ENCORE: Legal Docket Podcast | Drawing the line

Summary

The World and Everything In It

Episode Title: ENCORE: Legal Docket Podcast | Drawing the Line
Release Date: December 14, 2024
Host/Author: WORLD Radio

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Introduction: Honoring William Hennessey Jr.

In this heartfelt encore presentation, WORLD Radio pays tribute to the late William Hennessey Jr., a renowned courtroom sketch artist who passed away unexpectedly on his 67th birthday. For over four decades, Hennessey's vivid sketches brought courtroom scenes to life for media outlets where cameras are prohibited, including the prestigious Supreme Court. Hosted by legal correspondents Mary Reichard and Jenny Ruff, this episode revisits Hennessey's Virginia studio visit from September 7, 2022, offering listeners an intimate glimpse into his craft and legacy.

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Hennessey's Artistic Process and Techniques

[00:45] Mary Reichard:
“Bill Hennessy is a courtroom artist. In many jurisdictions, cameras are not permitted in courtrooms. The Supreme Court, for example. So news media often rely on sketch artists like Hennessy to illustrate the courtroom proceedings.”

Hennessey employs a mixed medium of colored pencils, pastels, and watercolors to capture the essence of courtroom dynamics. His meticulous approach involves swiftly laying down base colors followed by highlights to bring out details.

[00:45] Narrator:
“Hennessy’s faithfulness to capturing courtroom moments was unparalleled, especially in environments where filming was restricted.”

Hennessey emphasizes the importance of accuracy and objectivity in his work, mirroring journalistic ethics. He meticulously observes body language, facial expressions, and interactions to ensure his sketches authentically represent the unfolding legal narratives.

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Behind the Sketches: Capturing Supreme Court Justices

Hennessey's work predominantly centers around the U.S. Supreme Court, where he meticulously depicts each Justice's unique demeanor and evolving appearances.

[01:26] Bill Hennessey:
“Chief Justice John Roberts isn't an easy assignment. You know, you've gotta get it right. You're trying to capture that moment and that expression and that exchange, but you also gotta get their likeness.”
— [01:26]

From Justice Neil Gorsuch’s fluctuating use of glasses to Justice Amy Coney Barrett’s distinctive head tilt, Hennessey pays close attention to the minutiae that define each Justice. For instance, he notes the transformation in Justice Elena Kagan’s hairstyle over the years:

[02:40] Bill Hennessey:
“I think her hair has changed. Yeah, I think she's changed her look a bit.”
— [02:40]

His sketches reveal not just physical appearances but also the evolving interactions and expressions that convey the Justices' engagement with legal arguments.

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Anecdotes and Memorable Moments

Hennessey's tenure as a courtroom artist is filled with poignant and noteworthy experiences:

• Monica Lewinsky Saga:
  [11:37] Bill Hennessey:
  “She stood at the elevator doors. As soon as the elevator doors opened, she stuck her tongue out and jumped on the elevator. And I was like, I dropped that. So I had. Yeah, I was too good not to draw.”
  — [11:37]
  Hennessey swiftly captured Monica Lewinsky's playful gesture, illustrating his ability to seize fleeting, expressive moments.

• Peter Navarro’s Contempt Charge:
  [12:34] Bill Hennessey:
  “He had been locked up. I didn't realize that. And that was a real shocker.”
  — [12:34]
  Witnessing Peter Navarro’s arrest, Hennessey drew the poignant moment of Navarro receiving his belongings, highlighting the emotional weight of legal proceedings.

• Chief Justice John Roberts’ Antitrust Case:
  [18:15] Bill Hennessey:
  “They were all peppering the government attorney, who was John Roberts, with, you know, why did the judge do this? Why did he? And finally he sort of threw his hands up and said, I don't know. I wish we knew. And I thought, that's my drawing.”
  — [18:15]
  Years later, this very sketch resonated when Hennessey shared the story with Roberts, who recalled the moment, underscoring the lasting impact of his work.

