The Court in the New Year

Once all the media go away from a major story like the nomination and confirmation of a Supreme Court Justice, we tend to forget about them until some of the Court’s big decisions come down. But at the start of a new year and a fresh beginning, especially one which starts in a few days with a leadership change in the Congress, here’s a good look at how the Court has shaped up with its most recent additions….after the cameras and reporters went away.

A couple of Supreme Court reporters that have looked back on the year reach pretty much the same conclusion: the High Court has become a kinder, gentler place with John Roberts at the helm.

Chief Justice Roberts has slowly begun to reshape the court, reports the Legal Times’s Tony Mauro. Oral argument transcripts are now released promptly on the same day that they occur. The oral arguments have also become more lawyer-friendly, with the new chief justice more liberally granting extra argument time. And citing a study by a University of Kansas professor, Mauro reports that the number of words lawyers are able to speak before being interrupted has jumped nearly 50 percent under Roberts. (Many attribute this to the retirement of the aggressively inquistive Justice O’Connor.) Court employees also speak of “a breath of fresh air” and a less formal atmosphere, reports Mauro.

The AP’s Mark Sherman notes that the justices have been making more public appearances than ever before. Justices Scalia and Breyer recently held a public debate on their competing views of the Constitution. Justice Alito recently spoke at a Fedearlist Society convention. And last month, Chief Justice Roberts spoke with ABC News for his first network television interview on a stage before 3,600 spectators at the University of Miami.

During that interview, ABC’s Jan Crawford Greenburg asked him how it felt to join the Supreme Court as its boss. Roberts gently corrected her, reports Mauro. “The chief justice really doesn’t have a lot of authority of the sort that would cause you to refer to him as a boss.”

So it’s not only a judicial body, but a teaching one. And one that raises the level of civil discourse. And gently corrects the media. What a providential pick this was, elevating Roberts to Chief Justice. He’s the right man for the right job at the right time. Too bad he can’t run for President. The good news is, he will endure longer and perhaps make a more lasting impact where he is.

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