The U.S. Supreme Court's 2003 ruling in McConnell v. FEC was a major victory for Congress' power to enact campaign finance rules. It also was a major headache for the justices and court staff.

In a December memo, Frank Wagner, then the court's reporter of decisions, told the justices and their clerks that he was recommending new style rules to "aid reader comprehension of this very lengthy, complex, and unique decision."