By Hampton Dellinger
Customarily, United States Supreme Court opinions come unadorned, words on paper and nothing more. For the most part, the Justices rely on this venerable means of communication to great benefit.
Written opinions have an aura of dignity, and offer an opportunity for explication and reflection, that helps elevate the High Court above the soundbite-driven arena in which the political branches often do battle. Even the Court's cherished reputation as the "least dangerous" governmental branch is arguably attributable, at least in part, to the unprepossessing medium on which its members so heavily rely.