Chief Justice Roberts was hospitalized overnight on June 21.
July 8, 2020, 4:05 AM
4 min read
Share to FacebookShare to TwitterEmail this articleChief Justice John Roberts was hospitalized overnight last month after suffering a head injury from a fall while walking near his home, a Supreme Court spokeswoman confirmed.
The incident was first reported by the Washington Post late Tuesday based on a tip from a witness. The court subsequently confirmed it happened June 21.
Spokeswoman Kathy Arberg said that Roberts, 65, was "walking for exercise" when he fell, injuring his forehead.
"The injury required sutures, and out of an abundance of caution, he stayed in the hospital overnight and was discharged the next morning," Arberg said in a statement.
Roberts has had a history of seizures, the most recent reported episode in 2007, when he suffered a fall at his summer home in Maine. In 1993, Roberts reportedly experienced a seizure while golfing.
Arberg said doctors have "ruled out a seizure" as a cause of Roberts' accident last month. "They believe the fall was likely due to light-headedness caused by dehydration," she said.
This Nov. 30, 2018, file photo shows Chief Justice of the United States, John Roberts, as he sits with fellow Supreme Court justices for a group portrait at the Supreme Court Building in Washington. Roberts spent the night in the hospital in June 2020 after he fell and injured his forehead, a Supreme Court spokeswoman confirmed Tuesday, July 7.
This Nov. 30, 2018, file photo shows Chief Justice of the United States, John Roberts, as he sits with fellow Supreme Court justices for a group portrait at the Supreme Court Building in Washington. Roberts spent the night in the hospital in June 2020 after he fell and injured his forehead, a Supreme Court spokeswoman confirmed Tuesday, July 7.J. Scott Applewhite/APThe National Weather Service reported a high temperature of 86 degrees in Washington on Sunday, June 21, which was Father's Day.
Roberts, who has been physically out of the public eye since the pandemic forced the suspension of in-person court proceedings, has presided over court business without interruption.
This term the chief has authored high-profile opinions blocking President Donald Trump's move to end DACA; invoking precedent to strike down a Louisiana abortion law; and, invalidating the structure of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau as unconstitutional.
The justices, which traditionally conclude the term on June 30, are continuing to release opinions in cases into July. Five more are expected, including a ruling on whether Trump will have to comply with subpoenas for his financial records and tax returns.
