Note: The Court will hear all scheduled oral arguments for the Term in the Courtroom. Seating for the oral argument sessions will be provided to the public, members of the Supreme Court Bar, and press. The three-minute line is temporarily suspended. The Supreme Court Building will otherwise be closed to the public on oral argument days.
On days when the Court is not in session, the building will be open to the public from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m., excluding weekends and federal holidays. Courtroom lectures remain temporarily suspended. Visitors may tour ground floor exhibits and portions of the first floor on a self-guided basis. The cafeteria and gift shop are open to the public.
All oral arguments are open to the public, but seating is limited and on a first-come, first-seated basis. Before a session begins, two lines form on the plaza in front of the building. One is for those who wish to attend an entire argument, and the other, a three minute line, is for those who wish to observe the Court in session only briefly. Please do not hold a space in either line for others who have not yet arrived.
Seating for the first argument begins at 9:30 a.m. and seating for the three-minute line begins at 10 a.m. The locations for these lines are marked with signs and there is a police officer on duty to answer your questions.
Visitors should be aware that cases may attract large crowds, with lines forming before the building opens. Obviously there are unavoidable delays associated with processing and seating large numbers of visitors, and your cooperation and patience are appreciated. Court police officers will make every effort to inform you as soon as possible whether you can expect to secure a seat in the Courtroom.
Before entering the Supreme Court Building, all visitors are screened by a magnetometer and all personal belongings are screened by an x-ray machine. To ensure the safety of visitors and staff
and to preserve the collections, facilities, and historic building and grounds, please see the list of items strictly prohibited inside the building and in
the Courtroom while Court is in session.
We do not recommend taking infants or small children into the Courtroom.
When the Court adjourns for lunch, all persons must leave the Courtroom and the Great Hall. If there is an afternoon oral argument, persons attending the afternoon session must line up again on the Front Plaza to gain admission.