Chief Justice John Roberts overseeing the Senate impeachment trial of President Trump. Photo: Senate Television via Getty Images
Chief Justice John Roberts was hospitalized overnight after a fall on June 21, a Supreme Court spokesperson confirmed to the Washington Post on Tuesday.
Why it matters: Speculation regarding justices' health — given their lifetime appointments — always runs rampant, and this incident may have not been made public if the Post hadn't "received a tip."
- Roberts' fall at the Chevy Chase Club caused an injury to his head that required sutures.
- The court did not initially notify the public because the "injury was not significant; he stayed overnight out of an abundance of caution and went home first thing in the morning," Kathy Arberg, the court's public information officer, told CNN.
The state of play: Roberts is 65 and has a history of seizures — in 1993 and 2007.
- Arberg told the Post that seizures had been ruled out as a cause for this incident, saying doctors "believe the fall was likely due to light-headedness caused by dehydration."
The big picture: The news comes as the Supreme Court is working to finish its term, with opinions on five cases still outstanding, including those regarding President Trump's tax returns and financial records.