Excerpt from ABA Journal: (click for entire presentation)
Outside the U.S. Supreme Court building this morning, some of the circus atmosphere returned from the days in March when the Affordable Care Act cases were argued.
9:35 a.m. Inside the courtroom, as observers arrive and seats are filling with the lucky members of the public, the press, and the Supreme Court bar. There is nervous anticipation. Sen. Orrin Hatch, R-Utah, arrives and greets Rep. Michele Bachmann, R-Minn., at the front of the general public seating.
9:55 a.m. The regular routine kicks in. A court officer delivers the same short security announcement given every day the court is in session, about staying in your seat, where to exit in an emergency, etc. Still, a few members of the press section stand up now and then to try and see whether any more VIPs have entered. For all the drama, the courtroom is a bit short on star power.
10 a.m. The justices emerge from behind the curtains and take their seats. Justice Antonin Scalia looks a bit grim. So does Justice Elena Kagan, though, so that doesn't reveal much. The other justices are poker-faced.
Chief Justice John G. Roberts Jr. moves quickly to say that Justice Anthony M. Kennedy will announce the court's disposition in United States v. Alvarez.
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