A rare moment of open tension between two Supreme Court justices played out on Thursday, only to be quietly walked back the very next day.
Justice Samuel Alito, who authored the majority opinion in an asylum case, appeared to directly challenge Justice Sonia Sotomayor while opinions were being delivered from the bench. Sotomayor had written the dissenting opinion in the case. The public back-and-forth was considered highly unusual by court observers, as justices rarely address each other’s written opinions in such a direct manner during proceedings.
The moment did not go unnoticed. By Friday, the Supreme Court moved to address the situation, describing what had occurred as a misunderstanding between the two justices.
Such exchanges on the bench are uncommon in the nation’s highest court, where justices typically allow their written opinions and dissents to speak for themselves without additional verbal commentary directed at colleagues.
