High court opening its doors to public on non-argument days

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Supreme Court is making a fuller reopening to the public following more than two and a half years of closures related to the coronavirus pandemic.

Beginning Dec. 1, the high court will be open to the public from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., according to the Supreme Court’s website. The high court closed to the public in March 2020 because of the coronavirus pandemic.

In October, the high court began allowing the public to attend arguments in the courtroom again on the approximately six days a month the court hears arguments, but the court building remained closed to visitors at other times.

The high court initially postponed arguments because of the pandemic, then started hearing arguments by phone. The justices began hearing arguments in the courtroom again in October 2021 but without the public present.