Oral Arguments: Surprisingly Never a Dull Moment

October 1st is not a particularly special day for many people, but this year it was for me.  It was the first Monday in October, which made it the beginning of the 2012-2013 term of the Supreme Court.  By some stroke of luck, I was able to get a seat in the courtroom to witness it.  Well before 10AM, I headed to the courtroom to be seated, finding myself impressed by how full the courtroom was.  At exactly 10 o’clock, the Justices made their entrance into the courtroom and took their places.  The Chief Justice announced the opening of the term, admitted new members to the Supreme Court Bar, and then started on the first case.  Kiobel v. Dutch Royal Petroleum as a strange case to hear because the question of why it was even being heard in the United States was repeated several times.  A little used Alien Tort Statute, established by the Judiciary Act of 1789 served as the purpose for the Supreme Court hearing the case, as well as the diplomatic issues that could arise from different rulings.  Still, many Justices weren’t convinced and displayed that during the time each side is given.  The attorneys only have thirty minutes each to argue their case, and the Justices can ask questions at any time, so it becomes a large question-and-answer session to help the Justices clarify and make decisions.  When the first hour was finished, the second case began.

Lozman v. City of Riviera Beach, Fl. Provided some comic relief.  While the underlying issue—what exactly is a vessel ?—is very serious and could have some pretty far reaching consequences, the case itself was  hilarious.  A Florida millionaire, described as eccentric, owned a floating home and was connected to the dock by a rope and extension cord.  In determining if this was a vessel or not, the Justices considered whether inner tubes or styrofoam couches that floated along the river could also be vessels, too.  At times, I found myself laughing out loud at the comments made by the Justices, but never forgetting that the case at hand as far more serious than one man’s desire to have his home float on the river.

Overall, I was incredibly pleased by my ability to hear the arguments.  It was not until I received this internship that I even entertained the idea that I might get to view oral arguments, and I never thought I would get to see such exciting cases.

If you would like to read more about the cases, this website has really great information : www.SCOTUSblog.com

            If you would like to listen to the cases I heard, they will be online on Friday here : http://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_audio.aspx

-Katie