Ruth Bader Ginsburg Will Miss Oral Arguments for the First Time

85-year-old Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg will not be at the Supreme Court on Monday, Jan. 7, 2019, to hear oral arguments. Ginsburg had lung cancer surgery in December, and this is the first case that will be heard in the court since her surgery.

In 1993, President Bill Clinton appointed Ginsburg to the Supreme Court and outside of judicial disqualification, she has never missed a day of work.

A court spokesperson stated that Ginsburg will work from home on the basis of filings, transcripts, and briefs. There is no date given when she will return to her job at the courthouse. By working from home, she will be unable to ask questions to those participating in the legal case.

Ginsburg had multiple medical issues. Despite her medical condition, she did not miss work. Ginsburg worked after radiation and heart surgery in the 1990s. She also worked following Pancreatic Cancer surgery in 2014, and again when she had broken bones resulting from two falls. One incident occurred last year.

Additionally, she did not miss oral arguments when her husband was being treated for cancer and when he died from the disease in 2010.

There is a great public interest in Ginsburg’s well being. If anything should happen to her forcing her to leave the bench, it would allow Donald Trump to appoint another Supreme Court Judge.

The Supreme Court is divided 5-4, favoring Republican appointees.

Should Trump appoint another judge, this would be the third appointment of his presidency.

If this should happen, he would probably appoint a conservative judge and that would give them an almost foolproof majority. This could cause great ramifications for social issues such as reproductive and gay rights.

Written By Barbara Sobel
Edited by Cathy Milne-Ware

Sources:
The Washington Post: Ruth Bader Ginsburg for the First Time Will Miss Oral Arguments
CNBC: Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg working from home for first arguments since cancer surgery
Fox News: Ruth Bader Ginsburg misses 1st oral argument in Supreme Court tenure, after surgery

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