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Philosophy and Ethical Commitment

Hennessey's dedication to objectivity is a cornerstone of his artistry:

[12:54] Mary Reichard:
“Another one of his goals, be objective.”
— [12:54]

[12:57] Bill Hennessey:
“I try to stay out of the politics of it. I really do. And even including in the way I draw and what I draw, I just try to be objective. You know, that's my goal.”
— [12:57]

He insists on accurately portraying what he observes without embellishment or personal bias, adhering to the ethical standards similar to those in journalism.

[13:09] Mary Reichard:
“Draw it as he sees it.”
— [13:09]

Hennessey’s approach ensures that his sketches serve as authentic visual records of legal proceedings, providing invaluable perspectives for audiences unable to attend in person.

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Challenges in the Digital Age

The rise of digital media has posed significant challenges for courtroom artists like Hennessey:

[21:18] Mary Reichard:
“Hennessey says it's even harder today. We are in the digital age.”
— [21:18]

[21:22] Bill Hennessey:
“People want to see photographs, they want to see video. Even they'd rather see video than photographs. They want the moving image.”
— [21:22]

With the preference shifting towards video content and the economic strains from online free content, Hennessey grapples with maintaining his craft. Budget cuts in media and the inundation of digital imagery have made traditional sketch artistry a tougher profession to sustain.

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Legacy and Preservation of Courtroom Art

Hennessey expresses a profound hope for the preservation of courtroom sketch artistry:

[21:55] Mary Reichard:
“Hennessy hopes his form of art will be preserved. We do, too.”
— [21:55]

His extensive collection of approximately 10,000 sketches serves as a historical archive, capturing pivotal moments and personalities within the judiciary. Hennessey believes that his work not only documents legal proceedings but also educates the public about the complexities and emotional depth inherent in the legal system.

[19:43] Bill Hennessey:
“I really tell people, you know, if you really question it, if you think it's unfair, go in a courtroom and watch how this system is really there to protect the rights of the individual.”
— [19:43]

Through his sketches, Hennessey fosters a deeper understanding and appreciation of the American judicial system, emphasizing its role in upholding individual rights and federalism.

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Personal Reflections and Life Lessons

Hennessey’s experiences transcend his artistic endeavors, offering broader insights:

[14:53] Bill Hennessey:
“It's almost amazing. If you try this, you know, set your pen or pencil down at one point on what you're looking at, and don't even look up. Let your eye guide your. Now, your proportion will be thrown off, but you'll be amazed at how much of the character of what you actually are looking at, you've captured.”
— [14:53]

This technique underscores a life lesson about focusing on the subject rather than oneself, a principle applicable beyond art. Hennessey's ability to capture emotion and character by immersing himself in the moment reflects a profound connection to his subjects, enhancing the authenticity of his work.

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Conclusion: A Lasting Impact

William Hennessey Jr.'s dedication as a courtroom artist left an indelible mark on legal journalism. His ability to vividly portray the human elements within the austere walls of the courtroom provided audiences with a deeper, more nuanced understanding of legal proceedings. As the digital landscape continues to evolve, Hennessey's legacy serves as a testament to the enduring power of traditional artistry in documenting and interpreting pivotal moments in history.

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Notable Quotes:

• Bill Hennessey on Objectivity:
  “I try to stay out of the politics of it. I really do. And even including in the way I draw and what I draw, I just try to be objective.”
  — [12:57]

• Mary Reichard on Drawing Philosophy:
  “Draw it as he sees it.”
  — [13:09]

• Bill Hennessey on the Judicial System:
  “I really tell people, you know, if you really question it, if you think it's unfair, go in a courtroom and watch how this system is really there to protect the rights of the individual.”
  — [19:43]

• Hennessey’s Artistic Technique Advice:
  “It's almost amazing. If you try this, you know, set your pen or pencil down at one point on what you're looking at, and don't even look up.”
  — [14:53]

---

This summary encapsulates William Hennessey Jr.'s invaluable contributions as a courtroom artist, highlighting his techniques, memorable experiences, ethical commitment, and the legacy he leaves behind. Through his eyes and sketches, listeners gain a richer appreciation of the intricate dance between law, emotion, and artistry within the judiciary.

