Justice Alito, You Don't Vote Twice on the Same Question
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Judges have a responsibility not to vote on an issue in public before they are asked to decide it in court. I'm reminded of a small dinner party I was lucky to attend a few years ago. Present were an orchestra conductor, a violinist, a journalist, and the chief justice of a state's supreme court. The guests engagingly chatted about details regarding the wonderful dinner, the hard work of musicians, and my own efforts in preventing nuclear weapons from being used. A school shooting had just occurred, and so I asked the judge for an opinion. The justice fell silent. And then I realized my gaffe. The justice, who was a possible nominee for the U.S. Supreme Court, would not discuss any issue tonight that was likely to appear before the State Court in the future. She did not want to vote twice.
Justice Alito, You Don't Vote Twice on the Same Question
Justice Alito, You Don't Vote Twice on the…
Justice Alito, You Don't Vote Twice on the Same Question
Judges have a responsibility not to vote on an issue in public before they are asked to decide it in court. I'm reminded of a small dinner party I was lucky to attend a few years ago. Present were an orchestra conductor, a violinist, a journalist, and the chief justice of a state's supreme court. The guests engagingly chatted about details regarding the wonderful dinner, the hard work of musicians, and my own efforts in preventing nuclear weapons from being used. A school shooting had just occurred, and so I asked the judge for an opinion. The justice fell silent. And then I realized my gaffe. The justice, who was a possible nominee for the U.S. Supreme Court, would not discuss any issue tonight that was likely to appear before the State Court in the future. She did not want to vote twice.