October Term 2018 · Docket 17-1702
Does a private cable operator acting under state law create a public forum?
The dispute centers on whether a private company administering a state-mandated public access channel constitutes a government actor.
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
The operator argued that expanding the public function test would radically change existing law.
The residents argued that the operator was engaged by the city to administer a state-determined scheme.
Justice Sotomayor noted that government often has its own speech and creates speech.
Justice Ginsburg described the operator as administering a first-come, first-served access scheme.
Read the official transcript for this argument · Official argument details
Sources used for this argument breakdown
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 10, lines 22-25 — Transcript, file page 10, lines 22-25
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 10, lines 27-28 — Transcript, file page 10, lines 27-28
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 10, lines 31-32 — Transcript, file page 10, lines 31-32
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 11, lines 11-12 — Transcript, file page 11, lines 11-12
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 34, lines 15-28 — Transcript, file page 34, lines 15-28
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 17-13 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 17-13
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 8-16 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 8-16
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 18-30 — Transcript, file page 5, lines 18-30
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 17-32 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 17-32
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 71, lines 25-10 — Transcript, file page 71, lines 25-10
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 71, lines 8-23 — Transcript, file page 71, lines 8-23
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 72, lines 25-15 — Transcript, file page 72, lines 25-15
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 74, lines 16-18 — Transcript, file page 74, lines 16-18
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 74, lines 21-22 — Transcript, file page 74, lines 21-22
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 76, lines 12-13 — Transcript, file page 76, lines 12-13
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 33-34 — Transcript, file page 8, lines 33-34
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 6-10 — Transcript, file page 8, lines 6-10
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 17-18 — Transcript, file page 9, lines 17-18
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 22-23 — Transcript, file page 9, lines 22-23
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 36-12 — Transcript, file page 9, lines 36-12
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 6-12 — Transcript, file page 9, lines 6-12
A citizen's guide to the whole case
What this case is about
This case tests the boundary between private conduct and state action in First Amendment law.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 34, lines 15-28 — Transcript, file page 34, lines 15-28
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 17-13 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 17-13
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 71, lines 8-23 — Transcript, file page 71, lines 8-23
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 72, lines 25-15 — Transcript, file page 72, lines 25-15
How the case got here
The Supreme Court heard oral argument in this case on February 25, 2019.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 8-16 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 8-16
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 76, lines 12-13 — Transcript, file page 76, lines 12-13
What each side wants
The operator wants the Court to rule that private conduct does not create a public forum.
The residents want the Court to rule that the state-mandated channel is a public forum.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 34, lines 15-28 — Transcript, file page 34, lines 15-28
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 17-13 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 17-13
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 71, lines 8-23 — Transcript, file page 71, lines 8-23
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 72, lines 25-15 — Transcript, file page 72, lines 25-15
What each side says
The operator argues that strict adherence to state action precedents preserves the line between government and private conduct.
The residents argue that New York opened property for speech through a general first-come, first-served access policy.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 34, lines 15-28 — Transcript, file page 34, lines 15-28
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 17-13 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 17-13
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 71, lines 8-23 — Transcript, file page 71, lines 8-23
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 72, lines 25-15 — Transcript, file page 72, lines 25-15
What the justices asked
Justice Breyer asked how the other thirteen board members are chosen.
Justice Breyer asked what discretion the operator has given non-commercial and non-discriminatory regulations.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 10, lines 22-25 — Transcript, file page 10, lines 22-25
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 10, lines 27-28 — Transcript, file page 10, lines 27-28
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 10, lines 31-32 — Transcript, file page 10, lines 31-32
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 11, lines 11-12 — Transcript, file page 11, lines 11-12
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 18-30 — Transcript, file page 5, lines 18-30
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 17-32 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 17-32
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 71, lines 25-10 — Transcript, file page 71, lines 25-10
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 74, lines 16-18 — Transcript, file page 74, lines 16-18
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 74, lines 21-22 — Transcript, file page 74, lines 21-22
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 76, lines 12-13 — Transcript, file page 76, lines 12-13
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 33-34 — Transcript, file page 8, lines 33-34
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 6-10 — Transcript, file page 8, lines 6-10
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 17-18 — Transcript, file page 9, lines 17-18
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 22-23 — Transcript, file page 9, lines 22-23
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 36-12 — Transcript, file page 9, lines 36-12
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 6-12 — Transcript, file page 9, lines 6-12
Why it matters
This case defines when private entities become state actors. It determines the scope of free speech protections on private property. It clarifies the limits of government regulation over private speech channels.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 34, lines 15-28 — Transcript, file page 34, lines 15-28
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 17-13 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 17-13
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 71, lines 8-23 — Transcript, file page 71, lines 8-23
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 72, lines 25-15 — Transcript, file page 72, lines 25-15
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 22-25 — Transcript, file page 10, lines 22-25
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 10, lines 27-28 — Transcript, file page 10, lines 27-28
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 10, lines 31-32 — Transcript, file page 10, lines 31-32
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 11, lines 11-12 — Transcript, file page 11, lines 11-12
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 8-16 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 8-16
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 18-30 — Transcript, file page 5, lines 18-30
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 17-32 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 17-32
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 71, lines 25-10 — Transcript, file page 71, lines 25-10
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 74, lines 16-18 — Transcript, file page 74, lines 16-18
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 74, lines 21-22 — Transcript, file page 74, lines 21-22
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 76, lines 12-13 — Transcript, file page 76, lines 12-13
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 33-34 — Transcript, file page 8, lines 33-34
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 6-10 — Transcript, file page 8, lines 6-10
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 17-18 — Transcript, file page 9, lines 17-18
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 22-23 — Transcript, file page 9, lines 22-23
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 36-12 — Transcript, file page 9, lines 36-12
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 6-12 — Transcript, file page 9, lines 6-12
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 34, lines 15-28 — Transcript, file page 34, lines 15-28
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 17-13 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 17-13
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 71, lines 8-23 — Transcript, file page 71, lines 8-23
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 72, lines 25-15 — Transcript, file page 72, lines 25-15
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 34, lines 15-28 — Transcript, file page 34, lines 15-28
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 17-13 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 17-13
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 71, lines 8-23 — Transcript, file page 71, lines 8-23
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 72, lines 25-15 — Transcript, file page 72, lines 25-15
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.