Supreme Court


Two Leave Legal Profession

First, as you have likely heard, Justice John Paul Stevens announced today that he will retire at the end of the Court's current term.  The announcement comes just 11 days short of the Justice's 90th birthday, and, not that it…



Justice Scalia Calls for Dumbing-Down of the Legal Profession

Last week, the Wall Street Journal reported on an anecdote from a set of interviews that all the Supreme Court justices recently granted to C-SPAN.  This week is "Supreme Court Week" on C-SPAN, and that should attract more viewers than the channel's next biggest draw, the long-running…


New Supreme Court Portrait Reveals Lack of Consensus

On whether or not to look at the camera, anyway: Actually, that does not appear to be the final official portrait.  Good thing, because this almost seems like one of those band photos where they all insist on broodingly staring off in…



Justice Thomas Still Fascinated by Dishwashers

Speaking to a group of students on April 13 at a dinner sponsored by the Bill of Rights Institute, Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas admitted that he is perpetually enthralled by the Miracle of the Dishwashing Machine: I have to admit…


Harvard Professor Opines on Scalia’s “Gollywaddles”

Last month, Jay Wexler spoke to noted language expert Steven Pinker and asked him where Justice Scalia might have come up with the term "gollywaddles," which Scalia used during oral argument this term in FCC v. Fox Television Stations.  Wexler…


Supreme Court Debates ‘F-Bomb’

Though no one ever actually dropped it, the "F-Bomb" was the main topic of conversation during Supreme Court arguments Tuesday in FCC v. Fox Television Stations. The case is on appeal from a Second Circuit decision that the FCC acted…


UPDATE: Supreme Court Denies Motions for Divided Argument

The Supreme Court did take up the "emergency" motions for reconsideration in the Carcieri case at its Friday conference today, and denied them.  That means it will not decide whether Joe Larisa or Ted Olson gets to argue for the…