During a little-noticed oral argument over Indian lands in April, Justice Antonin Scalia did what he often does with lawyers whose positions he supports: He threw the advocate a lifeline.

Scalia stated his helpful view and told the lawyer, novice U.S. Supreme Court advocate Matthew Nelson, “You don’t disagree with that, do you?” Nelson, a partner at Warner Norcross & Judd in Grand Rapids, Mich., dutifully replied, “We don’t disagree.”