The Supreme Court has officially wrapped up its term, with Chief Justice John G. Roberts, Jr. announcing Thursday that the Court has acted upon all cases submitted for decision and will enter its traditional summer recess until October.
The announcement, which came after the Court issued rulings on several high-profile cases in recent weeks, was accompanied by heartfelt acknowledgments of departing staff members whose collective service to the nation’s highest court spans more than five centuries.
“I am authorized to announce that the Court has acted upon all cases submitted to the Court for decision this Term,” Roberts stated in his announcement. “The Court will then be in recess from today until the first Monday in October 2022.”
Five Centuries of Combined Service
Behind the Court’s monumental decisions this term stood a dedicated workforce, many of whom are now retiring after decades of service. The departing employees represent an extraordinary institutional memory walking out the door – with some individuals having witnessed the Court’s evolution across four decades.
Among the notable departures from the Clerk’s Office are Michael Duggan and Gary Kemp, both retiring after approximately 30 years of service. The Marshal’s Office and Supreme Court Police will bid farewell to several long-serving officers, including Dannie Veney, who concludes more than 38 years at the Court.
What does it mean to lose so much institutional knowledge at once? Chief Deputy Marshal Richard Nelson’s departure perhaps best exemplifies this transition – he retires with more than 18 years at the Supreme Court and an astounding 48-plus years in federal service overall.
The Court also mourned the passing of several valued employees, including Virginia Singletary, who served over 41 years before her death, and Raymond Billeaud, a Supreme Court Police Officer for more than 21 years. Moses Humes passed away shortly after retiring from 22 years of Court service and 47 years in federal positions.
Technology and Knowledge Stewards Depart
Two particularly significant departures will reshape departments critical to the Court’s daily operations. Robert J. Hawkins, Director of Information Technology, has stepped down after more than 27 years. His leadership proved especially vital during the pandemic when the Court, like institutions worldwide, relied heavily on technological solutions to continue functioning.
“Mr. Hawkins ably led a department that provides key support to nearly every aspect of Court operations,” Chief Justice Roberts noted. “He and his team were creative, agile, and essential in allowing us to discharge the public’s work through the coronavirus pandemic.”
The Court’s intellectual foundation will also see change as Linda S. Maslow, the 11th Librarian of the Court since 2012, prepares to retire after nearly 34 years. Maslow has been credited with modernizing the library’s resources while preserving its unique collections.
Chambers staff transitions include Michele “Shelly” Blincoe, who retires with an impressive 39-plus years of service, and Janice Harley, who dedicated more than 36 years to the Court.
A Court in Transition
The significant turnover comes during a term that has seen the Court issue landmark rulings on abortion rights, gun regulations, environmental protections, and religious freedom. These staff departures represent not just personnel changes but a transition in the Court’s institutional memory.
Chief Justice Roberts expressed gratitude to all employees and members of the Court’s bar “for their outstanding work and dedication to their important responsibilities this Term,” as well as their “professionalism and cooperation.”
For an institution often defined by its traditions and continuity, these departures mark a significant moment of transition. As the justices prepare to return in October, they’ll do so with many new faces supporting the machinery of American justice – and without the familiar presence of those who’ve helped shape the Court’s operations for generations.
