Elena Kagan,just confirmed by the U.S. Senate, will be sworn in at the Supreme Court on Saturday, the Court has just announced. Chief Justice John Roberts Jr. will do the honors. The plan mirrors last year's Saturday oath-taking for Sonia Sotomayor on Aug. 7, and also reflects the views of retired Justice John Paul Stevens, Kagan's predecessor.
Stevens publicly criticized the recent trend of justices being sworn in at the White House, which Stevens said sent the wrong message about the Court being an equal branch of government independent from the executive. President Barack Obama took the criticism into account in signing off on Sotomayor -- and now, apparently, Kagan -- being sworn in at the Court. A formal investiture, also at the Court, is set for Friday Oct. 1, three days before the beginning of the fall term.
Excerpts from the Court's announcement about plans for Kagan's introduction into the Court follows:
Elena Kagan will be sworn in as the 100th Associate Justice of the Supreme Court on Saturday, August 7, at 2 p.m. at the Supreme Court of the United States. Chief Justice John G. Roberts, Jr., will first administer the Constitutional Oath in a private ceremony in the Justices’ Conference Room attended by members of the Kagan family. The Chief Justice will then administer the Judicial Oath in the West Conference Room before a small gathering of Elena Kagan’s family and friends.
The Judicial Oath ceremony in the West Conference Room will be open to pool coverage. There will be no opportunity for interviews or questions at the ceremony.
A formal investiture ceremony will take place on Friday, October 1, at 2 p.m. at a special sitting of the Court in the Courtroom. Further details regarding that ceremony and other opportunities for coverage will be provided as they become available.
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