The Supreme Court is the top U.S. court. The court works to decide what the country’s top laws mean. On November 13, the court did something new. It put out rules for itself.
The Supreme Court started in 1789. There has never been a rulebook for the judges to follow. Their only job is to interpret the to decide court cases. There are some the judges follow. For example, they shake hands before working. However, none of those traditions are written down.
Now, there are nine pages of rules. One part of the guide says justices should be careful when taking gifts. A justice must be . He or she shouldn’t ever let someone’s gift affect an opinion.
The rules also give a guide on when judges should remove themselves from a case. This removal is called a recusal. A justice is expected to recuse him or herself from a case if they have a . Another situation that could lead to a recusal is if the justices know someone involved with a case.
Some people have spoken out. They include Dick Durbin. He’s a senator for Illinois. Durbin said the guide “falls short.” Still, Durbin called the rulebook “a step in the right direction.”
For now, the court will continue its work.
Updated November 15, 2023, 5:01 P.M. (ET)
By Ryan Cramer
