October Term 2009 · Docket 08-472
Can the government transfer a religious memorial to private land to avoid an Establishment Clause violation?
The dispute centers on whether transferring a cross from public to private land satisfies the Establishment Clause.
Verified source milestones
- — An official oral-argument transcript was verified.
- — An official oral-argument transcript was verified.
The arguments, in order
This case may have been argued more than once. Each entry below uses that session's official transcript. Later arguments do not erase earlier ones.
Argument 1 ·
What happened at the argument
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.
Read the official transcript for this argument · Official argument details
Sources used for this argument breakdown
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 25, lines 35-7 — Transcript, file page 25, lines 35-7
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 17-43 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 17-43
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 45-51 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 45-51
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 7-15 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 7-15
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 27-35 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 27-35
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 43-47 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 43-47
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 13-17 — Transcript, file page 5, lines 13-17
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 27-29 — Transcript, file page 5, lines 27-29
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 33-35 — Transcript, file page 5, lines 33-35
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 47-5 — Transcript, file page 5, lines 47-5
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 57, lines 17-21 — Transcript, file page 57, lines 17-21
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 57, lines 23-25 — Transcript, file page 57, lines 23-25
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 57, lines 31-31 — Transcript, file page 57, lines 31-31
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 58, lines 35-39 — Transcript, file page 58, lines 35-39
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 41-11 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 41-11
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 29-31 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 29-31
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 37-43 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 37-43
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 35-49 — Transcript, file page 8, lines 35-49
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 7-11 — Transcript, file page 8, lines 7-11
A citizen's guide to the whole case
What this case is about
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.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 25, lines 35-7 — Transcript, file page 25, lines 35-7
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 17-43 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 17-43
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 57, lines 17-21 — Transcript, file page 57, lines 17-21
How the case got here
The Supreme Court heard oral argument in this case on October 7, 2009.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 7-15 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 7-15
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 58, lines 35-39 — Transcript, file page 58, lines 35-39
What each side wants
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.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 25, lines 35-7 — Transcript, file page 25, lines 35-7
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 17-43 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 17-43
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 57, lines 17-21 — Transcript, file page 57, lines 17-21
What each side says
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.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 25, lines 35-7 — Transcript, file page 25, lines 35-7
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 17-43 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 17-43
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 57, lines 17-21 — Transcript, file page 57, lines 17-21
What the justices asked
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.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 45-51 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 45-51
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 27-35 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 27-35
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 43-47 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 43-47
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 13-17 — Transcript, file page 5, lines 13-17
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 27-29 — Transcript, file page 5, lines 27-29
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 33-35 — Transcript, file page 5, lines 33-35
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 47-5 — Transcript, file page 5, lines 47-5
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 57, lines 23-25 — Transcript, file page 57, lines 23-25
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 57, lines 31-31 — Transcript, file page 57, lines 31-31
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 58, lines 35-39 — Transcript, file page 58, lines 35-39
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 41-11 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 41-11
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 29-31 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 29-31
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 37-43 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 37-43
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 35-49 — Transcript, file page 8, lines 35-49
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 7-11 — Transcript, file page 8, lines 7-11
Why it matters
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.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 25, lines 35-7 — Transcript, file page 25, lines 35-7
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 17-43 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 17-43
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 57, lines 17-21 — Transcript, file page 57, lines 17-21
What happens next
This article currently covers the argument record. Use the official docket link for later case activity.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 45-51 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 45-51
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 7-15 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 7-15
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 27-35 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 27-35
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 43-47 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 43-47
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 13-17 — Transcript, file page 5, lines 13-17
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 27-29 — Transcript, file page 5, lines 27-29
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 33-35 — Transcript, file page 5, lines 33-35
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 47-5 — Transcript, file page 5, lines 47-5
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 57, lines 23-25 — Transcript, file page 57, lines 23-25
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 57, lines 31-31 — Transcript, file page 57, lines 31-31
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 58, lines 35-39 — Transcript, file page 58, lines 35-39
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 41-11 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 41-11
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 29-31 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 29-31
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 37-43 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 37-43
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 35-49 — Transcript, file page 8, lines 35-49
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 7-11 — Transcript, file page 8, lines 7-11
Official Court provenance
Official docket and case history · Official Supreme Court oral-argument detail page
Title and summary sources
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 25, lines 35-7 — Transcript, file page 25, lines 35-7
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 17-43 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 17-43
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 57, lines 17-21 — Transcript, file page 57, lines 17-21
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 25, lines 35-7 — Transcript, file page 25, lines 35-7
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 17-43 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 17-43
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 57, lines 17-21 — Transcript, file page 57, lines 17-21
Revision history
- Revision 1 · Official Transcript ·
Correction: Rewritten to the concise citizen-facing editorial standard.
- Revision 2 · Official Transcript ·
Correction: Migrated to the dated official Court activity contract without model use.