Justice Thomas recounts a bad fall
Headline News
Justice Clarence Thomas' vote was not seriously in doubt when the Supreme Court took up the constitutionality of a ban on an abortion procedure in 2006. But Thomas did not attend the arguments on the issue and, other than a brief announcement that he was sick, his absence has not been explained until now.
Thomas said Thursday that his chair was empty that day in November 2006 because he took a spill the night before.
"I had the wonderful opportunity to fall on my face one night and was not able to make oral argument the following day as a result of it," he said at a hearing of a House appropriations subcommittee on the court's budget for the next year.
Thomas didn't identify the arguments he missed, but court officials said later he was referring to the abortion case. Thomas voted to uphold the federal ban.
The accident came up Thursday as part of an account about how well the court's Web site works and a plea for an extra $800,000 for the site.
Since October 2006, the court has been making argument transcripts available the same day a case is argued.
"In order to stay up to speed on the case and what occurred at oral argument, I simply went to our Web site later that day and it was there," Thomas said.
Related listings
-
SC won't fight Supreme Court stimulus challenge
Headline News 04/20/2009South Carolina Attorney General Henry McMaster says a lawsuit brought against the state over federal stimulus money is flawed and premature. But McMaster said in a filing with the Supreme Court on Monday that he won't oppose the state Supreme Court t...
-
SG Kagan Won't Argue Before High Court Until Next Term
Headline News 04/15/2009Elena Kagan, the Obama administration's top Supreme Court lawyer, is passing up the chance to make her first high-court argument in a big case over minority voting rights. Instead, Kagan, confirmed by the Senate last month as solicitor general, will ...
-
Court rules for suspect in dispute over confession
Headline News 04/06/2009The Supreme Court ruled Monday that confessions obtained by federal authorities before a suspect's first court appearance may be inadmissible if more than six hours elapse between an arrest and a court date. The court said in a 5-4 decision that long...
New York Commercial Litigation Law Firm - Woods Lonergan PLLC
Founded in 1993 by Managing Partner James F. Woods, Woods Lonergan PLLC has built a strong reputation as a resourceful and industrious firm that provides clients with clear, concise, and straightforward answers to their most challenging legal issues. Partner Lawrence R. Lonergan, who joined the firm in 2008, has been a friend and colleague to Mr. Woods for over 40 years and shares the same business philosophy. Woods Lonergan PLLC’s collective experience and expertise enables the firm to expeditiously and effectively analyze the increasing challenges clients face in an evolving business and legal world, in many instances, avoiding unnecessary time and expense to our clients. Our mission is simple: provide cutting-edge expertise and sound advice in select areas of the law for corporate and business clients. We thrive on providing each client with personalized attention, forceful representation, and a collaborative team effort that embraces collective knowledge.