Supreme Court public information officer to step down

The longtime public information officer for the Supreme Court is set to retire next month after serving more than 20 years at the high court and a total of 40 years in the federal judiciary. 

The court in a Wednesday statement announced that Kathleen Arberg will retire on July 3. She joined the court in 1982 and served as an assistant public information officer for 17 years, before becoming its public information officer in 1999.

Chief Justice John Roberts said in the statement that Arberg “has provided nearly four decades of invaluable service to the Court and members of the press.”

“Although we all wish her well in retirement, we will miss her presence immensely,” Roberts said.

The Supreme Court’s public information office “issues the opinions and orders of the Court, credentials more than 1,000 reporters each Term, and operates a working pressroom,” according to the statement.

Some reporters marked the longtime spokesperson’s departure on social media. 

Gone Fishing: Kathy Arberg, the Supreme Court’s public information officer, announces retirement. Thank you for so diplomatically mediating between two groups of know-it-alls: The justices and the reporters who cover them. pic.twitter.com/PLi4TC2p6I

— Jess Bravin (@JessBravin) June 2, 2021

Best wishes to longtime Supreme Court spokeswoman Kathy Arberg, who is announcing her retirement pic.twitter.com/RvMavw3C39

— Robert Barnes (@scotusreporter) June 2, 2021

Here’s a statement from the Chief on Arberg’s announcement: “Kathy has provided nearly four decades of invaluable service to the Court and members of the press. Although we all wish her well in retirement, we will miss her presence immensely.” https://t.co/gIacuv3ndy

— Ariane de Vogue (@Arianedevogue) June 2, 2021

Arberg is just the fifth person to serve as the court’s public information officer since the role was established in 1935.