The Supreme Court is an institution long revered for its integrity, legal prowess, and robust constitutional scholarship and reasoning. However, there are some facts about the justices themselves that may not be as well-known as their contributions to the law.
- Justices sometimes have financial troubles. Justice James Wilson—one of the Founding Fathers and key delegates from Pennsylvania at the Constitutional Convention—missed a Supreme Court term to avoid going to jail. The justice had fled to North Carolina and did not attend the February 1798 Court term because of fear of being imprisoned over unpaid debts he owed as a result of land speculation, including $197,000 he owed to Pierce Butler of South Carolina—a fellow delegate at the Convention.
- And behavioral issues, too. Justice Henry Baldwin missed the entire 1833 term of the Court due to hospitalization for “incurable lunacy.” Despite his colleagues emphasizing throughout the early 1830s that the justice “could not be sane,” Justice Baldwin remained a voting member of the Court until his death in 1844.
- More than one hallowed hall? Justice Bryon “Whizzer” White—appointed to the court by President John F. Kennedy—is the only justice elected into the College Football Hall of Fame (in 1954).
- Fashion choices are optional. Chief Justice William Rehnquist, inspired by a local production of Gilbert and Sullivan’s operetta Iolanthe that he attended, decided to design a new judge’s robe similar to the one worn by the Lord Chancellor in the production. He surprised court attendees one day by wearing the new robe on the bench, which was black with four gold stripes on each sleeve.
- Justices still need to follow parking rules. Not even serving on the nation’s highest court can keep you from getting a parking ticket in Philadelphia. In 2012, Justice Antonin Scalia was double-parked at the Union League of Philadelphia when the justices’ two cars—"at least one featuring a U.S. Supreme Court Police parking placard”—each received a $31 ticket from the Philadelphia Parking Authority.
- A little-known Court committee. Justice Elena Kagan is responsible for the installation of the first frozen-yogurt machine in the Supreme Court cafeteria. Per Court tradition, each new justice must serve on the court’s “cafeteria committee.” Kagan claims she will be remembered as the “frozen-yogurt justice” for bringing the traditionalist canteen into the 21st century.
- Serving in two courts at once. Justice Robert Jackson spent a year away from the Court while serving as the lead prosecutor in the Nuremberg trials after World War II. His time abroad did not sit well with many of his fellow justices, including Chief Justice Harlan Stone and Justice William O. Douglas.
- Different career choices. Before ascending to the Court, Justice Clarence Thomas first considered becoming a priest for the Catholic Church. He even attended Conception Seminary at the college level. However, Thomas struggled with the Church’s stance on civil rights and ultimately left the path of the priesthood.
- Old traditions at the Court. As was done during the earliest days on the Court, white goose-feather quill pens are still placed on the counsel tables each day that the Court is in session. Supreme Court advocates often take the quill pens home as souvenirs, since the pens aren’t actually used in court.
- Who was the funniest recent justice? A study done by law professor Jay Wexler of the 2004 Supreme Court term revealed that Justice Scalia, in recent years, had been the funniest of the justices, triggering 77 rounds of laughter in the term during argument (about one laugh per argument). (Justice Breyer was next, at 45 laughs, while Justice Ginsburg produced only four laughs). A later study from 2011-2012 seemed to confirm that Scalia was the funniest.
Alexandra “Mac” Taylor is a Content Fellow for the National Constitution Center. Olivia Gross is a Constitutional Content Intern at the National Constitution Center.
