Justices Reduce Individual Stock Holdings to Avoid Conflicts (2)

U.S. Supreme Court justices are voluntarily moving away from potential conflicts by selling shares in public companies.

Their 2018 financial disclosures estimated that Chief Justice John Roberts sold up to $250,000 of AT&T stock after the court turned away a case that involved the company. A court watchdog said he should have recused himself due to his holding.

Roberts’ sale is part of a larger trend that’s seen the justice reduce their portfolios of individual stocks over the past couple of terms.

The three justices who own individual stocks—Roberts, Stephen Breyer and Samuel Alito—reduced their combined holdings to 40 companies ...