Reposted with permission of the author:

PAYMENTS AND GIFTS TO JUSTICES OF THE U.S. SUPREME COURT

BY PEOPLE WITH CASES BEFORE THE SUPREME COURT

Query: Is it legal malpractice for an attorney to fail to advise his/her client to offer payment or gifts to the Justices hearing their case?

On February 13, 2016, United States Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia died at a remote, ultra-excl us ive, luxury West Texas hunting lodge, while staying there for free. The hunting lodge was owned by a busines s man whose company had recently had a matter before the Supreme Court. The businessman’s company prevailed in the matter. See the New York Times article written by Eric Lipton which was reprinted by the Seattle Times: http://www.seattletimes.com/nation-world/scalia-took-the-most-expense-paid-trips-on-the-court/

According to the article: “Among the court’s members, (Scalia) was the most frequent traveler, to spots around the globe, on trips paid for by private sponsors…Though that…