by Art Lien | May 25, 2021 | Arguments, Supreme Court
. . . for a most unusual SCOTUS term. And, while I hate to admit it, it’s been kinda fun sketching at home from photos of lawyers arguing their case in more casual settings. It will be interesting to return to the courtroom, as expected, in the fall.
Here are the last sketches from this term, April’s arguments plus the one in early May. I’ll probably do a couple more banners between now and when the last opinion is announced. That’s it, I hope, till October in-person.
Amy M. Saharia for petitioners
Jeffrey Fisher, joined by students from Stanford’s Supreme Court Litigation Clinic, arguing on behalf of Michael Gary.
Daniel L. Geyser for petitioners
Robert N. Hochman for petitioner
Matthew M. Wolf for respondents
Aimee A. Feinberg, California Deputy Solicitor General
Derek L. Shafer for petitioners
Bradley N. Garcia, appointed by the Court
Peter D. Keisler for petitioners
Matthew W. Morrison for private respondents
Lisa S. Blatt for petitioner
Jeremy M. Feigenbaum, New Jersey State Solicitor
Andrew L. Adler for petitioner
The justices, all now fully vaccinated, recently sat for an official portrait. The SCOTUSblog banner above was based on that photo. Interestingly another photo taken at the same time shows a wider view of the room including a portrait of Chief Justice Roger Taney, author of the infamous Dred Scott opinion. I originally had included the Taney portrait — see below — but was persuaded that it might be confusing.
by Art Lien | Apr 17, 2021 | Arguments, Supreme Court
Late as lately usual, here are some sketches from the March arguments which continue to be heard remotely by telephone. Just in time for the April sitting beginning Monday.
Joshua P. Thompson for petitioners
California Solicitor General Michael J. Mongan
Eric R. Henkel, appointed by the Court
Shay Dvoretzky for petitioner
Kannon K. Shanmugam for petitioners
Samuel Issacharoff for respondent
Jeffery L. Kessler for respondents
by Art Lien | Mar 15, 2021 | Arguments, Supreme Court
Other than the Arizona voting case it was a pretty quiet calendar for the SCOTUS February sitting. This month will be pretty much the same, but April looks to pick up the pace. And I’m getting fat and lazy.
Neal K. Katyal for respondent
David J. Zimmer for respondent
Jeffrey Fisher, with law students, arguing for petitioner
Samuel T. Harbourt, California Deputy Solicitor General
Amanda K. Rice, Court-appointed amicus in support of judgement below
Mark A. Perry arguing for Smith & Nephew, Inc. in Arthrex
Jessica R. Amunson for repondent Secretary Hobbs
Sarah M. Harris for petitioners
by Art Lien | Feb 28, 2021 | Arguments, Supreme Court
Fencing surrounds SCOTUS following mob attack on capitol.
January was a little crazy here in DC so maybe I’ll be forgiven for forgetting to post these sketches in a timely manner. Fewer cases than usual were on the calendar, and arguments continued to be heard remotely by telephone.
Paul W. Hughes for respondents
Andrew A. Pinson for respondents
Kristen K. Waggoner for petitioners
Joel R. Marcus arguing for FTC
Kannon K. Shanmugam for petitioners
Victor M. Sher for respondents
by Art Lien | Dec 20, 2020 | Arguments, Supreme Court
I’ve imagined cobwebs on the bench. Maybe sheets have been thrown over the Justices’ chairs to protect them from dust like in an old horror movie.
Darkness was everywhere, it smelled like a tomb
I was ready to leave, I was already walkin’
But the next time I looked, there was light in the
We look forward to that day, probably the first Monday in October, when we are back in the courtroom. Meanwhile, the 2020 term goes on with lawyers making their arguments by telephone from dining room tables and law offices.
Cameron T. Norris for petitioner
Neal K. Katyal for petitioners
André Bélanger for petitioner
Elizabeth Murrill, Louisiana Solicitor General, for repondent.
Jonathan M. Freiman for petitioners
Sarah E. Harrington for respondents
Greg Silbert for petitioners
Nicholas M. O’Donnell for respondents
Professor Bryan Garner for respondents
Kannon Shanmugam for petitioner
Daniel L. Geyser for respondent
Aaron L. Nielson, Court-appointed amicus
by Art Lien | Nov 12, 2020 | Arguments, Supreme Court
With one third of the Supreme Court now comprised of Trump appointed justices there was fear that last Tuesday’s election might end up being decided by the justices. That now seems unlikely given the margins, much to the relief of the Court I imagine.
The Justices continue to hear arguments by telephone conference, though probably not on the receivers pictured above. Below are sketches done from photos arguing counsel were kind enough to send me.
Sarah M. Harris for petitioner
Sanjay Narayan for respondent
David M. Shapiro for petitioner
Mississippi Deputy Solicitor General Krissy C. Nobile
Kannon Shanmugam for petitioner
Neal Katyal for repondents
Lori Windham, with co-counsel Mark Rienzi, for petitioner
David Zimmer for petitioner
Patrick M. Jaicomo for respondent
Texas Solictor General Kyle D. Hawkins
California Solicitor General Michael J. Mongan
Courtartist is me, Art Lien. I've been sketching the courts since 1976, mainly for NBC News, and more recently SCOTUSblog. The U.S. Supreme Court is my regular beat.
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