We are already in the middle of a historic week in which Supreme Court oral arguments are being broadcast live for the first time. Yesterday was also historic because it was the first time in over a year since Justice Clarence Thomas had asked a question from the bench. It’s rare for Justice Thomas to speak up—he once went for ten years without making a single question or comment. Is his participation due to the new format, with the justices being called upon in turn by Chief Justice Roberts?
I’m curious to find out, so I plan on listening in to one of the arguments tomorrow. Oral arguments are presented live at 10am and 11am EDT, 8am and 10am MDT time on NPR. Tomorrow is the last day for oral arguments this week, but they resume again next week. The full calendar is here.
During this time of remote education, SCOTUS blog is hosting live seminars about the cases currently before the Court geared toward high school, undergraduate, and law school audiences, holding both a preview session and a debriefing. Listeners to the live sessions can ask questions. The sessions are also being recorded. If you have a little down time, now is a great time to expand your knowledge of the Supreme Court and participate in a little bit of history.