Transcript

[Narrator]

The following program is a special presentation from world radio. Last Monday, renowned courtroom sketch artist William Hennessey Jr. Died suddenly on his 67th birthday. For more than 40 years, Hennessy sketches of scenes from courtrooms where cameras aren't allowed brought visuals to broadcast and print media outlets. Now that faithful camera is shuttered, legal correspondents Mary Reichert and Jenny Ruff visited Hennessy in his Virginia studio a couple years ago for season three of the legal docket podcast. So in memory of Bill Hennessy, here's an encore presentation of that visit. This episode first aired on September 7, 2022.

[Bill Hennessy]

The way I generally would work is something like that, and then, you know, quickly throw in some base color, and then, you know, hit with highlights.

[Mary Reichard]

Bill Hennessy is a courtroom artist. In many jurisdictions, cameras are not permitted in courtrooms. The Supreme Court, for example. So news media often rely on sketch artists like Hennessy to illustrate the courtroom proceedings.

[Jenny Ruff]

Hennessy uses a mixed medium of colored pencil, pastel, and watercolor. And he says Chief Justice John Roberts isn't an easy assignment.

[Bill Hennessy]

Well, I mean, he's a tough one, too. You know, he's kind of that handsome guy. You know, you gotta get it right. You're trying to capture that moment and that expression and that exchange, but you also gotta get their likeness.

[Mary Reichard]

Details matter and change over time, like whether to draw Justice Neil Gorsuch wearing a pair of glasses or not.

[Bill Hennessy]

When Gorsuch first started, he put him on very briefly to do something, and he took them off. That's pretty common. When people first get bifocals. They'll put them on enough to make an art. You know, look at the document, and they'll take them back off. And now they're all pretty much wearing bifocals.

[Mary Reichard]

Justice Samuel Alito.

[Bill Hennessy]

Alito, you know, he is such a serious guy, and lots of times comes across as sort of scowling.

[Jenny Ruff]

Justice Amy Coney Barrett.

[Bill Hennessy]

She has this interesting way she tilts her head when she's listening.

[Jenny Ruff]

Justice Brett Kavanaugh has a demeanor that shows up when he's especially interested in a legal argument.

[Bill Hennessy]

He just has an interesting kind of face. I was gonna say pouty face, but he just. He's. No, he's a very serious, you know, intent. He's listening intently.

[Mary Reichard]

Hennessy says Justice Elena Kagan does a great job engaging with the lawyers arguing before the court, and that her physical appearance has changed the most over the years.

[Bill Hennessy]

I think her hair has changed. Yeah, I think she's changed her look a bit.

[Mary Reichard]

It's longer now. Before the COVID pandemic, Justice Clarence Thomas didn't say much during oral argument. Almost nothing, only an occasional question.

[Bill Hennessy]

Over the years, Thomas for the longest time would lean back and sort of close his eyes, and everyone had this idea that he wasn't listening.

[Jenny Ruff]

But when the Supreme Court resorted to Zoom for oral argument during the pandemic shutdown, the court changed its protocols. Instead of Justices tossing out questions at their whim, the justices took turns by order of seniority. Those new protocols meant Justice Thomas took a turn participating, he said, in interviews that felt much more polite than the interrupting style of the past. So these days, instead of sitting on the bench quietly, he asked strong, reasoned questions. So those closed eyes meant concentrating, but.

[Bill Hennessy]

That was the way he listened. You gotta be careful making assumptions.

[Mary Reichard]

Justice Sonia Sotomayor is outwardly expressive. Hennessy remembers seeing her do an eye roll once when the late Justice Antonin Scalia voiced an opinion during an argument. And Hennessy gives Justice Stephen Breyer a professor look. His expression is pleasant and curious, instructive.

[Jenny Ruff]

This coming October, when the next term starts, we'll see what he notices as he draws the newest justice on the bench. Ketanji Brown Jackson.

[Bill Hennessy]

I enjoy going to the Supreme Court. It's. But it's, I stress every time because it's so heavy always. It's never a breeze. You just feel the weight of it every time you go in there. You got to do it. You got to get this right, got to get it right. There's something just really weighty and heavy and serious about going to the Supreme Court? Aye. Clarence Thomas.

[Mary Reichard]

Aye.

[Bill Hennessy]

Sonia Sotomayud. Aye. Neil M. Borsuch. Aye. Roberts. Aye. Elena Kagan. Aye. Samuel A. Alito Jr. Aye. Steven Breyer.

