SCOTUS To Hear Oral Arguments By Teleconference

Bloomberg News reports:

The U.S Supreme Court will hear arguments by telephone for the first time in its history, bowing to the coronavirus outbreak by rescheduling special sessions in May for 10 cases, including ones involving clashes over subpoenas for President Donald Trump’s financial records.

It’s an extraordinary step for the tradition-bound court, whose arguments are normally steeped in ritual and devoid of all but the most basic technology.

But with the pandemic making arguments in the courtroom impractical, the justices said they would adopt procedures that until now have been anathema to them. The court said the justices and lawyers will all participate remotely and the media will receive a live audio feed. Arguments will run from May 4 to May 13.