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The Supreme Court justice memoir, so lucrative for its authors, tends to be a less than illuminating genre. Justice Neil Gorsuch’s A Republic, If You Can Keep It reiterated the case for originalism and attempted to illustrate why he was a worthy successor to Justice Antonin Scalia. Justice Amy Coney Barrett’s Listening to the Law recited high school civics lessons. And in Lovely One, Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson described her family history and life in detail. The promise of a justice telling his or her life story is that it will help us further understand the jurisprudence of the person who is shaping the path of the law. But, truth be told, each of these books does little more than buff the public image of the judge presented at their hearings.

During oral argument in January on an Idaho law barring transgender athletes from competing in girls’ and women’s sports, Justice Sonia Sotomayor briefly reflected on the spotlight that comes with being involved in a Supreme Court case, noting that having your name on a brief draws attention to you not only as a litigant, but as a person. But some parties before the court have a spotlight on them well before the justices view their name on a filing. Among the petitions for review awaiting the justices’ attention this spring, there are at least four that involve well-known petitioners or “friends of the court,” including sports figures, rappers, and two of the country’s most famous magicians.

On April 10, 1869, Congress passed legislation increasing the number of Supreme Court justices from seven to nine, where it’s remained since. At the Court The Supreme Court on Thursday denied Sam Ronan’s request to block Ohio election officials from removing him from the state’s Republican primary election ballot. Read Amy’s analysis to learn more about the dispute. The court will next hear arguments on Monday, April 20, the first day of its April sitting.