Justice Thomas to Judges: Shut Up and Listen

[WSJ_law_blog]

The famously quiet Justice Clarence Thomas gave some not-entirely-shocking insight into his thoughts on advocacy. “I believe quite strongly we, as judges, need to take the approach we’re here to solve difficult problems, not debate with lawyers,” said Thomas, who spoke yesterday and participated in a panel discussion on professionalism at the 11th Circuit Appellate Practice Institute.

According to this report in the Fulton County Daily Report, he also said it’s the brief, not the oral argument, where the heavy lifting is done. But keep it short: “Do not assume that a judge is reading only your brief this week,” he said. “I always wrote a brief thinking: This is the last thing this judge wants to read.”