Supreme Court watchers have recently noted errors in opinions by two Justices, errors the Court has corrected. The Wall Street Journal reported that Justice Scalia mischaracterized a prior case. And the Washington Times reported that Justice Kagan made a historical error.
These individual mistakes and the subsequent changes may seem minor -- they do not necessarily impact the outcome of the cases. But it appears, as the New York Times reports, that the Supreme Court often edits opinions -- not always announcing these changes. This New York Times interactive graphic illustrates several edits.
A new task for the legal researcher: look for alternative versions of SCOTUS opinions!
These individual mistakes and the subsequent changes may seem minor -- they do not necessarily impact the outcome of the cases. But it appears, as the New York Times reports, that the Supreme Court often edits opinions -- not always announcing these changes. This New York Times interactive graphic illustrates several edits.
A new task for the legal researcher: look for alternative versions of SCOTUS opinions!