Summer Vacation: Supreme Court Justices Edition

Everybody needs a little R&R, even our Supreme Court Justices. While the most exciting thing (to us) that has happened to our Justices is their fashioning into comic book heroes (with my favorite justice as my favorite hero), they are actually traveling the country on speaking engagements.

Let's take a look at what the Justices have been up to this summer.

Chief Justice Roberts

Chief Justice Roberts spoke earlier today at the ABA 2014 Annual Meeting. In his speech, he spoke of the continuing relevance of the Magna Carta and called for lawyers to "rise above" political differences and noted that, "We in the judiciary must also look to the bar for broader assistance in maintaining the public's confidence in the integrity of our legal system," reports Reuters.

Justice Ginsburg

Justice Ginsburg reiterated her disagreement with the Court's opinion in Hobby Lobby, when she spoke at a reception for alumni and students at Duke University School of Law, reports The New York Times. The Justice also took some time out to respond to Above the Law writer, Staci Zaretsky's wedding invitation (how sweet).

Justice Scalia

Earlier this summer, Justice Scalia was the keynote speaker at the Colorado Defense Lawyers Association Annual Conference and he said what we've come to expect from him, reports The Telluride Daily Planet : "The notion that the Constitution is a living document -- you've got to be stupid to believe that. ... The Constitution is not a living document. It's a dead document ... It's an enduring document." Mental note: If you disagree with Justice Scalia, you are, apparently, "stupid."

Justice Kennedy

Justice Kennedy spoke at the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals Annual Conference, in July, when he noted that "The Constitution of the United States is a flawed document," He too, spoke about the Magna Carta, perhaps because the document will turn 800 next year, reports The San Francisco Chronicle.

Justice Sotomayor

Justice Sotomayor made an appearance at Fordham University, where she talked to 90 elementary school kids for Environmental Day, reports Catholic Education Daily. Just a few days earlier, Justice Sotomayor also addressed another set of children at the Bronx Children's Museum, where she found that keeping children in order is more difficult than keeping order in the court. This summer marks Justice Sotomayor's fifth year on the Supreme Court bench, says USA Today.

Justice Breyer

Last week, Justice Breyer marked 20 years on the Supreme Court Bench, and he noted the occasion by celebrating with former law clerks, reports USA Today. Congratulations Justice Breyer.

As for the other Justices, well, they're probably taking advantage of their time off and relaxing poolside (at least that's what we'd be doing).

Related Resources:

• SCOTUS Summer Reading List: After June, What Else You Going to Do? (FindLaw's Supreme Court of the United States Blog)
• A First Time for Everything: Supreme Court Summer Reading List (FindLaw's Supreme Court of the United States Blog)
• Snippets: Which Justice Are You?, ACA Subsidies, 'Notorious RBG' (FindLaw's Supreme Court of the United States Blog)