October Term 2019 · Docket 19-631
Does the government debt exception violate the First Amendment?
Political groups challenge a law that bans automated calls but allows debt collection texts.
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. Martinez argued his clients want to engage in political speech. He stated the law bars effective communication tools. He claimed the restriction targets core First Amendment activity.
Mr. Stewart argued the law restricts intrusive calling technologies. He stated lower courts upheld this as content-neutral. He argued the debt exception is not illegal.
Chief Justice Roberts questioned the severance argument. He noted the debt exception is not illegal. He asked why severing it would help the opposing side.
Justice Breyer asked a philosophical question about content discrimination. He stated all human life involves speech. He asked counsel to define the concept.
Read the official transcript for this argument · Official argument details
Sources used for this argument breakdown
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 10, lines 18-22 — Transcript, file page 10, lines 18-22
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 10, lines 24-42 — Transcript, file page 10, lines 24-42
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 11, lines 54-22 — Transcript, file page 11, lines 54-22
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 13, lines 32-36 — Transcript, file page 13, lines 32-36
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 13, lines 38-8 — Transcript, file page 13, lines 38-8
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 15, lines 20-38 — Transcript, file page 15, lines 20-38
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 16, lines 18-20 — Transcript, file page 16, lines 18-20
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 16, lines 22-12 — Transcript, file page 16, lines 22-12
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 37, lines 12-18 — Transcript, file page 37, lines 12-18
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 10-26 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 10-26
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 28-36 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 28-36
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 44-18 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 44-18
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 65, lines 12-46 — Transcript, file page 65, lines 12-46
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 66, lines 48-26 — Transcript, file page 66, lines 48-26
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 68, lines 10-12 — Transcript, file page 68, lines 10-12
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 68, lines 18-20 — Transcript, file page 68, lines 18-20
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 68, lines 32-16 — Transcript, file page 68, lines 32-16
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 69, lines 32-44 — Transcript, file page 69, lines 32-44
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 70, lines 36-52 — Transcript, file page 70, lines 36-52
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 71, lines 48-12 — Transcript, file page 71, lines 48-12
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 72, lines 38-42 — Transcript, file page 72, lines 38-42
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 73, lines 24-32 — Transcript, file page 73, lines 24-32
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 73, lines 34-24 — Transcript, file page 73, lines 34-24
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 76, lines 26-28 — Transcript, file page 76, lines 26-28
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 46-20 — Transcript, file page 8, lines 46-20
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 36-38 — Transcript, file page 9, lines 36-38
A citizen's guide to the whole case
What this case is about
The case tests whether a federal law violates the First Amendment. The law bans automated calls to cell phones. It includes an exception for government debt collection. Political groups argue this exception favors certain speech. The government argues the law targets intrusive technology.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 37, lines 12-18 — Transcript, file page 37, lines 12-18
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 28-36 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 28-36
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 65, lines 12-46 — Transcript, file page 65, lines 12-46
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 73, lines 34-24 — Transcript, file page 73, lines 34-24
How the case got here
The Supreme Court heard oral argument in this case on May 6, 2020.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 10-26 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 10-26
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 71, lines 48-12 — Transcript, file page 71, lines 48-12
What each side wants
The government wants the court to uphold the statute. It seeks to keep the debt collection exception intact.
The political groups want the court to strike down the exception. They seek to remove the special treatment for debt collection.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 37, lines 12-18 — Transcript, file page 37, lines 12-18
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 28-36 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 28-36
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 65, lines 12-46 — Transcript, file page 65, lines 12-46
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 73, lines 34-24 — Transcript, file page 73, lines 34-24
What each side says
The government argues the law restricts intrusive technology. It claims the debt exception is not illegal. It asserts the restriction is content-neutral.
The political groups argue the law discriminates based on content. They claim the exception favors government debt speech. They assert this violates core First Amendment protections.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 37, lines 12-18 — Transcript, file page 37, lines 12-18
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 28-36 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 28-36
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 65, lines 12-46 — Transcript, file page 65, lines 12-46
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 73, lines 34-24 — Transcript, file page 73, lines 34-24
What the justices asked
Chief Justice Roberts asked if the debt exception is illegal. He questioned the logic of severing a non-illegal provision.
