February 22
18:47
2016
The US Supreme Court resumed public hearings Monday for the first time since the sudden death of conservative justice Antonin Scalia, which left the court evenly divided. Scalia's chair was vacant, draped with black wool crepe in keeping with a tradition dating back to 1873, as the remaining eight justices took their seats. Scalia, the first Italian American to serve on the court, died on February 13 at age 79.