Chief Justice Roberts Suffers Seizure

By TChris, Section Supreme Court
Posted on Mon Jul 30, 2007 at 06:43:23 PM EST
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Think kind and healthy thoughts for Chief Justice Roberts, who suffered a seizure yesterday.

Doctors called Monday's incident "a benign idiopathic seizure," Arberg said. The White House described [a similar] January 1993 episode as an "isolated, idiosyncratic seizure." Both descriptions indicate that doctors could not determine the seizure's cause or link it to another medical condition.

Update (TL): Justice Roberts has fully recovered. And yes, he did tell the Senate Judiciary Committee about his 1993 seizure.

More...

The Senate Judiciary Committee was aware of the first seizure, Senator Arlen Specter told CNN. And there were at least two reports of it, on CBS and in Newsweek, which included this paragraph in an Aug. 15, 2005, articel entitled “Seeking the ‘Real’ Roberts.” Here’s the relevant nugget:
But in January 1993, while golfing, Roberts suffered a seizure. “It was stunning and out of the blue and inexplicable,” says Larry Robbins, a Justice Department colleague. Roberts wasn’t allowed to drive for several months after the seizure and took the bus to work. Doctors never figured out the problem, though stress can be a cause. A senior White House official described the malady as an “isolated, idiosyncratic seizure” — he hasn’t had another since — and said that Roberts is in good health.

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Chief Justice Roberts Suffers Seizure | 13 comments (13 topical)

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You think... (5.00 / 1) (#9)
by desertswine on Tue Jul 31, 2007 at 09:55:44 AM EST

you're in control of your life. But it's an illusion.

epilepsy (5.00 / 1) (#13)
by diogenes on Tue Jul 31, 2007 at 08:13:32 PM EST

People with one seizure are not usually diagnosed with epilepsy nor are they started on meds. Also, in many states, a neurologist can clear someone with epilepsy to drive. If someone on no meds had two seizures in twelve years then the likelihood of his having a seizure on meds is small.
The implication by one poster that having epilepsy somehow would render someone "unfit" to serve on the Supreme Court is uneducated trash. As they used to say about gays, if all the epileptics suddenly turned green one day, you'd be very surprised by who they are.

: I hope I've (none / 0) (#15)
by Jeralyn on Tue Jul 31, 2007 at 08:49:11 PM EST

deleted that comment. You are entirely correct. Let's not bash those who suffer from epilepsy.

[ Parent ]

how peculiar (none / 0) (#1)
by Sailor on Mon Jul 30, 2007 at 08:45:22 PM EST

there is nothing in medical literature about either of those phrases. I've searched the NIH, pubmed, and an extensive medical library, and nowhere do those terms exist.

idiopathic means you don't know the cause ... so how can they know it is benign?

idiosyncratic means it is not normal, so how can they know it is benign?

Maybe Chief Justice Roberts actually has a conscience and that is what is causing the seizures.

Or more likely he has epilepsy that his meds can't control.

Did he disclose that to congress?
Did he lie to congress about his ability to serve?

It's a Sign From Above (none / 0) (#2)
by Aaron on Mon Jul 30, 2007 at 08:51:29 PM EST

It's not an easy thing being the man most responsible for turning back the constitutional clock, heap additional misfortune onto the shoulders of this nation's least fortunate, and systematically strip away the rights of its people. Certainly not the kind of thing that would find approval in the eyes of Jesus.

I suspect these pressures are beginning to weigh on Chief Justice Roberts' conscience, not to mention his mortal soul. I suspect that the consequences of his decisions have begun keeping him awake late into the night. Perhaps he is having a crisis of conscience and faith prompting that high-powered cerebral cortex of his to short out from time to time. Perhaps this is a case of divine intervention, and John, like his apostle namesake, has been touched by the hand of the holy Father, cautioning the Honorable Chief Justice that he may have inadvertently strayed from the path of righteousness and justice.

Perhaps John should heed this sign, confess his sins, and seek redemption and forgiveness by correcting the damned course he has chosen, or perhaps he should relieve himself of these burdens altogether and resign his seat on the Supreme Court come January 2009. Let us pray that our brother sees the light of truth and good, and that his soul will be saved from the eternal fires.

It's not too late John, give your heart to Jesus.

I wish Roberts a speedy recovery (none / 0) (#4)
by ding7777 on Mon Jul 30, 2007 at 09:18:09 PM EST

and I hope (whatever State is his residence) has suspended his driver's license. Even though he probably gets chauffeured everywhere, a suspended license is still a good idea

Oh, come on (none / 0) (#6)
by Jeralyn on Mon Jul 30, 2007 at 11:29:15 PM EST

A single occurrence of a seizure 12 years ago doesn't mean his health wasn't excellent when he applied to the Court two years ago.

You may not agree with his judicial philosophy (I certainly don't) but there's no need to either wish him ill health or accuse him of lying to Congress.

And if you must, please don't do it here.

Agreed (none / 0) (#8)
by aj12754 on Tue Jul 31, 2007 at 06:45:14 AM EST

...and idiopathic seizures are clearly discussed in medical literature on the subject of seizures contrary to one of the posters above.

[ Parent ]

clarification (none / 0) (#10)
by Sailor on Tue Jul 31, 2007 at 10:50:39 AM EST

yes, "idiopathic seizures" are very much in the literature, benign ones aren't and that was specifically what I addressed.

I did not wish roberts ill health, and I don't see anything wrong with speeculation about his lying to congress, some members of congress are also questioning his veracity during his confirmation hearings.

[ Parent ]

: you may not speculate (none / 0) (#14)
by Jeralyn on Tue Jul 31, 2007 at 08:47:07 PM EST

about his lying to Congress because it's been confirmed by Congress he did not. He told them about the '93 seizure. See my updated link.

[ Parent ]

My brother has had grand mals since he (none / 0) (#11)
by sarcastic unnamed one on Tue Jul 31, 2007 at 11:51:44 AM EST

cracked his skull in a car accident 25 years ago.

He describes the GM's as losing control of your muscles, kinda like being completely wasted, although you're still pretty much aware of what's going on.

I saw one once, and when he felt it coming on he tried to stand up to get some meds (that he thought he could "wean" himself off of) but after a few steps he just had to sit down and then lay down and let the thing happen.

He basically just lay on the floor, shook a lttle, and stared blankly at me as I tried to make him comfortable.

It was mainly over w/in 5 minutes or so and he was pretty groggy for a while after. Next morning he jumped on his bike for a three hour ride.

I also used to have a dog that had seizures almost once a week for years. We took away his car keyes.

Anyway, IANAMD, but I'm not sure this is nearly as serious as some pundits would have us believe...

Conscience (none / 0) (#12)
by eric on Tue Jul 31, 2007 at 06:08:25 PM EST

It could be his conscience acting up again. I hope it doesn't act up too severly again until there is a Democrat in the White House.

Here's to a speedy recovery (none / 0) (#16)
by roy on Tue Jul 31, 2007 at 10:04:16 PM EST