Supreme Court justices, on the whole, are not jokesters. Most of the comments during oral arguments that cause laughter are unintentional. But there is laughter at some point during almost every argument. A study looked at each instance during the 2006-07 term and tried to determine the target of the comment that caused mirth.
SOURCE: Communication Law Review | Laura Stanton - The Washington Post | Originally published Jan. 16, 2011 