Roberts: How Constitution Restricts New Technology Is Among Top Issues for Court
Chief Justice John G. Roberts Jr. told an audience at Rice University on Wednesday that technology issues will be among the most difficult challenges for the U.S. Supreme Court.
Roberts said the court is often asked to decide how constitutional principles apply to new technology, the Houston Chronicle reports.
“Is being able to see through walls a violation of search and seizure protections? I think it will be a good opportunity to see how prescient the framers were if the Constitution will be able to deal with these questions,” he said. “What is the fundamental protection offered by the Constitution when applied to new technology and situations? It’s a question that comes along all the time.”
Roberts also said politics have no influence on the court, according to the Chronicle and the Associated Press. And despite their differences, the justices have a collegial relationship, he said.
Those who read the court’s opinions might think the justices are “at each other’s throats,” he said. But justices get along well and never raise their voices in anger. “We are extremely close,” Roberts said.
