As usual the Justices came to the bench at 10:00 sharp but the clock above them showed 8:00. The clock at the other end of the courtroom read noon, or midnight. Seems nobody remembered to turn the clocks back this weekend as we went off Daylight Saving Time.
“I’ll alert counsel that the clock behind you is not accurate” said Chief Justice Roberts. “You shouldn’t look at the clock anyway, but particularly not today”.
With that said, and as the hands on the clock faces continued to move in fits and starts, always out of time, the Court heard arguments in Zivotofsky v. Kerry.
The case, about a law passed by Congress in 2002 that orders the State Department to “record the place of birth as Israel” in the passports of American children born in Jerusalem, was first heard by the Supreme Court in 2011.
Lyle Denniston’s take on the argument is here.
Courtroom sketching is a form of visual journalism or reportage drawing that is slowly dying out. Where once upon a time news organization each had their own artist covering a story, today a “pool” artist often sketches for all. It is a demanding and stressful discipline where the drawing is often done directly and under tight deadline.
After forty-five years of news sketching in courtrooms and congress I’m calling it quits. It’s been sometimes fun, sometimes frustrating, almost always interesting. I’ve been lucky to work with some really great people. Don’t think I’ll miss it, but a little scared of not having a deadline.
While I won’t be sketching in court anymore, I may continue to post to this blog from time to time. Not sure what that might be. I’m about to start a new assignment documenting infrastructure and construction. Could be interesting.
great drawing and vantage