Chief Justice John Roberts Suffers Seizure at Maine Summer Home
Chief Justice John Roberts had a "benign idiopathic seizure" on a dock at his summer home in Maine and was transported, conscious, to a nearby hospital, where he was to remain overnight.
The seizure, described as idiopathic because the cause is unknown, is similar to one he suffered 14 years ago. Senators were reportedly aware of the earlier seizure when they confirmed Roberts in 2005. Roberts is the youngest justice on the Supreme Court at age 52.
The NYT reports: "Statistically, he said, it is 'extremely unlikely' that this seizure represents a brain tumor. Fewer than 5 percent of those with recurrent seizures have brain tumors as a cause, and a very slowly progressing brain tumor would be rare. Epilepsy is a common condition among Americans. The approximate risk of having a single seizure in one’s lifetime is 9 percent. By Chief Justice Roberts’s age, the risk is 7 to 8 percent. About 3 percent have a recurrence, and 1 percent of Americans at any one time are under treatment for epilepsy."
Doctors admitted it would be difficult to pinpoint the cause of the seizure, making it hard to determine whether medication would be necessary.
Chief Justice Is Hospitalized After Seizure [nyt]
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Posted Jul. 31,2007 at 9:20 AM EST by Andy Towle in John Roberts, News, Supreme Court | Permalink
Wouldn't it be great if he had to take a leave of absence, or resign - and the next judge would be confirmed by DEMOCRATS!!! We need them.
Posted by: jake | Jul 31, 2007 11:41:19 PM
Peterparker-
We'll have to agree to disagree.
The historical fact is that the "liberal" court of 1986 reduced gay rights to nothing by claiming "there is no constitutional right to sodomy" in Bowers vs. Hardwick.
Since that time, we have changed the culture and the laws by influencing our friends and our neighbors and the law of the land.
This is how change happens. It happens when gay people come out to co-workers and family members and neighbors, and get them on our side.
It is harder and tougher than hiring lawyers and filing lawsuits.
In the meantime, the hyperbole about what the Roberts Court has decided is silly.
-Alan
Posted by: Alan | Aug 1, 2007 12:47:46 PM
Alan,
I agree with you that coming out of the closet to friends and familly is one of the most important acts GLBT people have in changing the hearts and the minds of the rest of America. However, I think that is basically a numbers game in which we are bound to always come up short. There will simply never be enough of us (and our friends) to counteract the ignorance and bigotry of the rest of the populace. I maintain that the judicial system is the only way we will ever achieve legal equality in this country. It won't be via the ballot box, nor via the legislature. But I suppose we will have to let history take its course before we will know which one of us is correct.
xo,
peterparker
Posted by: peterparker | Aug 1, 2007 2:29:40 PM