Top Justices ‘like Scorpions’ (Press, 28 July 1986)
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Summary: Top Justices ‘like Scorpions’ (Press, 28 July 1986)
On 28 July 1986, Justice Harry Blackmun of the United States Supreme Court expressed his views on the Court's recent term, describing it as the most challenging of his 16-year tenure. Speaking at the Eighth Circuit Judicial Conference in Minneapolis, Blackmun remarked on the deteriorating atmosphere within the Court, noting, "The Court is getting older, a little more short-tempered." He indicated that significant issues, such as abortion, sodomy, and matters of religion, have led to heightened tensions among the justices, highlighting their dissatisfaction and impatience with one another. Justice Blackmun's comments were framed as personal opinions, rather than reflections of the entire Court's stance. He candidly observed that the justices had begun to bicker from the start of the term in September, likening their dynamic to "nine scorpions in a bottle." This imagery underlined the extent of the discord among the members of the Court during this period. Additionally, Blackmun, who is renowned for authoring the landmark 1973 decision that legalised abortion, expressed strong dissent regarding a recent ruling that upheld a Georgia statute criminalising sodomy between consenting adults in private. He condemned the majority opinion on this matter as "outrageous," showcasing his critical stance on the Court's direction in handling such sensitive social issues. These statements were part of Blackmun’s annual review of the Supreme Court's activities, which he shares with judges of the Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals. His yearly reviews have gained a reputation for their candidness about the inner workings of the Court, a rarity among Supreme Court justices and indicative of Blackmun's willingness to engage openly with his colleagues in the judiciary. Justice Blackmun had previously served as a judge in the Eighth Circuit from 1959 until his elevation to the Supreme Court in 1970.
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