[Jenny Ruff]

Aye.

[Bill Hennessy]

Amy Coney Barrett. Aye. Brett M. Kavanaugh. Du Family Squ. You solemnly swear. You solemnly swear that I will administer justice without respect, without respect to persons.

[Jenny Ruff]

That I will support and defend the.

[Bill Hennessy]

Constitution of the United States and that I will well and faithfully discharge the duties of the office on which I am about to enter. So help me God. So help me God. So help me God.

[Jenny Ruff]

So help me God.

[Bill Hennessy]

So help me God. So help me God.

[Mary Reichard]

Welcome to Legal Docket. I'm Mary Reichard.

[Jenny Ruff]

And I'm Jenny Ruff. This podcast is from the creative team at World Radio.

[Supreme Court Justices]

They are of all the Chief justice and the Associate Justices of the Supreme Court of the United States.

[Jenny Ruff]

Come with us inside the world of the Supreme Court as we talk to the people involved.

[Supreme Court Justices]

All persons having business before the honorable the Supreme Court of the United States. Admonished to draw near and give their attention. For the court is now sitting today.

[Mary Reichard]

A profile of a courtroom artist.

[Supreme Court Justices]

God save the United States. In this honorable court.

[Mary Reichard]

Legal docket devotes most episodes to covering recent Supreme Court cases and opinions. Today we thought we'd take a step back and hear from a man who has spent a lot of time at the Supreme Court and a lot of other courts, a man who likes to draw.

[Bill Hennessy]

I mean, that's just my nature. So I sketch pretty much anything and everything pretty much all the time.

[Jenny Ruff]

Bill Hennessy says his job as a courtroom artist is a great conversation starter.

[Bill Hennessy]

People like art. People are cautious, I think sometimes around reporters thinking they're going to be quoted for something that they didn't intend to be quoted. But when you say you're an artist, you're like, oh, really? Oh, that's great. I love the stuff you do. So it tends to be sort of, if anything, an ice breaker.

[Mary Reichard]

Hennessey lives in northern Virginia, about 40 miles from the hustle and bustle of D.C. we visited him one Friday afternoon this past July. The drive takes us along windy, scenic roads, past hiking trailheads and local wineries.

[Jenny Ruff]

Hi. Good, how are you? We pull into a gravel driveway, and Hennessey greets us with a handshake and a smile. He's tall, 64 years old, and has a warm personality. His house sits on 22 acres and overlooks Goose Creek, a scenic river in Virginia. He and his wife raised seven kids there. He leads us to a private enclosed structure next to his house.

[Bill Hennessy]

Come on in. So this is the studio.

[Mary Reichard]

Oh, cool.

[Bill Hennessy]

Thank you.

[Mary Reichard]

Hennessey has been drawing court scenes for 42 years. Most of his work happens in the actual courtroom as the case is unfolding, not in his studio. But his studio houses all of his originals. He estimates 10,000 sketches. And the day we visit, he shows us the tools he brings to court with him. A large sketch pad.

[Bill Hennessy]

Of course, I have my markers, my gold prisma pencils. They're more of a wax, almost like a fancy crayon. They're very high quality, good quality drawing material. And then pastels. Actually, pastels are all across the top.

[Jenny Ruff]

Here, so that looks like chalk.

[Bill Hennessy]

It's not chalk, pastel chalk. It's a water based chalk. And these are awesome markers that are these pens that have the little reservoir of water in them so you don't have to be using a little water container. And that's pretty much it.

[Mary Reichard]

I asked him if he had an aha moment, one where he knew he was an artist and for that, he credits his parents. Hennessy moved around a lot as he grew up because his dad served in the Navy. His mom raised eight kids.

[Bill Hennessy]

So my mom was a hardworking mom, stay at home mom.

[Mary Reichard]

She considered going to art school, but opted not to so that she could raise her family.

[Bill Hennessy]

But interestingly, she always drew. So I paid attention to what she was doing and I learned from her. That's where my. And it turns out my father, too, was a. He drew a lot of things on the ship when he was out at. We found all these notebooks that he drew quite a bit. So it was in the jeans I've drawn for as long as I can remember.

