Q&A: Justice Clarence Thomas hospitalized, not with COVID | Well being and Health

The excessive courtroom introduced Sunday night that the 73-year-old justice had entered the hospital Friday after experiencing “flu-like signs” and underwent assessments. The courtroom stated that Thomas was recognized with an an infection and was being handled with intravenous antibiotics. The courtroom stated on the time that “his signs are abating,” but it surely didn’t say that Thomas had examined destructive for the virus.

At arguments on the courtroom Monday, Thomas’ chair to the best of Chief Justice John Roberts was empty and Roberts took notice of Thomas’ absence with out explaining why. He stated Thomas would participate within the circumstances primarily based on written briefs and recordings of the in-court arguments. Thomas, who has been on the courtroom since 1991, is presently its longest-serving justice.

Information of Thomas’ hospitalization got here simply earlier than the Senate Judiciary Committee opened hearings Monday on the nomination of Ketanji Brown Jackson, whom President Joe Biden has named to exchange retiring Justice Stephen Breyer. If confirmed, she can be the primary Black lady on the courtroom, however her affirmation wouldn’t change the ideological stability on the courtroom. Thomas is the courtroom’s second Black justice ever and considered one of six conservatives now on the courtroom.

Some questions and solutions about Thomas’ hospitalization:

IF IT’S NOT COVID-19, WHAT’S WRONG?

The courtroom supplied no extra details about the an infection that put Thomas within the hospital aside from to say he’s responding to intravenous antibiotics. There was no indication concerning the seriousness of the an infection or what brought about it, however the courtroom stated Sunday night he was anticipated to be out in a day or two.

Thomas has no recognized well being circumstances, however justices make their very own selections about what well being info to launch and when. The courtroom has stated that every one 9 justices have acquired the COVID-19 vaccine and booster shot.

The courtroom does often launch well being and different details about numerous justices. Its web site comprises press releases going again to late 2002, together with releases about well being problems with different justices. Sunday’s information seemed to be the primary time the courtroom issued well being details about Thomas in that approach.

IS IT ODD THE PUBLIC DIDN’T IMMEDIATELY KNOW THOMAS WAS HOSPITALIZED?

No. The courtroom provided no clarification for why it waited two days to reveal that the justice was within the hospital, but it surely’s not all the time obvious when the justices are getting medical remedy.

For instance, the late Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg was pretty forthcoming about her many well being points through the years, together with a number of bouts with most cancers. However in 2020 she waited greater than 4 months to disclose that her most cancers had returned and that she was present process chemotherapy.

That very same 12 months, Chief Justice John Roberts spent an evening in a hospital after he fell and injured his brow and wanted stitches. The damage wasn’t disclosed till a month later, after which solely as a result of The Washington Submit discovered of it.

Now-retired Justice Anthony Kennedy has been equally mum. In 2005 he stated nothing publicly when he had a stent inserted to maintain an artery open after experiencing delicate chest ache. The courtroom solely revealed the process when Kennedy returned to the hospital to have the stent changed 10 months later.

IS IT THE FIRST TIME A JUSTICE HAS MISSED ARGUMENTS BUT STILL VOTED ON A CASE?

No, and there are different current examples. Originally of 2019 when Ginsburg was recovering from most cancers surgical procedure she missed arguments however participated in selections primarily based on the briefs and transcripts of the arguments. She finally missed six days on which the courtroom heard a complete of 11 arguments and returned to the courtroom for arguments the next month.

In 2004 and 2005, when Chief Justice William Rehnquist was affected by thyroid most cancers and was not on the bench for 44 arguments over 5 months. Rehnquist voted in a lot of the circumstances for which he didn’t attend the arguments.

COULD THOMAS HAVE STILL PARTICIPATED IN ARGUMENTS FROM THE HOSPITAL?

Theoretically, sure. Different justices have participated in arguments remotely for the reason that courtroom began its time period within the fall and a few legal professionals have as properly. Justice Brett Kavanaugh participated remotely from his residence after testing constructive for COVID-19 and Justice Sonia Sotomayor participated remotely from her workplace when coronavirus case counts had been notably excessive. Justice Neil Gorsuch additionally participated remotely after getting what the courtroom described as a “abdomen bug,” however testing destructive for COVID-19.

For no matter motive, Thomas isn’t doing that. If he had, nonetheless, he wouldn’t have been the primary justice to take part in arguments from a hospital. Ginsburg participated remotely from Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore in 2020 whereas hospitalized with an an infection brought on by a gallstone. On the time, all of the justices had been taking part remotely and the courtroom was listening to arguments by cellphone due to the coronavirus pandemic.

The justices returned to in-person arguments in October after greater than a 12 months and a half of phone arguments. The courtroom remains to be closed to the general public, nonetheless, due to the pandemic.