Politics

Ruth Bader Ginsburg returns to Supreme Court after missing arguments due to illness

Key Points
  • Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg returns to the bench following a short absence due to a stomach bug last week.
  • Chief Justice John Roberts had said she was "indisposed due to illness," but she still participated in the cases using transcripts of oral arguments.
Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg.
Scott J. Ferrell | CQ-Roll Call Group | Getty Images

Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg returned to the bench on Monday following a one-day absence due to a stomach bug last week, according to NBC News.

Chief Justice John Roberts said last Wednesday that she was "indisposed due to illness," but she still participated in the cases using transcripts of oral arguments.

Ginsburg hadn't missed a day in court until last December, when she was treated for cancer.

Read more: Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg sits out Supreme Court arguments due to a stomach bug

Earlier this year, Ginsburg underwent treatment for what likely was pancreatic cancer, according to a statement from the Supreme Court. In August, she was treated for a "tumor on her pancreas."

Ginsburg has battled cancer several times, having previously been treated for colon and pancreatic cancer, as well as for cancerous growths on her lungs.

At 86, Ginsburg is the oldest justice and is considered the leader of the Supreme Court's liberal wing, which is outnumbered by conservatives 5-4. She was appointed by President Bill Clinton in 1993.