Justice Breyer asked for a definition of content discrimination. He noted that all government regulation involves speech.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 10, lines 18-22 — Transcript, file page 10, lines 18-22
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 10, lines 24-42 — Transcript, file page 10, lines 24-42
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 11, lines 54-22 — Transcript, file page 11, lines 54-22
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 13, lines 32-36 — Transcript, file page 13, lines 32-36
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 13, lines 38-8 — Transcript, file page 13, lines 38-8
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 15, lines 20-38 — Transcript, file page 15, lines 20-38
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 16, lines 18-20 — Transcript, file page 16, lines 18-20
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 16, lines 22-12 — Transcript, file page 16, lines 22-12
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 10-26 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 10-26
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 44-18 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 44-18
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 66, lines 48-26 — Transcript, file page 66, lines 48-26
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 68, lines 10-12 — Transcript, file page 68, lines 10-12
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 68, lines 18-20 — Transcript, file page 68, lines 18-20
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 68, lines 32-16 — Transcript, file page 68, lines 32-16
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 69, lines 32-44 — Transcript, file page 69, lines 32-44
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 70, lines 36-52 — Transcript, file page 70, lines 36-52
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 71, lines 48-12 — Transcript, file page 71, lines 48-12
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 72, lines 38-42 — Transcript, file page 72, lines 38-42
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 73, lines 24-32 — Transcript, file page 73, lines 24-32
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 76, lines 26-28 — Transcript, file page 76, lines 26-28
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 46-20 — Transcript, file page 8, lines 46-20
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 36-38 — Transcript, file page 9, lines 36-38
Why it matters
The outcome defines the scope of First Amendment protections. It determines how courts treat laws with content-based exceptions. It affects the ability of groups to use automated communication tools. It clarifies the standard for reviewing speech restrictions.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 37, lines 12-18 — Transcript, file page 37, lines 12-18
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 28-36 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 28-36
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 65, lines 12-46 — Transcript, file page 65, lines 12-46
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 73, lines 34-24 — Transcript, file page 73, lines 34-24
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 18-22 — Transcript, file page 10, lines 18-22
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 10, lines 24-42 — Transcript, file page 10, lines 24-42
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 11, lines 54-22 — Transcript, file page 11, lines 54-22
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 13, lines 32-36 — Transcript, file page 13, lines 32-36
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 13, lines 38-8 — Transcript, file page 13, lines 38-8
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 15, lines 20-38 — Transcript, file page 15, lines 20-38
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 16, lines 18-20 — Transcript, file page 16, lines 18-20
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 16, lines 22-12 — Transcript, file page 16, lines 22-12
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 10-26 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 10-26
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 44-18 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 44-18
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 66, lines 48-26 — Transcript, file page 66, lines 48-26
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 68, lines 10-12 — Transcript, file page 68, lines 10-12
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 68, lines 18-20 — Transcript, file page 68, lines 18-20
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 68, lines 32-16 — Transcript, file page 68, lines 32-16
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 69, lines 32-44 — Transcript, file page 69, lines 32-44
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 70, lines 36-52 — Transcript, file page 70, lines 36-52
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 71, lines 48-12 — Transcript, file page 71, lines 48-12
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 72, lines 38-42 — Transcript, file page 72, lines 38-42
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 73, lines 24-32 — Transcript, file page 73, lines 24-32
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 76, lines 26-28 — Transcript, file page 76, lines 26-28
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 46-20 — Transcript, file page 8, lines 46-20
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 36-38 — Transcript, file page 9, lines 36-38
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 37, lines 12-18 — Transcript, file page 37, lines 12-18
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 28-36 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 28-36
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 65, lines 12-46 — Transcript, file page 65, lines 12-46
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 73, lines 34-24 — Transcript, file page 73, lines 34-24
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 37, lines 12-18 — Transcript, file page 37, lines 12-18
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 28-36 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 28-36
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 65, lines 12-46 — Transcript, file page 65, lines 12-46
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 73, lines 34-24 — Transcript, file page 73, lines 34-24
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.