Chief Justice Leaves Hospital
Updated: Chief Justice John G. Roberts Jr. was released from the hospital today and plans to resume his Maine vacation.
The Washington Post reports that Roberts waved to journalists as he walked quickly from the hospital to a waiting Ford Explorer. Earlier today, Roberts spoke to President Bush on the phone and assured him he is doing fine.
The cause of the seizure suffered yesterday by Roberts is unknown, but tests reveal “no cause for alarm,” according to the Supreme Court.
Roberts, 52, was hospitalized yesterday after he suffered a seizure and fell on a dock near his summer home. A court statement says Roberts is fully recovered.
Medical experts told the Los Angeles Times that the seizure is not likely to limit Roberts’ ability to work. Seizures can be caused by a variety of factors, including lack of sleep and stress.
Seizures can also be caused by brain tumors, but it’s “extremely unlikely” in Roberts’ case, an epilepsy expert told the New York Times. The risk of suffering a seizure in a lifetime is about 9 percent.
The chief justice has had a busy summer, the New York Times reports. He taught a seminar in Austria, met with European judges, and worked in Washington, D.C., before leaving for Maine a few days ago.
The statement said Roberts suffered only minor scrapes in the fall. The chief justice “underwent a thorough neurological evaluation, which revealed no cause for alarm,” it said. The court also confirmed that Roberts had a similar seizure in 1993 while on the golf course.
Originally posted 07-31-2007 06:15 AM.
