April Fools’ Day, a day known for its pranks and unexpected surprises takes an even greater significance in the legal world because it is also the 74th birthday of the Supreme Court Justice, Samuel Alito. This occasion is often used by both critics and enthusiasts to articulate their sentiments towards his tenure.
With the internet teeming with celebrations and lighthearted jests on April Fool’s Day antics, some on the other side of the bench have evolved this event into a roast of Justice Alito’s tenure. Justice Alito’s verdicts have often sparked controversy and this provides plenty of fodder for the celebration. His brand of jurisprudence and frequent use of his power on the Court has sparked a significant thread of instances on social media platforms from the likes of Professor Melissa Murray.
Tweets of varied sentiments cascade the internet. Legal scholar, Anthony Michael Kreis, expressed awestruck admiration for Alito’s esteemed intellect in the Hobby Lobby decision. Another noteworthy opinion was from Elie Mystal, who applauded the consistency of Alito’s thoughts in Employment Division to Hobby Lobby. Bob Geiger, on the other hand, humorously envisions Alito binge-watching ‘The Handmaid’s Tale’ on his birthday, humorously painting the picture on Twitter that Alito perceives the show as a romantic comedy. Eric Segall, with his tongue firmly in cheek, commends Alito’s interpretation of burden with regards to religious exercise as the “most foolish of decisions.” Even the date coinciding with April Fool’s Day wasn’t spared from satire by Jack Adler, who jokingly called it “the greatest April Fool’s joke on America”.
Despite the wide range of sentiments, all served as an annually recurring reminder of Alito’s influence in the Supreme Court and the lasting impact of his verdicts.