Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh Speaks Out on Slow Release of Opinions and Divided Bench

The Supreme Court of the United States has had a historically slow start to releasing opinions this term, leading some to speculate about the cause. This week, Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh addressed the issue during an appearance at the University of Notre Dame’s law school.

Kavanaugh said that the justices traditionally eat lunch together after every oral argument and other case discussions, so they spend a lot of time with each other talking about things other than work. He also noted that the court is now divided 6-3 between conservatives and liberals, and that this could lead to less consensus on a deeply divided bench.

Kavanaugh also suggested that the addition of Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson could be a factor in the slow pace, as she is the newest member of the court. He said that the justices have great relations both personally and professionally, and that the public shouldn’t read too much into the slow start.

On Monday, the justices finally announced a unanimous decision in one case and dismissed another. Every year the justices begin hearing cases in October and generally finish their work by the end of June before going on a summer break. It remains to be seen if the court will be able to catch up and finish their work on time.