Judges on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit on Monday pressed the Justice Department on what grounds the White House can suspend press access for reporters found to have violated norms of professional behavior while covering official events.

In a case that tests the administration's regulations on when a reporter's hard pass—which grants them full access to the White House—can be suspended, the panel questioned attorneys on both sides about exactly what is considered inappropriate behavior worthy of a sanction, and exactly what penalties should be imposed.

Judges David Tatel, Cornelia Pillard and Chief Judge Sri Srinivasan heard the arguments over the phone in a lawsuit filed by Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher's Theodore Boutrous on behalf of Playboy reporter Brian Karem, whose White House hard pass was temporarily suspended after an altercation last year with former Trump aide Sebastian Gorka in the Rose Garden.