In the face of the coronavirus pandemic, the U.S. Supreme Court took a rare step on Monday, postponing arguments scheduled for late March and early April.
The court building had already been closed to the public since last week.
Among the matters that will be moved to later in the year is the fight over subpoenas for President Trump’s financial records. No date has been set for the postponed arguments.
“Six of the nine justices are 65 and older, at higher risk of getting very sick from the illness, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention,” reports the Associated Press. “Justices Ruth Bader Ginsburg, 87, and Stephen Breyer, 81, are the oldest members of the court.”
In a statement, the court said its other business will proceed as planned, although some justices may take part by phone.
Disease outbreaks and other health threats have forced the court to make adjustments in the past, says the AP, including the discovery of anthrax in the court mailroom in 2001; the Spanish flu pandemic in 1918, and yellow fever epidemics in 1793 and 1798.