[Jenny Ruff]

Hennessy went to art school at risi, the Rhode Island School of Design. His interest in courthouse art came about in an unexpected way.

[Bill Hennessy]

When I was in undergrad at risd, the courthouse was right next door. And for whatever reason, I remember thinking, hey, the courthouses are open to the public. I'm going to go and listen to a court case. And I did.

[Jenny Ruff]

He didn't draw anything, but the case deeply affected him.

[Bill Hennessy]

She left a lot of evidence, telltale signs. She put things places because she was being abducted and she knew and she couldn't get. It was really. It was terrifying.

[Mary Reichard]

And that's how he got his start. Local courts, state courts, observing, listening, drawing. Eventually, he began to cover the federal courts, too, including the Supreme Court. Thurgood Marshall was on the bench when Hennessy started back to oral arguments. Now, Hennessy says, they can get animated.

[Bill Hennessy]

I'd like to really get the back and forth between the justices and arguing counsel. So I'm more kind of a manic, scratchy pastel. And I'm trying. I like to catch the action.

[Mary Reichard]

Hennessy sits in the press area of the Supreme Court when he sketches, along with the journalists, a tight space. If you're standing at the lectern facing the justices, the press area is to the left, a few benches and a group of alcoves behind them. Depending on the seat, a pillar might block your view. Those obstacles can bring challenges. Like when Ruth Bader Ginsburg served, she.

[Bill Hennessy]

Was so tiny that when she was behind the bench last time, you just hear a voice on the top of her head.

[Jenny Ruff]

Maybe another obstacle. People move around a lot. How does Hennessy remember the correct body language? Was it the right arm crossed on top of the left or the other way around? Interestingly, he said that almost every person has four or five postures that they continually return to, so it helps to learn what those are. He usually starts with A rough layout, and then to remember little details like positions and expressions. He has a process.

[Bill Hennessy]

Obviously, you can't photograph it as an artist, so you sort of like, gather this series of moments to put this into a drawing.

[Jenny Ruff]

He makes nicks along the edges of his sketch pad to clue himself in, writes himself, notes in sort of a shorthand. It's called gesture sketching. And he always tries to capture that perfect moment in each case that's critical to telling the story. He remembers a particular criminal case, the.

[Bill Hennessy]

Case where the prosecutor gestured like he was holding a rifle. Boom. That's the sketch.

[Mary Reichard]

Another time, he stood outside the grand jury room during the Monica Lewinsky saga. A friend of Monica's who didn't like the media saw Hennessy standing in a little pack of reporters.

[Bill Hennessy]

She went. Stood at the elevator doors. As soon as the elevator doors opened, she stuck her tongue out and jumped on the elevator. And I was like, I dropped that. So I had. Yeah, I was too good not to draw.

[Jenny Ruff]

So he captured her on paper with fast energy, blonde hair, a swipe of color that matched the hue of her clothes. An image like that, he says, is like a fading photograph there and then gone.

[Mary Reichard]

Not long ago, he covered former Trump White House adviser Peter Navarro's criminal contempt charge for defying a subpoena related to the January 6 probe. Now, in cases like that, the defendant usually walks into the courtroom with his lawyers off the streets.

[Bill Hennessy]

He had been locked up. I didn't realize that. And that was a real shocker. He actually got arrested. And so before the hearing even started, the marshal held out an envelope of his belongings, and he was, like, taking his belongings out of the envelope in the courtroom, and I was just like, wow.

[Jenny Ruff]

See?

[Bill Hennessy]

So images like that really kind of tell the story sometimes.

[Mary Reichard]

Another one of his goals, be objective.

[Bill Hennessy]

I try to stay out of the politics of it. I really do. And even including in the way I draw and what I draw, I just try to be objective. You know, that's my goal.

[Mary Reichard]

Draw it as he sees it.

[Bill Hennessy]

So it's a challenge trying to capture the moment and be accurate. Accuracy is one thing I've certainly been drilled into me over the years is, you know, there's this etiquette, this ethical responsibility. As an artist is just like a journalist. You got to get it right and don't embellish, don't get it wrong. And if you didn't see it, don't draw it.

[Jenny Ruff]

He remembers the day he attended the first hearing of the D.C. snipers. Those were a series of shootings by a Man and a boy for three weeks in October 2002. No press allowed in the courtroom.

