The United States Supreme Court announced today it will hear several cases next month by phone.
It's a historical first for the Supreme Court, which says in keeping with public health guidance in response to COVID-19, justices will participate remotely by hearing ten oral arguments via teleconference on several cases that were delayed in March and April.
Rory Little is a professor at UC Hastings College of the Law, and he told KCBS Radio that the justices much prefer to hear oral arguments in person and to not expect them to make this a habit.
“So much human communication is not just in the words, but the perception of the person, both the speaker and the listener,” he said.
Professor Little said that while this won't change the way cases are presented or the questions the justices ask, it will alter the process.
“It’s difficult for the lawyers involved, because normally you can see the justices’ faces,” he said. “So if you see a justice scowling at you, or smiling or looking at you with a curious look on their face, you can say ‘Well, Justice Ginsberg, I see you look a little concerned about it, I see that my answer may not be satisfying you.’”
The cases set for teleconference include President Trump's financial records, religious freedom and the Electoral College.
The arguments are not likely to be posted live on the court's website, which couldn't handle the volume. Instead, the audio will be released through a network pool and from there, on media websites.
