Line-standing for Arguments: A Uniquely D.C. Problem

Attorneys and other court watchers can no longer have someone hold their places in line to watch oral argument at the federal D.C. Circuit court.

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit announced the ban on line-standing in a Jan. 24 statement. It joined the U.S. Supreme Court, which banned the practice in 2015.

The court decided to change its policy on line-standing “after recent high profile oral arguments,” Marilyn Sargent, the court’s chief deputy clerk, told Bloomberg BNA in an e-mail.

Sargent had no further comment when asked what happened at the arguments to prompt the ...