Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito, 74, Unexpectedly Absent from Bench for Second Day in a Row

Kyler Alvord
·2-min read

As the Supreme Court crams to decide on the final cases of the term, the most conservative justice on the bench has been absent without explanation

<p>Eric Lee/Bloomberg via Getty </p> Associate Justice Samuel Alito during the Supreme Court

Eric Lee/Bloomberg via Getty

Associate Justice Samuel Alito during the Supreme Court's group photo on Oct. 7, 2022

Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito missed his second day of work in a row on Friday, June 21, as his colleagues handed down several opinions that included a landmark Second Amendment ruling.

He has now missed the release of nine court opinions between the two days, and the Supreme Court has not offered an explanation for his unexpected absences.

Related: ‘Stop the Steal’ Symbol Was Displayed at Justice Samuel Alito’s House While He Considered Trump Election Case

The final weeks of June are usually the busiest for Supreme Court justices, and this year is no exception — more than a dozen cases remain undecided with only a week left in the term.

The court will have to extend its term into July if any opinions are outstanding by the end of the month, putting justices into overdrive to catch up on their caseload.

Related: Justice Alito Tastelessly Jokes About Black Kids in Klan Robes, Extramarital Dating Website During Debate

Mark Wilson/Getty Images News/Getty Images Samuel Alito is sworn in as a Supreme Court justice by President George W. Bush in 2006
Mark Wilson/Getty Images News/Getty Images Samuel Alito is sworn in as a Supreme Court justice by President George W. Bush in 2006

Alito, who authored the 2022 opinion that overturned Roe v. Wade, is often ranked the most conservative justice on the Supreme Court. At 74 years old, he's also the second-oldest, behind Clarence Thomas.

He has been under scrutiny since The New York Times reported in May that his personal properties flew flags associated with the "Stop the Steal" movement and used by Jan. 6 Capitol rioters. Alito, who said that his wife chose to fly the flags, refused to recuse himself from two soon-to-be-decided Supreme Court cases related to Jan. 6 criminal charges.

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Prior to joining the Supreme Court in early 2006, Alito was a U.S. attorney and federal appeals court judge.

President George W. Bush nominated him to replace Justice Sandra Day O'Connor following her retirement in 2005. He was confirmed by the U.S. Senate in a 58-42 vote.

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