Proposal to Move Supreme Court Oral Arguments to Regional Federal Courthouses
A legal commentator suggests the Supreme Court hold its oral arguments at various federal appellate courthouses across the country instead of Washington, D.C.
In a recent column, the writer urges the Supreme Court to relocate its oral argument sessions to the en banc rooms of federal appellate courts, naming locations such as Boston, Manhattan, Philadelphia, Richmond, New Orleans, Cincinnati, Chicago, St. Louis, San Francisco, Denver, and Atlanta. He notes that these venues are already equipped with security and suitable chambers for the justices and their clerks. Beyond arguments, the author proposes that justices conduct goodwill tours, visiting law schools and community groups in pairs to showcase civility, citing a recent joint congressional testimony by Elena Kagan and Amy Coney Barrett as an example.
He also suggests private meetings with local stakeholders—law enforcement, civil-rights advocates, prosecutors—and press briefings that differ from the usual, tightly managed book tours. The goal is to break the justices’ perceived isolation and foster direct dialogue with diverse constituencies while maintaining strict controls on recordings.
Why it matters
It proposes a way for the nation's highest court to become more visible and engaged with citizens across the United States.
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