Building Regulations



Pursuant to the authority and responsibilities set forth in 40 U.S.C. §6102, the following regulations governing the Supreme Court Building and grounds were prescribed by the Marshal and approved by the Chief Justice of the United States.


Regulation One

Subject: Public Hours of the United States Supreme Court
  1. Purpose: To prescribe hours that the Supreme Court Building is open to the public.
  2. Authority:
    Subject to the approval of the Chief Justice, the Marshal may promulgate regulations as provided for under 40 U.S.C. §6102, as amended.
  3. Policy:
    The Supreme Court Building at 1 First Street, N. E., Washington, D. C. 20543 is open to the public Monday through Friday, from 9:00 A.M. to 4:30 P.M., except on federal holidays. The building is closed at all other times, although persons having legitimate business may be admitted at other times when so authorized by responsible officials.
Approved and Effective September 29, 1994

Regulation Two

In order to protect the Supreme Court Building and grounds, to protect the persons and property therein, or to maintain suitable order and decorum, the Marshal of the Supreme Court, pursuant to the responsibilities outlined in 40 U.S.C. §6102, may, at any time, declare the Supreme Court Building and grounds, or any portion thereof, closed to the general public. Any person who, having been informed of the closure of the building or grounds or portion of the building or grounds, enters the closed area without the authorization of the Marshal or refuses to leave the closed area after being requested to do so shall be subject to arrest and subject to penalties set forth in 40 U.S.C. §6137.

Approved and Effective October 4, 1994

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Regulation Three
  1. Except as authorized by the Marshal, it shall be unlawful for any person, within the Supreme Court Building or upon the Supreme Court grounds, to carry or have readily available to the person, any:
    1. "firearm," as that term is defined by 18 U.S.C. §921(3);
    2. "explosive or incendiary device," as those terms are defined by 18 U.S.C. §§844(j) and 232(5);
    3. "dangerous weapon," as that term is defined in 40 U.S.C. §193m(3) or District of Columbia Code §§10–503.26(3) and 22–4514; or
    4. other substance, material, or other item that may pose a danger to Court property or the safety of the Justices, Court employees, guests, or the general public.
  2. Officers of the Supreme Court police shall have the authority to deny entry to, or expel from the Supreme Court Building or grounds any person whose presence would violate subsection (A).
  3. This regulation is promulgated pursuant to 40 U.S.C. §§6102 and 6121. Any person failing to comply with this regulation, including a person who fails to comply with a valid order from a Supreme Court police officer under subsection (B), shall be prosecuted under 40 U.S.C. §6137.
Approved and Effective September 23, 1994
(Amended September 6, 2002)            

Regulation Four

This regulation is issued under authority of 40 U.S.C. §6102 for the protection of the Supreme Court Building and grounds and persons and property therein, and for the maintenance of suitable order and decorum of the Court, and enforces the provisions of 40 U.S.C. §§6131 and 6133. Any person who fails to comply with this regulation may be subject to a fine and/or imprisonment pursuant to 40 U.S.C. §6137.

No person who owns or has custody of a dog (hereinafter "Owner") shall permit the dog to be on Supreme Court grounds unless the dog is secured by a leash that does not exceed four feet in length.

Owners shall control their dogs and prevent their dogs from harassing or injuring any person on Supreme Court grounds or injuring any statue, seat, wall, fountain or any erection or architectural feature, or tree, shrub, plant or turf on Supreme Court grounds.

Any owner who permits his or her dog to defecate on Supreme Court grounds shall immediately remove the excrement.

No owner shall permit his or her dog to enter the Supreme Court Building, unless the owner is disabled and the dog is trained to assist the owner or the owner is a law enforcement officer and the dog is trained and authorized to assist the law enforcement officer.

Approved and Effective November 12, 1999

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Regulation Five

This regulation is issued under authority of 40 U.S.C. §6102 to protect the Supreme Court Building, grounds, and persons and property therein, and to main-tain suitable order and decorum within the Supreme Court Building and grounds. The Regulation enforces provisions of 40 U.S.C. §6134. Any person who fails to comply with this Regulation may be subject to a fine and/or imprisonment pursuant to 40 U.S.C. §6137.

No person shall, on the Supreme Court grounds, create any noise disturbance. For purposes of this Regulation, a noise disturbance is any sound that (1) falls within the definition of "noise disturbance" set forth in 20 D.C.M.R. 20–27–2799; or (2) disturbs or tends to disturb the order and decorum of the Supreme Court or any activities authorized by the Court in the Supreme Court Building or on the Supreme Court grounds.

Approved and Effective April 24, 2000

Regulation Six

This regulation is issued under authority of 40 U.S.C. §6102 to protect the Supreme Court Building and grounds, and persons and property thereon, and to maintain suitable order and decorum within the Supreme Court Building and grounds. Any person who fails to comply with this Regulation may be subject to a fine and/or imprisonment pursuant to 40 U.S.C. §6137.

The use of signs on the perimeter sidewalks on the Supreme Court grounds is regulated as follows:
  1. No signs shall be allowed except those made of cardboard, posterboard, or cloth.
  2. Supports for signs must be entirely made of wood, have dull ends, may not be hollow, and may not exceed 1 inch at their largest point. There shall be no nails, screws, or bolt-type fastening devices protruding from the wooden supports.
  3. Hand-carried signs are allowed regardless of size.
  4. Signs that are not hand-carried are allowed only if they are
    1. no larger than 4 feet in length, 4 feet in width, and 1/4 inch in thickness (exclusive of braces that are reasonably required to meet support and safety requirements, as set forth in section 2 above), and not elevated so as to exceed a height of 6 feet above the ground at their highest point;
    2. not used so as to form an enclosure of two or more sides;
    3. attended at all times (attended means that an individual must remain within 3 feet of each sign); and
    4. not arranged in such manner as to create a single sign that exceeds the size limitations in subsection (a).
  5. No individual may have more than two non-hand-carried signs at any one time.

Notwithstanding the above, no person shall carry or place any sign in such a manner as to impede pedestrian traffic, access to and from the Supreme Court Plaza or Building, or to cause any safety or security hazard to any person.

Approved and Effective April 25, 2000