Rehnquist to remain absent from Supreme Court session News
Rehnquist to remain absent from Supreme Court session

[JURIST] US Supreme Court spokeswoman Kathy Arberg has announced that Chief Justice William H. Rehnquist will not be present for the judicial session beginning this Monday, when the Supreme Court reconvenes to hear oral arguments. The session, consisting of two arguments per day, lasts Nov. 29 through Dec. 1 and Dec. 8 through Dec. 10. Rehnquist, 80 years old, was diagnosed with thyroid cancer in October, and missed arguments in the first half of November. While he nevertheless continues to vote in the Court's decisions, some parties have questioned the Chief Justice’s ability to keep up with his workload. Arberg’s announcement, made Friday, released little information on the health and treatment of Justice Rehnquist, though she did state that “He is tolerating those [outpatient] treatments well." His absence continues to be the focus of great speculation as there has not been a Supreme Court vacancy in over 10 years. The Washington Post has more.

THIS DAY @ LAW

Montgomery started racially-integrated bus service after boycott

On December 21, 1956, buses in Montgomery, Alabama, started racially integrated service following federal court rulings ending on-board segregation. Bus boycott leaders Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King and Rev. Ralph Abernathy were among the first riders under the new scheme. Learn about the Montgomery Bus Boycott.

Stalin born

On December 21, 1879, Joseph Stalin was born in Gori, Georgia. In 1922, he became leader of the USSR until his death in 1953. During his time as Soviet dictator, Stalin industrialized his country, which he then led to become one of the world's two superpowers after WWII. Through his infamous purges, show trials and nationwide famines, Stalin also became responsible for millions of deaths.