdf","page_label":"file page 60, lines 31-35"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 33-43","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2009/08-769.pdf","page_label":"file page 7, lines 33-43"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 37-51","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2009/08-769.pdf","page_label":"file page 8, lines 37-51"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 7-19","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2009/08-769.pdf","page_label":"file page 8, lines 7-19"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 11-31","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2009/08-769.pdf","page_label":"file page 9, lines 11-31"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 39-45","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2009/08-769.pdf","page_label":"file page 9, lines 39-45"}]},{"heading":"Why it matters","paragraphs":["This case defines the limits of federal power. It determines whether Congress can ban specific types of speech. The outcome affects how courts treat depictions of illegal acts."],"sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 27, lines 21-39","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2009/08-769.pdf","page_label":"file page 27, lines 21-39"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 17-5","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2009/08-769.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 17-5"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 58, lines 25-25","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2009/08-769.pdf","page_label":"file page 58, lines 25-25"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 58, lines 31-5","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2009/08-769.pdf","page_label":"file page 58, lines 31-5"}]},{"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 10, lines 33-15","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2009/08-769.pdf","page_label":"file page 10, lines 33-15"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 12, lines 15-15","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2009/08-769.pdf","page_label":"file page 12, lines 15-15"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 7-15","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2009/08-769.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 7-15"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 27-37","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2009/08-769.pdf","page_label":"file page 4, lines 27-37"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 7-9","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2009/08-769.pdf","page_label":"file page 4, lines 7-9"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 17-21","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2009/08-769.pdf","page_label":"file page 5, lines 17-21"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 59, lines 29-33","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2009/08-769.pdf","page_label":"file page 59, lines 29-33"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 59, lines 43-47","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2009/08-769.pdf","page_label":"file page 59, lines 43-47"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 59, lines 7-19","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2009/08-769.pdf","page_label":"file page 59, lines 7-19"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 29-31","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2009/08-769.pdf","page_label":"file page 6, lines 29-31"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 7-13","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2009/08-769.pdf","page_label":"file page 6, lines 7-13"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 60, lines 11-15","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2009/08-769.pdf","page_label":"file page 60, lines 11-15"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 60, lines 31-35","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2009/08-769.pdf","page_label":"file page 60, lines 31-35"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 33-43","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2009/08-769.pdf","page_label":"file page 7, lines 33-43"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 37-51","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2009/08-769.pdf","page_label":"file page 8, lines 37-51"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 7-19","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2009/08-769.pdf","page_label":"file page 8, lines 7-19"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 11-31","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2009/08-769.pdf","page_label":"file page 9, lines 11-31"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 39-45","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2009/08-769.pdf","page_label":"file page 9, lines 39-45"}]}],"slug":"2009-08-769-united-states-v-stevens","term":"2009","title":"Does a federal ban on animal cruelty videos violate the First Amendment?","title_sources":[{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 27, lines 21-39","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2009/08-769.pdf","page_label":"file page 27, lines 21-39"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 17-5","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2009/08-769.pdf","page_label":"file page 3, lines 17-5"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 58, lines 25-25","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2009/08-769.pdf","page_label":"file page 58, lines 25-25"},{"evidence_type":"Transcript","label":"Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 58, lines 31-5","official_url":"https://www.supremecourt.gov/pdfs/transcripts/2009/08-769.pdf","page_label":"file page 58, lines 31-5"}],"topics":[],"undated_disposition_date_fallback":null,"updated_at":"2026-09-05T03:22:24Z"}