Supreme Court Justice Circuit Riding Act

Key Points

• This bill would revive an old tradition called "circuit riding" that ended in 1911. It requires Supreme Court justices to travel outside Washington, D.C., and sit on panels of federal appeals courts around the country.
• Each justice must spend at least 10 days per year hearing oral arguments in person at a federal appeals court during a summer window from July 1 through October 1. Video or teleconference participation is not allowed.
• The bill aims to rebuild public trust in the Supreme Court, which the bill's findings say is near historic lows. Most Americans cannot even name a single justice, and supporters say this isolation hurts the court's legitimacy.
• To prevent conflicts of interest, a justice who participated in a case at the appeals court level would be disqualified from voting on that same case if it later reaches the Supreme Court.
• The Chief Justice would have 180 days after enactment to issue regulations for the program, developed in consultation with the Judicial Conference and after a public comment period. The government would cover all travel and lodging costs.

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