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For the first time in just over a decade, Supreme Court Associate Justice Clarence Thomas asked a question during oral argument -- and after breaking his streak Monday, he followed up with even more questions.
Justice Thomas’s questions, which voiced concern about protecting gun ownership rights, underscore yet another way the court has changed suddenly since the Feb. 13 death of Justice Antonin Scalia. Justice Scalia was a leading figure at oral argument, often dominating the questioning of lawyers from the bench.
Prior to Monday, Justice Thomas’s last question during oral argument came on Feb. 22, 2006, in a South Carolina murder case.
Justice Thomas previously has offered explanations for not asking questions. He generally has said it is a matter of being respectful to the lawyers, who get interrupted regularly and sometimes don’t get long stretches of air time to present their arguments.
