Fun traditions at the U.S. Supreme Court (SCOTUS Part 3 of 3).

Hello, my name is Judge Kenton Skarin, and I am running for Illinois Third District Appellate Court in November 2024.

In my last two posts, I sketched how I got my job working at the United States Supreme Court and detailed the Court’s workload.

Fortunately, not everything at the Court is work.  The Court is a small place, like a family.  Like any family, it has its quirky traditions and fun.

Some people know that the Court has a basketball court, known as “The Highest Court in the Land,” because it is directly above the actual courtroom.  The Supreme Court police officers square off on the Highest Court against all comers—they usually win, in part because the ceiling is too low for good three pointers.

In addition, each chambers hosts weekly happy hours in the private courtyards.  Justices sometimes stop by, but usually it is just the law clerks and their spouses and children.  The happy hours are an important opportunity to build relationships, whether or not you always agree.

Then there are the annual traditions, like the dodgeball game refereed by the Chief Justice, the awkward year-end play, or the Christmas party with decoration of the giant tree.  Yes, I have put glass balls on a tree while swaying twenty feet above the marble floor of the Court’s Great Hall. 

All of these moments help build the special collegiality that the Court usually enjoys, whether or not it gets reported.  They remind you just how lucky you are to be part of an institution like the Court.

I hope these posts have given you a hint of what working at the Supreme Court is like.  I want to bring that same excellence, work ethic, and collegiality to the Illinois Third District Appellate Court.  I am asking you to vote for me in November 2024.

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