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-exclusive, luxury West Texas hunting lodge, while staying there for free. The hunting lodge was owned by a businessman 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 trip has brought new attention to the justice’s…