Russia is just as gun crazy as the U.S. so why not make connections and alliances with the NRA as a way to influence American policy? It was a good plan and Maria Butina sounded proud of her efforts as…
Author: Art Lien
Courtartist is me, Art Lien. I've been sketching the courts since 1976, and for most of that time the U.S. Supreme Court has been my regular beat. I've been working almost exclusively for NBC News since 1980.
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.
What is “Separate Sovereigns”, Alex?
Answer: an exception to the double-jeopardy rule. Here are a few sketches from Thursday’s argument in Gamble v. United States where Terance Gamble challenges his prosecution and conviction for the same offense in both state and federal court despite the…
This Week’s SCOTUS Sketches
On Monday the justices heard argument over whether an antitrust lawsuit brought by iPhone users unhappy that apps may only be purchased through the Apple store can move forward. Apple claims it does not have a monopoly because it is…
Sketches From The November Sitting
Just posting November’s SCOTUS sketches ( I missed the first couple days, so starting on October 31 ) without comments except to note that the election day SCOTUSblog banner at the end of this post is a work of “artistic…
Kavanaugh Investiture
The formal investiture of a Supreme Court justice is a merely ceremonial event, and after the fact for Justice Kavanaugh who has been on the bench from the beginning of the this term. But Thursday’s script was slightly different because…
Tagged with: Acting Attorney General, Investiture, Justice Ginsburg, Justice Kavanaugh, Merrick Garland
Tree of Life Synagogue Tragedy
What can one say, yet another mass shooting. This time at Pittsburgh’s Tree of Life Synagogue. Eleven worshipers murdered. The shooter, pushed into the courtroom in a wheelchair, appeared remarkably unremarkable. A poor pathetic shlub who became the instrument of…
Manafort Wheeled Into Courtroom
Former Trump campaign manager, and now convicted felon, Paul Manafort appeared dour as he was wheeled into the courtroom for a pre-sentencing hearing in Alexandria yesterday. When Judge Ellis addressed him directly Manafort just stared into space. No details were…
Sketches From The October Sitting
An unusual start to the new term of what can now be truly called the Roberts Court. After Justice Kennedy’s retirement the Chief Justice, who on the bench occupies the center chair, now also becomes the center of gravity of…
Manafort Pleads Guilty, Agrees to Cooperate
In a filled to capacity courtroom – I think all of Special Counsel Mueller’s team were present, though not Mueller – Paul Manafort yesterday entered a plea of guilty to two counts before Judge Amy Berman Jackson. Manafort also…
Papadopoulos Sentencing
George Papadopoulos, a Trump campaign adviser who’s conversation with an Australian diplomat in a London bar in 2016 was partly responsible for launching an FBI investigation into Russian meddling in the presidential elections was yesterday sentenced to 14 days in…
Top