[Bill Hennessy]

And it drove me crazy. And the door opened for a second, and the door closed. And I said, I saw him. I saw him. I'm sure of it. But I didn't want to be wrong. And I was so tempted to sketch that and put it out. But I thought, I cannot risk being wrong. So I waited till the next hearing, and I was like, I knew it. I was right.

[Jenny Ruff]

When he sketches, he hears a few requests all the time. Can you make me look handsome? Thinner. Give me more hair.

[Mary Reichard]

But his favorite line, but this one.

[Bill Hennessy]

Guy is, he's called to the stand. And I'm up, you know, in the aisle seat, looking, waiting for him to take the stand. He stops, and he taps me on his shoulder and says, can you make me look credible? And then he walked off. And I thought, now, that's an original. That was really good. Can you make me look credible?

[Jenny Ruff]

Mary, you and I have legal minds and work as writers with letters and words. Neither of us has the gift of painting or drawing or sketching. But I do remember an artist once made a remark that stuck with me. She said, the key to art is you don't look down at the page. You look at the person or object you're drawing.

[Bill Hennessy]

It's absolutely true. It's almost amazing. If you try this, you know, set your pen or pencil down at one point on what you're looking at, and don't even look up. Let your eye guide your. Now, your proportion will be thrown off, but you'll be amazed at how much of the character of what you actually are looking at, you've captured. By not looking at what you're doing and paying attention to what you're looking.

[Mary Reichard]

At, you capture the character of who you're drawing by fixing your eyes on the other person, not yourself.

[Jenny Ruff]

Seems like there's a life lesson in there, more so than just for artists.

[Mary Reichard]

Well, when Hennessy draws people, he's constantly looking to capture emotion. A few weeks before we visited Hennessy in his studio, a suspect had been arrested for threatening justice. Brett Kavanaugh.

[Bill Hennessy]

He was so animated in his hearing the other day that I just kept doing another image, another image, another image. Because he was so animated, I couldn't just settle on one sketch. He was just clearly emotionally distressed and would, like, hold his head. He would drop his head. He would just. Was sort of like, all over the table. He didn't want to look up for a while. Then when he did, he was asked questions he stood. He did listen to the judge, but he clearly was very strange demeanor.

[Jenny Ruff]

Hennessy sketched as much as he could, as fast as he could. Ended up with multiple sketches. At the lower court level, things move at all sorts of different paces, so it can be hard to predict how much time he'll have to sketch.

[Bill Hennessy]

An arraignment is, you know, 20 minutes. A preliminary hearing, you know, that could be anywhere to a couple hours. And then a trial could go, you know, a day to two months.

[Mary Reichard]

But at the Supreme Court, he can usually rely on a predictable pattern. One lawyer speaks, then the next rebuttal at the end. Oral arguments typically last one hour. First, he sketches what he calls the establishment shot or the wide shot.

[Bill Hennessy]

And usually from the Supreme Court. That's that first counsel and a full bench. And that's a big drawing. That's a lot of work, but you need that initially. And then if there's, like, you know, specific, you know, back and forth between counsel and one or two justices, then that might be a separate sketch.

[Mary Reichard]

And then the counsel for the opposing party and the key questioners from the bench.

[Jenny Ruff]

Hang around the Supreme Court as much as Hennessy does, and you're bound to meet a justice or two. He remembers being in the building when Justice Lewis Powell walked right on by.

[Bill Hennessy]

He came walking down the hall to the press room, and I saw him in the hall and said hi and all that. And come to find out he was coming in to announce that he was retiring to the. To the press, neat, things like that. So. And that's really. That's really a unique moment. It's pretty cool.

[Jenny Ruff]

And he told us this fun story, too. Once before, the chief justice was the chief justice, Hennessy covered a Microsoft antitrust case.

[Bill Hennessy]

The attorney who handled the appeal for the government was a guy named John Roberts.

[Mary Reichard]

Hennessy drew a sketch of the appeal. When a case is on appeal from a lower court decision, a panel of judges asked the lawyers a whole bunch of questions, much like at the Supreme Court. Well, the lower court had likened Bill Gates to a drug kingpin. And the panel of appellate judges kept asking why.

