Bloomberg Law
March 19, 2021, 5:30 PM

Justices Appoint Trusted Amicus For Potential May Argument

Kimberly Strawbridge Robinson
Kimberly Strawbridge Robinson
Reporter
Jordan S. Rubin
Jordan S. Rubin
Reporter

The U.S. Supreme Court—or at least Justice Clarence Thomas—is really impressed with attorney Adam Mortara.

The justices on Friday appointed the former Bartlit Beck partner as an amicus for the third time—something that’s never happened before in the court’s 230-year history.

The appointment came in a crack-cocaine sentencing case involving application of the First Step Act. The Justice Department told the court in a March 15 letter that it now believes the criminal defendant, Tarahrick Terry, has the better of the argument. The department took the opposite position when Donald Trump was president.

Argument in Terry’s case was previously scheduled ...