Supreme Court Justices at the State of the Union: Rules, Traditions, and Why So Many Skipped
By Robert Thorne
The empty velvet chairs in the House well point to a permanent shift in how Washington's branches interact. As the court and the executive branch lock horns over presidential power, statutory interpretations, and administrative rules, the artificial cheer of the Capitol chamber feels less convincing each year. Chief Justice Roberts will likely continue to show up alongside a rotating handful of colleagues to keep historical ties intact, but the days of a united nine-justice bench filling the well are effectively over. By staying at home, justices are choosing quiet institutional protection over the risky pageantry of modern Washington politics.
Robert Thorne covers electric vehicle innovations, autonomous driving systems, global mobility trends, and automotive engineering developments.
