Musical Chairs: With a new Justice comes a new seating arrangement at the Supreme Court

When Ketanji Brown Jackson joins the Supreme Court after the current term, the justices will change their seating arrangement for sittings and oral arguments. Chief Justice John G. Roberts, Jr. and Justice Clarence Thomas, however, will not move.

Where the justices sit is determined by seniority at the strict-to-tradition Supreme Court. The Chief Justice…