Asking questions during oral arguments is part of a Supreme Court justice’s job. But, beginning in 2006, Clarence Thomas went a decade without asking a single one. But in recent years, due in part to changes made during the pandemic to how oral arguments are conducted, Thomas has become one of the court’s most active questioners. In this video, we look at the purpose of questions during oral arguments and examine why, after so many years of being silent, Justice Thomas found his voice.
Video features:
- Paul Clement, former US Solicitor General and partner at Clement & Murphy
- Sarah Harris, a former law clerk to Justice Thomas and a partner at Williams & Connolly
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