Federal Courts and Nominations

RELEASE: CAC Reacts To SCOTUS April Argument Calendar Postponement

“The lower courts — and indeed, workers in various industries across the nation — have all risen to the challenge of adapting to the extraordinary circumstances of the coronavirus pandemic, balancing important public health safety concerns with the need for vital work to be completed. Our nation’s highest court is too important to fail to do the same.” — CAC President Elizabeth Wydra

WASHINGTON — On news today that the U.S. Supreme Court announced that it has postponed oral arguments scheduled for April, Constitutional Accountability Center President Elizabeth Wydra issued the following reaction:

While we understand what is motivating the Court’s decision to cancel in-person argument in April, the Court’s announcement today still does not provide any clarity regarding what is going to happen to cases that were supposed to be argued in March and April. We urge the Court to identify alternate ways to hold oral argument, such as via teleconference or videoconference, and to do so sooner rather than later. The lower courts — and indeed, workers in various industries across the nation — have all risen to the challenge of adapting to the extraordinary circumstances of the coronavirus pandemic, balancing important public health safety concerns with the need for vital work to be completed. Our nation’s highest court is too important to fail to do the same. The cases to be argued before the Court, including cases involving congressional and grand jury subpoenas of the President’s financial records, require resolution without further delay.

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Resources:

“The Supreme Court can’t let the coronavirus get in the way of deciding major cases,” by Ashwin Phatak, Washington Post, March 31, 2020: https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2020/03/31/supreme-court-cant-let-coronavirus-get-way-deciding-major-cases/

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Constitutional Accountability Center is a think tank, public interest law firm, and action center dedicated to fulfilling the progressive promise of the Constitution’s text and history. Visit CAC’s website at www.theusconstitution.org.

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