October Term 2014 · Docket 14-144
Does Texas control the message on its license plates?
Texas rejected a Confederate flag plate. The Sons of Confederate Veterans claim the state censored their private speech.
Verified source milestones
- — 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
Scott Keller argued Texas controls all plate content.
Paul George argued the group used the plate for fundraising.
questions_asked_by_justices
Read the official transcript for this argument · Official argument details
Sources used for this argument breakdown
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 29, lines 29-49 — Transcript, file page 29, lines 29-49
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 21-1 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 21-1
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 7-19 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 7-19
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 3-11 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 3-11
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 37-47 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 37-47
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 11-21 — Transcript, file page 5, lines 11-21
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 35-5 — Transcript, file page 5, lines 35-5
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 21-33 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 21-33
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 41-43 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 41-43
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 7-13 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 7-13
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 25-31 — Transcript, file page 8, lines 25-31
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 3-11 — Transcript, file page 8, lines 3-11
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 35-45 — Transcript, file page 8, lines 35-45
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 11-17 — Transcript, file page 9, lines 11-17
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 23-37 — Transcript, file page 9, lines 23-37
A citizen's guide to the whole case
What this case is about
Texas rejected a Confederate flag plate. The Sons of Confederate Veterans claim the state censored their private speech.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 29, lines 29-49 — Transcript, file page 29, lines 29-49
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 21-1 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 21-1
How the case got here
The Supreme Court heard oral argument in this case on March 23, 2015.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 7-19 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 7-19
What each side wants
Texas wants to keep rejecting the Confederate flag plate.
The Sons of Confederate Veterans want Texas to issue the plate.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 29, lines 29-49 — Transcript, file page 29, lines 29-49
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 21-1 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 21-1
What each side says
Texas argues the plate displays government speech.
The Sons of Confederate Veterans argue the plate displays private speech.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 29, lines 29-49 — Transcript, file page 29, lines 29-49
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 21-1 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 21-1
What the justices asked
Justice Scalia asked what stops Texas from endorsing a political party.
Justice Ginsburg asked if advertising burgers counts as government speech.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 3-11 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 3-11
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 37-47 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 37-47
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 11-21 — Transcript, file page 5, lines 11-21
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 35-5 — Transcript, file page 5, lines 35-5
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 21-33 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 21-33
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 41-43 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 41-43
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 7-13 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 7-13
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 25-31 — Transcript, file page 8, lines 25-31
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 3-11 — Transcript, file page 8, lines 3-11
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 35-45 — Transcript, file page 8, lines 35-45
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 11-17 — Transcript, file page 9, lines 11-17
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 23-37 — Transcript, file page 9, lines 23-37
Why it matters
This case defines state control over public symbols. It determines who owns the message on government property.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 29, lines 29-49 — Transcript, file page 29, lines 29-49
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 21-1 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 21-1
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 7-19 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 7-19
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 3-11 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 3-11
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 37-47 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 37-47
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 11-21 — Transcript, file page 5, lines 11-21
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 35-5 — Transcript, file page 5, lines 35-5
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 21-33 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 21-33
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 41-43 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 41-43
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 7-13 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 7-13
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 25-31 — Transcript, file page 8, lines 25-31
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 3-11 — Transcript, file page 8, lines 3-11
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 35-45 — Transcript, file page 8, lines 35-45
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 11-17 — Transcript, file page 9, lines 11-17
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 23-37 — Transcript, file page 9, lines 23-37
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 29, lines 29-49 — Transcript, file page 29, lines 29-49
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 21-1 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 21-1
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 29, lines 29-49 — Transcript, file page 29, lines 29-49
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 3, lines 21-1 — Transcript, file page 3, lines 21-1
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.