chevron-down Created with Sketch Beta.
    December 30, 2024

    U.S. Supreme Court Swearing In

    Hon. Heather Welch
    The Supreme Court the morning of the swearing in.

    The Supreme Court the morning of the swearing in.

    On October 8, 2024, a group of Judicial Division members of the ABA had the opportunity and pleasure of being sworn in to the United States Supreme Court Bar. It was an exciting and memorable day. Since this was the second day of the Court’s new term, it was a packed house. The anticipation about the swearing-in, and the two arguments the court would hear that day was overwhelming.

    The JD members consisted of seven attorneys and judges; all women. Monica Fennell of the Lawyers Conference was the leader of our group and guided us through the process and read our names to the members of the US Supreme Court. Monica previously worked as a U.S. Supreme Court Fellow, assigned to the Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts and was familiar with the process. Our group first met the night prior to the swearing in for dinner at Fogo De Chao. This was a wonderful opportunity to get to know each other.

    Dinner the night prior to the swearing in

    Dinner the night prior to the swearing in

    We all arrived on the cool but sunny morning of Tuesday, October 8, 2024, to become members of the US Supreme Court. While this was my second opportunity to watch the US Supreme Court hear oral arguments, it was just as exciting as the first time in 1993 when I was a third year law student. The staff and security for the court were amazing and made sure all the details were taken care of so the Justices could start on time. The swearing in took place first and then the Justices moved on to the oral arguments on the case of Garland v. VanDerStock and Lackey v. Stinnie.

    The group met early outside the Court

    The group met early outside the Court

    The oral arguments on the Garland case also known as the “Ghost Gun” case addressed whether firearms parts kits can be classified as firearms under the Gun Control Act 1968 by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (“ATF”). The US Supreme Court will determine whether the ATF exceed its statutory authority in promulgating its Final Rule purporting to regulate so-called “ghost guns”?

    The Justices had many questions for both the Solicitor General Elizabeth Preloger and counsel for VanDerStock. The second case was Lackey v. Stinnie. While this case was also fascinating to judges and lawyers, it was probably not as exciting to all the non-lawyers in the court as it addressed whether a party who obtains a preliminary injunction is a “prevailing party” for the purposes of being entitled to attorneys’ fees under 42 U.S.C. § 1988.

    As the Chair of the Judicial Division, I decided to attend the swearing in, and I am so glad I did. This memory will last forever and I always relish the opportunity to meet new friends in the JD. Each year the ABA Judicial Division provides this member benefit, and I encourage anyone who is not yet a member of the US Supreme Court Bar to participate. You can email Danielle Norwood, JD staff at [email protected].

    Entity:
    Topic:
    The material in all ABA publications is copyrighted and may be reprinted by permission only. Request reprint permission here.