Arguably, the chatterbox of the Supreme Court could be its most impactful voice. According to data gathered by Empirical SCOTUS, the chatterbox isn’t just an amusing moniker but a designation with significant weight. In the 2023 term, the honor of being the Supreme Court’s most talkative justice during oral arguments belongs to a justice who notably exceeded the word count of their colleagues last term.
This justice contributed over 43,000 words to the discussions, remarkably higher than the 26,879 words spoken by the second most talkative justice on the bench. The discourse at the highest court in the land, as it turns out, isn’t distributed evenly. More surprisingly, the loquacious decision-maker didn’t merely eclipse their nearest competitor but dwarfed them by nearly 16,000 words.
This study’s metrics provide an interesting look into oral argument behavior and dynamic within the Supreme Court. It’s enlightening for those interested both in the workings of the Supreme Court and in how the characteristics of individuals impact their roles in law and governance. To predict court outcomes, it’s crucial to comprehend the dynamics at play within the court, much of which is expressed during oral arguments. The full report can be read here.
So which justice owns the mantle of supreme court chatterbox? This honor went to…
Well, we leave that for you to find out in the comprehensive report shared earlier. Be ready for a surprise, as the answer might not be who you’d think. It appears the bench’s balance of power doesn’t necessarily align with the balance of voice.