Shortly after the calendar for a monthly argument session is released, the Court will begin accepting applications for seats in the public section for each argument. To submit an application for a given argument, click on that highlighted day on the argument calendar within the online reservation system. Then follow the prompts to submit an application. Once you have completed the application process, you will receive an email asking you to confirm your application. You will have four hours from the time this email is sent to click the “Validate Request” button, or your application will not be accepted.

The deadline to submit applications is 5:00 p.m. EST, four weeks before the argument date.

Yes, a single application can cover up to four people. That group will be entered into the lottery together, so that either all members of the group will get seats or no members of the group will.

Each person may enter the lottery only once for each argument. If you have been entered as part of a group, you may not enter as an individual or as part of another group. Applicants who submit multiple lottery entries for the same argument, whether as an individual, as a group, or both may be disqualified from receiving tickets for that argument.

Yes. You may enter the lottery for more than one argument, either on the same day or on different days. After you have begun the lottery application process detailed above, the system will give you the option to add additional calendared arguments. Or, you can initiate a separate application for additional arguments later in the Term, once the cases you are interested in have been scheduled for argument.

Three weeks before argument, the Court will send emails to all applicants, indicating whether they (a) were selected for tickets, (b) were not selected for tickets, or (c) are on the wait list.

Some people who were not selected to attend argument may be placed on the wait list. If argument seats become available in the days leading up to argument, some people from the waitlist will be notified that they are able to attend. People may be selected for seating from the wait list up to three business days before argument.

The process to select attendees is entirely automated, so there is no reason to reach out to the Court in hopes of increasing your chances of obtaining a ticket. Please only submit one lottery entry per person, per argument. If someone has submitted an entry for you as part of their group, please do not submit an entry yourself. If duplicate entries are submitted for the same argument, the Court may exclude all entries from those individual(s) from the lottery for that argument. You may submit lottery entries for multiple arguments.

Yes. You will receive an email notifying you that you have been selected to receive ticket(s). This email will include a link to confirm that you (and the members of your group, if any) wish to attend the argument. You will have 24 hours from the time that email is sent to confirm your continued interest. Once you do, you will receive another email with electronic tickets. If you do not click the “Confirm Request” button in that email within 24 hours, you will lose your ticket(s). You may wish to monitor spam or junk folders three weeks before an argument to be sure that you have not missed an email.

No, each ticket is for a single argument. If you have entered the lottery for two or more arguments on the same day, you could be selected for more than one argument, or for just one. Please review the emails from the Court and your ticket(s) carefully so that you know which argument(s) you have been selected to attend.

No. Tickets are non-transferable. Each ticket is issued to a specific person or group. Your government-issued photo identification (driver’s license or passport) must match the identifying information on the ticket issued by the Court. If you are no longer able to attend argument after your ticket has issued, please let the Court know so that the ticket can be re-assigned to another lottery applicant. You can cancel your ticket, or some or all of the tickets for your group, by clicking on the “cancel or modify your tickets” link in the email that transmitted your tickets to you. From there you can follow the prompts to cancel your ticket.

Yes. During the online ticketing pilot program, seats will also be made available to members of the public in line at the Court on the morning of argument.

No. During the online ticketing pilot program, Bar members can gain access to arguments only through a line at the Court on the morning of argument.

The Court is located at 1 First Street, NE, Washington, DC., directly across from the East face of the U.S. Capitol. It is easily accessible from Union Station or the Capitol South Metro station. Those with argument tickets should enter through the South visitor's entrance, which is directly under the right side of the Court’s main front steps.

You should plan to arrive at the Supreme Court 60 minutes before the argument for which you have tickets. So for a 10:00 a.m. argument, you should arrive no later than 9:00 a.m. And for an 11:00 a.m. argument, you should arrive no later than 10:00 a.m. If you arrive late, you may lose your seat for the argument.

You should bring your ticket – either an electronic version on a cellular phone or a printed version. You should also bring a government-issued photo identification, such as a driver’s license or passport. The identifying information on the ticket must match the information on your government-issued ID. Please note that cellular telephones, smart watches, and other electronic devices may not be brought into the Courtroom, but instead must be checked into free lockers at the Court.

Weapons or other dangerous or illegal items are not allowed on the grounds or in the building. Visitors may not take any electronic devices into the Courtroom when Court is in session: cameras, cell phones, smart watches, tablets, pagers, recorders, or similar items. Visitors may also not take in food, drinks, hats, overcoats, magazines, books, briefcases, purses or luggage. Sunglasses, identification tags (other than military), display buttons and inappropriate clothing may not be worn. Spectators in the public section may use writing materials that can easily fit on one’s lap (notepad and pen). For additional information, see https://www.supremecourt.gov/visiting/prohibited-items.aspx.

Those who arrive with tickets for a particular argument will be admitted to the ground floor of the Court building, where Court security officials will check your ticket and photo identification. If you have items that may not be brought into the Courtroom, you can check them into a locker. Those attending the 10:00 a.m. argument will be seated in the Courtroom 15-30 minutes before the start of the session. Those attending the 11:00 argument will be seated once the first argument is over.

Yes. The Supreme Court Building reopens to the public following the conclusion of Court sessions and closes at 3 p.m. Additional information is available at: Visiting the Court - Supreme Court of the United States

The email that contained your tickets included a link to “cancel or modify your tickets.” If you click on that link, you will have the options to modify your reservation to remove some members of your group, or to cancel the reservation altogether.

If an argument is cancelled or rescheduled before results of the lottery have been announced, the lottery will be terminated. Everyone who has submitted an application to the lottery will be notified by email of the cancellation. If the argument is rescheduled, a new lottery will be conducted, and application may be submitted for the new argument date. If an argument is rescheduled after tickets for that argument have been issued, the Court will contact those who have received tickets to determine whether they wish to come to the rescheduled argument.

Please submit your questions with our Questions and Feedbacks form.

If you are not able to submit an application through the online system, you can obtain assistance to enter the lottery by telephone at 202-479-2955, or by writing to: Supreme Court of the United States, Office of the Marshal, 1 First Street, N.E., Washington, DC 20543. If you send an application by mail, please include in your request your name as it appears on your government-issued identification, the name of up to three additional guests in your group as they appear on their government-issued identification, the argument(s) you wish to attend, and the best way to reach you with the results of the lottery (email, mail, and/or telephone). Where possible, please include your telephone number even if it is not your preferred method of communication, as we may need to reach you with time-sensitive questions. Also, please ensure that your mail application arrives at least four weeks prior to the Court session for which you will request seats. Requests submitted with Court assistance are entered into the same lottery, with the same chances of success, as other requests.