The U.S. Supreme Court said Thursday it is piloting a reserved seating program for visitors to sit in on oral arguments. Members of the public can apply to the fully automated online lottery for arguments that start in February 2025.

Individuals who win tickets through the lottery system will have reserved seats. Previously, visitors were only granted tickets on a first-come, first-served basis. During the pilot program, some first-come, first-served seats will still be available to people who line up on the sidewalk outside the court building.

Applications can be submitted online four weeks before a particular argument or non-argument session is scheduled. Applicants will be notified three weeks before the session about their ticket status.