Their latest portrait.

The U.S. Supreme Court started its October Term 2009 a day ago — although Their Honors did rehear a big case on September 9.

If you've waited the summer long to see how the Court would deal with your cert. petition, your mandamus application, your request for a writ of prohibition, your plea for habeas corpus relief, or even your motion to file an exhibit out of time or under seal, October 5 likely quenched your thirst.  Yesterday's Order List went on for just shy of 91 pages — and disposed of around 2,000 cases.