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U.S. NEWS Tuesday 3 January 2023
At the Supreme Court, it's taking longer to hear cases

By JESSICA GRESKO also a "considerably more
Associated Press active questioner" than her
WASHINGTON (AP) — predecessor, Jay said.
When lawyers argue be- According to Adam Feld-
fore the Supreme Court, a man, the creator of the
small white light goes on to Empirical SCOTUS blog,
tell them when their time is Jackson has spoken about
almost expired and then a 36,000 words this term while
red light signals when they her most vocal colleague,
should stop. But arguments Justice Elena Kagan, has
this term are extending well spoken only about 24,000.
beyond the red light's cue. The justices' new format has
Arguments that usually tripped up some lawyers
lasted an hour in the morn- who are used to the old
ing have stretched well way of doing business and
beyond two, and on many have moved to sit down
days it's long past lunchtime when the red light on their
before the court breaks. podium went on.
The lengthy arguments Longer arguments are, in
have to do with a change fact, a return for the court.
the justices have made Early in the court's history,
to their argument style, a cases could take days to
switch tied to the coro- argue.
navirus pandemic, lead- An American flag waves in front of the U.S. Supreme Court building in Washington, June 27, 2022. During the 1800s, when the
ing to the justices asking Associated Press justices heard arguments
more questions. Justices argument the high court "I'm here all day, Justice time, the justices each get from noon to 4 p.m. without
have said in the past that heard in the term that end- Gorsuch," Olson said. a chance to ask any re- a lunch break, tables were
lawyers' written briefs, not ed in June — and that term The reason high court argu- maining questions, again in set up behind the bench
oral arguments, most influ- included major cases on ments are running longer seniority order. That switch and the justices would
ence their decisions, so it's abortion and guns. goes back to a change the led to an average of 18 leave one or two at a time
unclear if the extra time is In the graphic artist case on justices made in 2020. After extra minutes per case last to eat.
really helping them decide Dec. 5, Justice Neil Gorsuch the pandemic began, the term, said lawyer William "The audience could not
cases. Whether that trend engaged in friendly banter justices decided to hold ar- Jay, who's been tracking see them eating, but they
will continue is also an open with attorneys about the guments by telephone and the extra time. could very distinctly hear
question. length of arguments. abandoned their typical Jay said by email the lon- the rattle of the knives and
In December, an argument "Good morning, Mr. Olson," free-for-all style of question- gest argument so far this forks," court history expert
about whether a Colorado Gorsuch said around 11:30 ing. Instead, each justice term was a case involv- Clare Cushman has written.
graphic artist can refuse to a.m., after arguments had got a few minutes to ask ing the adoption of Native The length of arguments
create wedding websites been going on for nearly questions in order of senior- American children, which shrank over the years until
for same-sex couples lasted an hour and a half. ity. ran three hours and 13 in 1970, under Chief Justice
two hours and 25 minutes. "Is it still morning?" respond- When the justices moved minutes. Jay said his sense Warren Burger, it became
And an important elec- ed Colorado lawyer Eric R. back to in-person argu- is that the justices seem 30 minutes per side. The
tions case that was sched- Olson. ments in their courtroom more comfortable with the court's website claims that's
uled for an hour and a half "Just barely," Gorsuch re- more than a year and a format this term and that still the case. "Typically,
clocked in at two hours plied to laughter from the half later, they returned to the questions are longer. the Court holds two argu-
and 53 minutes. Already, audience. "It must not feel the largely free-for-all ques- Justice Ketanji Brown Jack- ments each day beginning
a handful of arguments like it standing where you tioning. Now, however, at son, who replaced retiring at 10:00 a.m., each lasting
have been longer than any are." the end of each lawyer's Justice Stephen Breyer, is one hour," it says.q

N.Y. lawmakers get pay raise making

them nation’s best-paid

By MAYSOON KHAN $110,000. $35,000. Pay in excess of
Associated Press/Report for The law went into effect that from military service,
America Sunday. retirement plans, or invest-
ALBANY, N.Y. (AP) — Just Before the pay boost, ments will still be allowed.
in time for the New Year, state lawmakers in Califor- Some Democrats in the
New York lawmakers have nia were the highest paid legislature supported the
become the highest paid with a yearly base salary of pay raise, and said it was
state legislators in the na- $119,000, according to the necessary in order to keep
tion under a bill signed Sat- National Conference of up with the cost of living.
urday. State Legislatures. But some Republican law-
Members of both houses New York lawmakers makers spoke out against New York state Senate Deputy Majority Leader Michael Gianaris,
are getting a pay raise of passed the pay-raise bill the bill during the special D-Astoria, left, greets Sen. Andrew J. Lanza, R-Staten, after
$32,000, for a base salary of during a special session in session, criticizing the ban debating legislation to approve a legislative pay raise during
$142,000, under a bill Gov. late December. on the outside income. a special legislative session in the Senate Chamber at the state
Capitol in Albany, N.Y., Dec. 22, 2022.
Kathy Hochul signed a day The new pay raise comes "Their attempt to buy po- Associated Press
before her inauguration with restrictions, though. litical cover by instituting
Sunday. That's a 29% raise Starting in 2025, outside in- a ban on outside income it will make it worse," said in explaining his "no" vote
over their previous salary of come will be capped at won't make Albany better, state Sen. George Borrello on the bill. q