The U.S. Supreme Court’s final oral argument of the term on April 27 capped an October-to-April argument season filled with funny, awkward, contentious, historic and sometimes poignant moments.
The court heard 38 arguments before the death of Justice Antonin Scalia on Feb. 13, and 31 after. During the February arguments, black bunting served as a reminder of Scalia’s passing. But his absence was clear in other ways, as justices adjusted their courtroom dynamics. As Justice Stephen Breyer put it, the court became a “grayer place” without Scalia, who was known for his caustic questioning.
