Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito was briefly hospitalized last month after falling ill during a Federalist Society dinner in Philadelphia on March 20, according to sources familiar with the incident. The 76-year-old justice was evaluated for dehydration and given fluids before returning home to Virginia that same night, accompanied by his security team. This episode had not been previously reported, and both Alito and the Court’s public information office declined to comment further on the matter.
Since the health scare, Justice Alito has resumed his normal duties, attending oral arguments and appearing sharp on the bench. Speculation has surrounded the possibility of Alito stepping down from the high court, with some of his friends telling CNN that he has considered retirement. However, no decision appears imminent, and the justice has continued to maintain his active role in the Court.
Alito, who was appointed by President George W. Bush in 2006, has been a consistent conservative voice on the bench. His influential role was particularly evident in the landmark 2022 decision overturning Roe v. Wade, and he has frequently supported efforts to scale back voting rights protections. His alignment with Trump-era legal arguments has made him a key figure in major decisions, including those related to birthright citizenship and other contentious issues.
The incident at the Federalist Society dinner took place after a symposium at the University of Pennsylvania Law School, which focused on Alito’s legal philosophy. While Alito was not scheduled to attend the symposium, he fell ill during the dinner and was promptly taken to a nearby hospital by his security detail. Despite the brief health issue, there have been no signs of lingering problems, and Alito has continued to perform his duties without interruption.