History of SCOTUSblog in Timeline

SCOTUSblog is a blog focusing on the Supreme Court of the United States, offering comprehensive coverage of cases from initial petitions to final rulings. Written by legal professionals, the site provides real-time updates on Court decisions and grants of certiorari, often breaking news before official sources. SCOTUSblog hosts symposiums featuring experts discussing cases and maintains an archive of case-related documents. Formerly with Bloomberg Law, it is now owned by The Dispatch, continuing its role as a key source for legal news and analysis related to the Supreme Court.

October 1, 2002: Blog's First Post

On October 1, 2002, SCOTUSblog published its first post. It was founded by Supreme Court litigator Tom Goldstein and former litigator Amy Howe to promote their law firm, then known as Goldstein & Howe, P.C.

February 7, 2005: Blog moved to current address

On February 7, 2005, SCOTUSblog moved to its current address.

2006: Military Commissions Act

In 2006, The Military Commissions Act was enacted, which later led to SCOTUSBlog covering Guantanamo Bay detainees' challenges on June 29, 2007.

June 2007: Largest Daily Readership

In June 2007, SCOTUSblog experienced its single largest daily readership at 100,000 page views per day.

June 29, 2007: Supreme Court to Hear Guantanamo Bay Detainees' Challenges

On June 29, 2007, the Supreme Court unexpectedly announced it would hear the Guantanamo Bay detainees' challenges to the Military Commissions Act of 2006, leading to a surge in SCOTUSblog's readership.

2007: Companion Wiki Added

In 2007, a companion wiki was added to SCOTUSblog, but its features were subsequently integrated into the blog itself.

2008: Article in New York Law School Law Review

In 2008, an article in the New York Law School Law Review estimated that SCOTUSblog alone had posted more information about the case than most newspapers provided even the next day.

2008: SCOTUSblog Recognized as Successful Law Blog

In 2008, an article in the New York Law School Law Review gave SCOTUSblog as an example of a successful law blog, together with Balkinization and the Volokh Conspiracy.

2009: Coverage of Sonia Sotomayor Nomination

In 2009, Paul Krugman of The New York Times wrote of SCOTUSblog's coverage of the Sonia Sotomayor nomination, noting its importance in focusing the debate on real information.

2010: Criticism for Potential Conflicts of Interest

In 2010, SCOTUSblog received criticism from journalist Glenn Greenwald in Salon for potential conflicts of interest concerning Goldstein's litigation practice and the blog's coverage of court matters.

2010: ABA's Silver Gavel Award

In 2010, SCOTUSblog was the recipient of the American Bar Association's Silver Gavel Award. It is the only blog to receive the award.

2011: Bloomberg Law Sponsorship

In 2011, Bloomberg Law began sponsoring SCOTUSblog, allowing it to fully separate from Goldstein & Howe, P.C.

March 2012: Affordable Care Act Hearings Coverage

During the week of the Affordable Care Act hearings at the Supreme Court in March 2012, SCOTUSblog had one million hits owing to its extensive coverage of the arguments.

2012: Society of Professional Journalists Prize

In 2012, SCOTUSblog won the Society of Professional Journalists (Sigma Delta Chi) prize for deadline reporting by an independent source for its coverage of the announcement of the Supreme Court's Affordable Care Act decision.