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The Supreme Court’s first oral arguments in its new term will be held by remote teleconference because of the continued threat posed by the coronavirus pandemic, the justices announced Wednesday. The court is scheduled to hear arguments over five days next month, starting Oct. 5.“ The court building remains open for official business only and closed to the public until further notice,” spokeswoman Kathleen Arberg said in a news release. “The court will continue to closely monitor public health guidance in determining plans for the November and December argument sessions.” (Barnes, 9/16)

The court building will remain closed to the public, as it has been since March due to the pandemic. Six of the justices are 65 or older, considered to be at higher risk for bad outcomes if they contract the coronavirus. That includes Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, 87, who is being treated for cancer. The justices canceled their final two argument sessions during the spring and heard about half of those cases during two weeks of conference calls in May. They will use the same procedure when arguments begin Oct. 5, with the audio made available live to the public and the justices participating from remote locations. (Williams, 9/16)

U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, is making clear that he's not interested in serving on the U.S. Supreme Court, despite President Donald Trump recently naming him to a group of potential nominees. When Trump announced Cruz as part of the 20-name list Wednesday, the senator issued a statement suggesting he was satisfied with remaining in Congress. He more explicitly said he wasn't interested during a Fox News interview Sunday. (Svitek, 9/14)

Sen. Chuck Grassley on Wednesday demanded that Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden release a list of his potential nominees to the Supreme Court by the end of the month, saying there is “no reason” for the former vice president “to hide” the names. Grassley, R-Iowa, the former chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, called on Biden to make his list public, just as President Trump did last week, releasing potential picks for the high court should there be vacancies to the court under a potential second term. (Singman, 9/16)