The issue focused on what all of the court's justice appointees have in common, how they had been selected and which federal courts are still open.

A related legal question is whether Justice Thomas was affected by his previous service as an attorney for law firm King & Spalding. It has not been known if he also took some political action.

In a civil rights lawsuit brought by individuals against the city, two Supreme Court justices were named to represent them. They were dissents from the court's