Justice Stevens Says Reduced Workload Has Kept Him on the Bench

Speaking to University of Florida law students yesterday, U.S. Supreme Court Justice John Paul Stevens gave no indication he plans to announce his retirement soon.

There may be a reason for that. The 88-year-old Stevens, who is the court’s oldest and longest-serving justice, said in a question-and-answer session that the court’s reduced workload has kept him on the bench, the Washington Post reports.

When Stevens joined the Supreme Court in 1975, it issued opinions in twice as many cases as it does today.

"From my own personal point of view, it's definitely a positive," the Post quotes him as saying. "And I have to say I think we were taking too many cases when I joined the court."

"It's still a full-time job; I wouldn't want to say otherwise," he added. "But if we had the same kind of workload today that we had then, I would have resigned 10 years ago."

Telecommuting may also be making Stevens’ job easier. He said he commutes to Washington, D.C., for court sessions, but does much of his work in Florida with the help of e-mail and Federal Express, reports the Fort Mills Times. "It's not much different than working in my office," he said.