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 days when the Court is in session.
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 are offered on a first-come, first-served basis. Please refer to the 30-day rolling calendar
for available lectures. Visitors may view ground floor exhibits and portions of the first floor on a self-guided basis. The cafeteria and gift shop are
open to the public.
Northwest Door
Public Hours: Monday - Friday
7:30 AM - 4:30 PM
For Official Business Only
Door remains open until 5:00 PM
This entrance is wheelchair
accessible. For information on
building accessibilty click here.
Southwest Door
Public Hours: Monday - Friday
9:00 AM - 3:00 PM
For Official Business Only
On Days the Court is Sitting
7:30 AM - 9:00 AM
Open to:
- Arguing Attorneys
- Supreme Court Bar Members
- Bar Admissions Groups
- Press
Visitor Entrances are located to the left and right of the main staircase.
The Northwest door serves as the primary visitor entrance. On days the Court is sitting,
the Southwest door is for Arguing Attorneys, Supreme Court Bar Members, Bar Admission groups
and the Press only between 7:30 - 9:00 AM. After 9:00 Am the public may also use this entrance.
Directions
The Supreme Court of the United States is located on First Street NE between East Capitol Street and Maryland Avenue, adjacent to the U.S. Capitol and the Library of Congress.
View Capitol Hill area map.
Visitors may enter the building from the plaza doors located on each side of the main steps. An accessible ramp is located along Maryland Avenue on the left side of the building.
All visitors must pass through security screening prior to entry. During the months of March – June, visitors should anticipate longer wait times to enter the building due to
larger crowds visiting D.C.
By Metro (Subway):
The closest Metro stops are:
Capitol South (Orange, Blue and Silver Lines, 0.3 miles)
Union Station (Red Line, 0.5 miles).
By Metro Bus:
The 32 and 36 buses stop at First Street and
Independence Avenue, a two block walk from the Building.
Additional information on riding the Metro is available at the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority.
By Train:
Amtrak, VRE, and MARC trains service Union Station, which is located approximately 0.5 miles from the Court.
By Car:
Street parking is extremely limited near the Supreme Court. The closest public parking garage is located at Union Station.
Please note that the Supreme Court is not accessible by private bus or passenger van. Please see designated bus routes and restrictions.