October Term 2012 · Docket 12-10
Can the government force grant recipients to adopt its anti-prostitution policy?
The dispute centers on whether federal funding conditions compel recipients to express government views on prostitution.
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
Mr. Bowker stated that the opposing sides do not dispute the government's authority to fund programs.
Mr. Srinivasan argued that Congress includes an anti-prostitution policy to combat HIV and AIDS.
Mr. Srinivasan cited the Regan case to support a rationality standard for funding conditions.
Read the official transcript for this argument · Official argument details
Sources used for this argument breakdown
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 10, lines 13-35 — Transcript, file page 10, lines 13-35
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 11, lines 33-49 — Transcript, file page 11, lines 33-49
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 12, lines 13-25 — Transcript, file page 12, lines 13-25
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 12, lines 53-9 — Transcript, file page 12, lines 53-9
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 12, lines 7-9 — Transcript, file page 12, lines 7-9
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 13, lines 39-45 — Transcript, file page 13, lines 39-45
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 13, lines 49-51 — Transcript, file page 13, lines 49-51
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 28, lines 37-15 — Transcript, file page 28, lines 37-15
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 23-11 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 23-11
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 9-21 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 9-21
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 13-31 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 13-31
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 13-25 — Transcript, file page 5, lines 13-25
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 5-7 — Transcript, file page 5, lines 5-7
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 56, lines 49-15 — Transcript, file page 56, lines 49-15
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 57, lines 17-29 — Transcript, file page 57, lines 17-29
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 57, lines 31-39 — Transcript, file page 57, lines 31-39
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 7-43 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 7-43
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 47-27 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 47-27
A citizen's guide to the whole case
What this case is about
The government argues it controls funded programs. Recipients argue this forces them to speak against their will.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 28, lines 37-15 — Transcript, file page 28, lines 37-15
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 23-11 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 23-11
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 57, lines 17-29 — Transcript, file page 57, lines 17-29
How the case got here
The Supreme Court heard oral argument in this case on April 22, 2013.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 9-21 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 9-21
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 56, lines 49-15 — Transcript, file page 56, lines 49-15
What each side wants
The government wants the Court to uphold the funding condition.
The recipients want the Court to strike down the funding condition.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 28, lines 37-15 — Transcript, file page 28, lines 37-15
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 23-11 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 23-11
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 57, lines 17-29 — Transcript, file page 57, lines 17-29
What each side says
The government claims the Spending Clause allows it to control speech within funded programs.
The recipients claim the government cannot force them to express agreement with its views.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 28, lines 37-15 — Transcript, file page 28, lines 37-15
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 23-11 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 23-11
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 57, lines 17-29 — Transcript, file page 57, lines 17-29
What the justices asked
Justice Scalia asked how partnering differs from simply giving money to do a job.
Justice Alito asked if the Court has ever permitted compelled speech in funding conditions.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 10, lines 13-35 — Transcript, file page 10, lines 13-35
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 11, lines 33-49 — Transcript, file page 11, lines 33-49
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 12, lines 13-25 — Transcript, file page 12, lines 13-25
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 12, lines 53-9 — Transcript, file page 12, lines 53-9
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 12, lines 7-9 — Transcript, file page 12, lines 7-9
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 13, lines 39-45 — Transcript, file page 13, lines 39-45
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 13, lines 49-51 — Transcript, file page 13, lines 49-51
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 13-31 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 13-31
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 13-25 — Transcript, file page 5, lines 13-25
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 5-7 — Transcript, file page 5, lines 5-7
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 56, lines 49-15 — Transcript, file page 56, lines 49-15
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 57, lines 31-39 — Transcript, file page 57, lines 31-39
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 7-43 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 7-43
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 47-27 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 47-27
Why it matters
This case defines the boundary between government funding and compelled speech. It determines whether recipients must adopt government policies to receive aid. The outcome shapes how federal grants interact with private expression.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 28, lines 37-15 — Transcript, file page 28, lines 37-15
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 23-11 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 23-11
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 57, lines 17-29 — Transcript, file page 57, lines 17-29
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 10, lines 13-35 — Transcript, file page 10, lines 13-35
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 11, lines 33-49 — Transcript, file page 11, lines 33-49
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 12, lines 13-25 — Transcript, file page 12, lines 13-25
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 12, lines 53-9 — Transcript, file page 12, lines 53-9
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 12, lines 7-9 — Transcript, file page 12, lines 7-9
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 13, lines 39-45 — Transcript, file page 13, lines 39-45
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 13, lines 49-51 — Transcript, file page 13, lines 49-51
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 9-21 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 9-21
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 13-31 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 13-31
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 13-25 — Transcript, file page 5, lines 13-25
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 5-7 — Transcript, file page 5, lines 5-7
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 56, lines 49-15 — Transcript, file page 56, lines 49-15
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 57, lines 31-39 — Transcript, file page 57, lines 31-39
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 7-43 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 7-43
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 47-27 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 47-27
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 28, lines 37-15 — Transcript, file page 28, lines 37-15
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 23-11 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 23-11
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 57, lines 17-29 — Transcript, file page 57, lines 17-29
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 28, lines 37-15 — Transcript, file page 28, lines 37-15
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 23-11 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 23-11
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 57, lines 17-29 — Transcript, file page 57, lines 17-29
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.