SCOTUSblog
Encyclopedia
SCOTUSblog is a law blog
written by lawyer
s and law students about the Supreme Court of the United States
(Frequently abbreviated
"SCOTUS"). The blog is sponsored by Bloomberg Law. The blog's first post occurred October 1, 2002. The blog moved to its current address on February 7, 2005. In the same year, it was featured by BusinessWeek
in their weekly blog recommentation. A companion wiki
was added in 2007, but its features were subsequently integrated into the blog itself.
In June 2007 the site announced that it was about to experience its single largest daily readership at 100,000 page views per day. The increase in traffic coincided with the Supreme Court’s reversal of course on June 29, 2007, when it unexpectedly announced it would hear the Guantanamo Bay detainees’ challenges to the Military Commissions Act
. A 2008 article in the New York Law School
Law Review estimated that "Before the end of the afternoon, SCOTUSblog alone had posted more information about the case than most newspapers provided even the next day." The same article gave SCOTUSblog as an example of a successful law blog, together with Balkinization
and the Volokh Conspiracy, and noted that "With growing numbers of lawyers and legal scholars commenting on breaking legal issues, the blogosphere provides more sophisticated, in-depth analysis of the law than is possible even in a long-form magazine article." Edward Adams, editor and publisher of the American Bar Association
's ABA Journal, said that SCOTUSblog is one of the best law blogs. "It's run by lawyers and they cover the Supreme Court more intensively than any news organization does, and it does a better job, too."
Blog
A blog is a type of website or part of a website supposed to be updated with new content from time to time. Blogs are usually maintained by an individual with regular entries of commentary, descriptions of events, or other material such as graphics or video. Entries are commonly displayed in...
written by lawyer
Lawyer
A lawyer, according to Black's Law Dictionary, is "a person learned in the law; as an attorney, counsel or solicitor; a person who is practicing law." Law is the system of rules of conduct established by the sovereign government of a society to correct wrongs, maintain the stability of political...
s and law students about the Supreme Court of the United States
Supreme Court of the United States
The Supreme Court of the United States is the highest court in the United States. It has ultimate appellate jurisdiction over all state and federal courts, and original jurisdiction over a small range of cases...
(Frequently abbreviated
Abbreviation
An abbreviation is a shortened form of a word or phrase. Usually, but not always, it consists of a letter or group of letters taken from the word or phrase...
"SCOTUS"). The blog is sponsored by Bloomberg Law. The blog's first post occurred October 1, 2002. The blog moved to its current address on February 7, 2005. In the same year, it was featured by BusinessWeek
BusinessWeek
Bloomberg Businessweek, commonly and formerly known as BusinessWeek, is a weekly business magazine published by Bloomberg L.P. It is currently headquartered in New York City.- History :...
in their weekly blog recommentation. A companion wiki
Wiki
A wiki is a website that allows the creation and editing of any number of interlinked web pages via a web browser using a simplified markup language or a WYSIWYG text editor. Wikis are typically powered by wiki software and are often used collaboratively by multiple users. Examples include...
was added in 2007, but its features were subsequently integrated into the blog itself.
In June 2007 the site announced that it was about to experience its single largest daily readership at 100,000 page views per day. The increase in traffic coincided with the Supreme Court’s reversal of course on June 29, 2007, when it unexpectedly announced it would hear the Guantanamo Bay detainees’ challenges to the Military Commissions Act
Military Commissions Act of 2006
The United States Military Commissions Act of 2006, also known as HR-6166, was an Act of Congress signed by President George W. Bush on October 17, 2006. Drafted in the wake of the Supreme Court's decision on Hamdan v...
. A 2008 article in the New York Law School
New York Law School
New York Law School is a private law school in the TriBeCa neighborhood of Lower Manhattan in New York City. New York Law School is one of the oldest independent law schools in the United States. The school is located within four blocks of all major courts in Manhattan. In 2011, New York Law School...
Law Review estimated that "Before the end of the afternoon, SCOTUSblog alone had posted more information about the case than most newspapers provided even the next day." The same article gave SCOTUSblog as an example of a successful law blog, together with Balkinization
Balkinization (Blog)
Balkinization is a law blog focused on constitutional, First Amendment, and other civil liberties issues. The weblog was created in 2003 by Jack Balkin, a professor of U.S. constitutional law at Yale Law School. Balkinization has been critical of the Bush Administration's record on civil liberties...
and the Volokh Conspiracy, and noted that "With growing numbers of lawyers and legal scholars commenting on breaking legal issues, the blogosphere provides more sophisticated, in-depth analysis of the law than is possible even in a long-form magazine article." Edward Adams, editor and publisher of the American Bar Association
American Bar Association
The American Bar Association , founded August 21, 1878, is a voluntary bar association of lawyers and law students, which is not specific to any jurisdiction in the United States. The ABA's most important stated activities are the setting of academic standards for law schools, and the formulation...
's ABA Journal, said that SCOTUSblog is one of the best law blogs. "It's run by lawyers and they cover the Supreme Court more intensively than any news organization does, and it does a better job, too."