We come to the close of an historic Supreme Court session remembering the best one-liners, stingers, insightful analysis and even some legal levity. The Justices never disappoint. Here are our favorite quotes from this term:
1. “Welcome to Groundhog Day.”
Justice Scalia Concurring in Glossip v. Gross, June 29, 2015
2. Justice Alito: Well, as far as searching a beard is concerned, why can’t the prison just give the inmate you could develop whatever kind of comb you want, and comb your beard, and if there’s anything in there, if there’s a SIM card in there or a revolver or anything else you think can be hidden in a 1/2 beard, a tiny revolver, it’ll fall out.
Oral Arguments in Holt v. Hobbs, October 7, 2014
Related: Supreme Court may revisit abortion, birth control next term
3. Justice Scalia: Does Texas also have specialty plates insofar as the letters or numbers of the plates are concerned? I mean, can you get a license plate that says “Hot Stuff” or something like that?
Oral Arguments in Walker v. Texas Div., Sons of Confederate Veterans, Inc., March 23, 2015
4. Justice Ginsburg: How about “Make pot legal.” Attorney George: Say it again. Justice Ginsburg: “Make pot legal.” Attorney George: Yes. Justice Ginsburg: That’s okay? And “Bong hits for Jesus”? (Laughter) Attorney George: Yes.
Oral Arguments in Walker v. Texas Div., Sons of Confederate Veterans, Inc., March 23, 2015
5. “Statements on social media that are pointedly directed at their victims, by contrast, are much more likely to be taken seriously. To hold otherwise would grant a license to anyone who is clever enough to dress up a real threat in the guise of rap lyrics, a parody, or something similar.”
Justice Alito concurring in part and dissenting in part, Elonis v. United States 6/1/156. Justice Ginsburg: Interrupting Justice Scalia, “Someone wake me up when he stops talking.” Adding, “Look, it’s not like he’s going to say anything on this subject that I haven’t heard him say nine zillion times before,” then deciding “I’m gonna get me some shut-eye.”
Oral arguments in Obergefell v. Hodges 4/28/15
7. “The Affordable Care Act contains more than a few examples of inartful drafting….the Act does not reflect the type of care and deliberation that one might expect of such significant legislation.”
Chief Justice Roberts delivering the majority opinion, King v. Burwell 6/25/15 8. “What chumps! Didn’t they realize that all they had to do was interpret the constitutional term “the Legislature” to mean “the people”? The Court today performs just such a magic trick with the Elections Clause.” Chief Justice Roberts Dissenting, Arizona State Legislature v. Arizona Independent Redistricting Commission, June 29, 2015 9. “Ask the nearest hippie.” Justice Scalia Dissenting in Obergefell v. Hodges 6/26/15 10. “The Court’s next bit of interpretive jiggery-pokery involves other parts of the Act that purportedly presuppose the availability of tax credits on both federal and state Exchanges.” Justice Scalia Dissenting in King v. Burwell 6/25/15 11. “In this world, or at least in this Nation, we can have a death penalty that at least arguably serves legitimate penological purposes or we can have a procedural system that at least arguably seeks reliability and fairness in the death penalty’s application. We cannot have both.” Justice Breyer Dissenting in Glossip v. Gross June 29, 2015
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