Counting laughs on the Supreme Court bench
A SCOTUSblog editorial assistant tallied laughter during Supreme Court arguments from the 2017-18 through 2024-25 terms. Justice Neil Gorsuch led with 225 laughs, followed by Chief Justice John Roberts and Justice Elena Kagan. The piece is a light feature on justices’ humor rather than a legal development.
The tally covered eight Supreme Court terms, beginning with 2017-18 and ending with 2024-25. Justice Neil Gorsuch recorded 225 laughs, the highest total. Chief Justice John Roberts came next at 189, while Justice Elena Kagan followed with 153.
Nora Collins, a SCOTUSblog editorial assistant in Washington, D.C., wrote the feature. It references Justice Samuel Alito’s remark about counting laughs and is intended as a light look at humor on the bench, not a legal development.
This light feature may shape public perceptions of the justices as people, not only legal actors. Court watchers, journalists, and civics teachers could use the tally to discuss judicial temperament and oral argument culture. It is unlikely to affect rulings or rights directly. Some readers may find the humor humanizing; others may question whether laugh counts matter.