[Bill Hennessy]

So they were all peppering the government attorney, who was John Roberts, with, you know, why did the judge do this? Why did he? And finally he sort of threw his hands up and said, I don't know. I wish we knew. And I thought, that's my drawing. His hands in the air, saying he doesn't know.

[Jenny Ruff]

Years later, Hennessy was flipping through his sketches and realized that the lawyer he'd drawn with his hands in the Air was now Chief Justice John Roberts at a reception. Hennessy worked up the nerve to talk with Roberts and tell him that story. The chief remembered the moment.

[Mary Reichard]

Back in May 2022, Hennessy attended the dedication of a portrait of the late Justice John Paul Stevens. He didn't draw the portrait. He was just there. Justice Alito was also there.

[Bill Hennessy]

Alito looked so irritated. He looked bothered. The next day, they announced the leak.

[Mary Reichard]

The leak, meaning the leak of Dobbs vs Jackson Women's Health, the decision that overturned Roe vs Wade.

[Bill Hennessy]

He looked so upset, so bothered. And I'm convinced. I can't prove it, but I'm like, I'm convinced that's what was going on there.

[Mary Reichard]

We'll be covering the Dobbs case and the little known backstory behind it in two weeks.

[Jenny Ruff]

Speaking of backstory, backstory gives a bigger, more complete picture. And Hennessy says his work as a courtroom artist has done just that, given him an education about the law and how it works.

[Bill Hennessy]

I've learned enough that I can have a conversation. It does help me understand where a lot of people don't, you know, they get upset about something they hear in the news. And it's like, guys, you know, you've got to hear the whole case and you got to understand the jury's listening. They're actually listening to the evidence that's admitted, and they're listening to the law that's been explained to them by the judge. So it's helpful that way. And because everyone gets very emotional about.

[Mary Reichard]

It, watching oral arguments reminds him why federalism matters.

[Bill Hennessy]

But I remember my middle school government teacher and talking about the importance that in the Constitution, where rights not specifically designated to the federal government automatically go to the states. And I'm amazed how many times that comes up in a Supreme Court argument. And it's like, wow, this is really funny. I actually learned stuff that's applicable.

[Mary Reichard]

And his work has given him an appreciation of the blessings of living in this country.

[Bill Hennessy]

I think our justice system is excellent. I really think highly of our juries and the challenges they have. And I've watched juries come out, you know, sobbing and deliver a verdict because it hurts. It's hard to judge another, but they have to, and they don't take it lightly. So I think our system works well. I really tell people, you know, if you really question it, if you think it's unfair, go in a courtroom and watch how this system is really there to protect the rights of the individual.

[Jenny Ruff]

It's almost cliche to say the life of an artist isn't easy, especially when working as an independent like Hennessy.

[Mary Reichard]

Hennessy says it's even harder today. We are in the digital age.

[Bill Hennessy]

People want to see photographs, they want to see video. Even they'd rather see video than photographs. They want the moving image.

[Mary Reichard]

Plus, the media industry has gone through.

[Bill Hennessy]

Major budget cuts, and then along comes the Internet. That changed everything.

[Jenny Ruff]

Yeah, free content on the Internet caused even more economic difficulty.

[Bill Hennessy]

It was really tough. So. And I'm trying to, you know, navigate that as a. As an independent. Not to say I haven't enjoyed it. It's been fascinating. It's been awesome, but it's been a challenge.

[Mary Reichard]

Hennessy hopes his form of art will be preserved. We do, too. Legal docket is produced by the creative team at World Radio. I'm Mary Reichard.

[Jenny Ruff]

And I'm Jenny Ruff.

[Mary Reichard]

We're the hosts each week and collaborated on writing this script. Our script editors are Nick Eicher and Paul Butler, who is also our producer. Lillian Hammond provided audio support.

[Jenny Ruff]

We'd like to give special thanks Bill Hennessy, for welcoming us to his art studio and talking with us for today's episode.

[Mary Reichard]

We're just under 1300 ratings on iTunes, but we know a lot more people listen than that. So if you hear this and you haven't yet left a review, we hope you will do that. It helps others to find us and spreads the word about this researched and produced podcast. And thank you.