On Wednesday and Thursday, the remains of Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg will lie in state at the institution where she served for 27 years. The public can pay their respects, with the number of sympathizers estimated in the thousands.
According to the media advisory released by the Supreme Court, the casket will arrive in front of the Court on Wednesday, before 9:30 am. There will be a private ceremony for the family, friends, and colleagues in the Great Hall.
After the ceremony, the remains of Justice Ginsburg will be placed at the top of the front steps of the Supreme Court, right under the Portico where her admirers and supporters can send their thanks and farewells.
A Multitude of Visitors
The Supreme Court grounds have been the venue of placards, flowers, letters, and other memorabilia to commemorate the gender equality advocate who has argued for changes that have shaped American society. When the remains of “RBG,” a hero for multiple generations, arrive the tributes are expected to swell.
Sunday at the Supreme Court. Still hundreds here bringing flowers and posters in honor of RBG. pic.twitter.com/P192BlvBxF
— TinaSfon (@TinaSfon) September 20, 2020
The remaining eight Supreme Court justices are expected to grace the occasion — the first time they will physically assemble since the pandemic. President Donald Trump has not confirmed his presence, but he paid respects to Justice John Paul Stevens who passed away last year.
The Timing of the Choice
While the country is still in mourning, there is a hard decision to be made. There is a division on whether President Trump should appoint Ginsburg’s replacement or forego the decision until after the election.
Trump’s Republican allies in the Senate want to get the wheels in motion, but the opposition cites the case of Chief Justice Robert Taney, who passed in October 1964. President Abraham Lincoln waited until December before appointing his replacement.