Supreme Court Justice spars with litigator for one stunning accusation
The highest court in the land has its hands full. Now they’re going on the offensive.
Because this Supreme Court Justice sparred with a litigator for one stunning accusation.
Supreme Court Clash Highlights Disability Rights Case
In a Supreme Court session on Monday, Justice Neil Gorsuch sharply rebuked seasoned attorney Lisa Blatt during oral arguments in a pivotal disability discrimination case, captivating legal observers with an unusually intense exchange.
The case, A.J.T. v. Osseo Area Schools, probes whether public schools can be held accountable under the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 and the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 for alleged discrimination against students with disabilities.
Gorsuch Challenges Inflammatory Rhetoric
The courtroom drama unfolded as Blatt, a veteran Supreme Court advocate from Williams & Connolly representing Minnesota’s Osseo Area Schools, accused the plaintiffs of “lying” about the school district’s position.
The plaintiffs, parents of a girl with severe epilepsy, are suing the school for denying their daughter morning at-home education—an accommodation available in other state districts.
Gorsuch swiftly called out Blatt’s choice of words, urging her to be “more careful with their words.”
Blatt pushed back, saying, “OK well, they should be more careful in mischaracterizing a position by an experienced advocate of the Supreme Court, with all due respect.”
Gorsuch, undeterred, later reiterated his concern:
“Ms. Blatt, I confess I’m still troubled by your suggestion that your friends on the other side have lied.”
As Blatt attempted to defend her stance, Gorsuch interrupted, “I think we’re going to have to, here. And I’d ask you to reconsider that phrase.”
Tense Exchange Ends with Retraction
The confrontation peaked when Gorsuch, raising his voice, demanded, “Withdraw your accusation, Ms. Blatt,” after reading from the plaintiffs’ brief to challenge her claim. Blatt, after several interruptions, relented with a curt, “Fine, I withdraw.”
The plaintiffs, in their rebuttal, chose not to engage in the “name-calling,” maintaining focus on their case.
The heated exchange reverberated beyond the courtroom, with veteran appeals court litigator Raffi Melkonian commenting online, “I’ve never heard Justice Gorsuch so angry.”
The clash has spotlighted not only the legal stakes in the disability rights case but also the high tensions that can surface in Supreme Court debates.
