The 8-to-1 ruling said courts may hear suits seeking only nominal damages. Chief Justice John G. Roberts Jr., dissenting, said the majority had turned judges into advice columnists.
The 8-to-1 ruling said courts may hear suits seeking only nominal damages. Chief Justice John G. Roberts Jr., dissenting, said the majority had turned judges into advice columnists.
Several justices seemed concerned that judges should have been appointed by the president and confirmed by the Senate. But there was no consensus about how to fix that flaw.
After a day that featured a harrowing video of the Jan. 6 assault on the Capitol, only six Republicans joined Democrats in agreeing to allow the trial to proceed, signaling there was not enough support for a conviction.
The lengthy legal brief provided the first extended defense of former President Donald J. Trump’s conduct since the Jan. 6 assault on the Capitol. It arrived as senators locked in rules for an exceedingly fast trial.