Published on: Monday, April 13, 2020

Today, the United States Supreme Court issued a press release announcing that it will hear for the first-time-ever oral arguments by telephone conference on May 4, 5, 6, 11, 12 and 13 in a limited number of cases (13) previously postponed because of the COVID-19 pandemic. The thirteen cases scheduled for telephonic oral agument in the press release all appear to be time-senstive, e.g., efforts by Congress and state prosecutors to get President Trump's tax records. The justices and counsel will participate remotely.  It is anticipated that the Court will live stream audio of the argument to the media, meaning the public will be able to listen-in (also unprecedented). One advocate, Professor Steve Vladeck of University of Texas Law School, who had two cases set for oral argument in March 2020 that are not among the May telephonic arguments, has tweeted that the Court has told "counsel in the remaining cases that they'll be argued in the fall--not decided without oral argument."