Malphurs

Malphurs also found that laughter at the Supreme Court is something best left to the justices.

Supreme Court justices are not laughing at you. They're laughing with you. Robert Barnes 2011

Malphurs also found that laughter at the Supreme Court is something best left to the justices.

Supreme Court justices are not laughing at you. They're laughing with you. Robert Barnes 2011

Malphurs has built upon what Wexler has jokingly described on his blog as his "Nobel Prize-winning monograph" by attempting to categorize the laughter-inducing comments.

Supreme Court justices are not laughing at you. They're laughing with you. Robert Barnes 2011

Also, "I couldn't pass up that quote," Malphurs said.

Supreme Court justices are not laughing at you. They're laughing with you. Robert Barnes 2011

In scholarly fashion, Malphurs - who studied the court for his communications dissertation at Texas A&M - looked for deeper meaning: "The justices' laughter diminishes formal control and power barriers, facilitating communication amongst themselves, between the justices and advocates, and with the audience members as well."

Supreme Court justices are not laughing at you. They're laughing with you. Robert Barnes 2011

Also, "I couldn't pass up that quote," Malphurs said.

Supreme Court justices are not laughing at you. They're laughing with you. Robert Barnes 2011

Malphurs has built upon what Wexler has jokingly described on his blog as his "Nobel Prize-winning monograph" by attempting to categorize the laughter-inducing comments.

Supreme Court justices are not laughing at you. They're laughing with you. Robert Barnes 2011

It's no surprise that the justice who does try, Scalia, was the runaway winner in both Wexler's and Malphurs' studies; Breyer was second and the ever-serious Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg brought up the rear.

Supreme Court justices are not laughing at you. They're laughing with you. Robert Barnes 2011

Malphurs' work was completed before Justices Sonia Sotomayor and Elena Kagan joined the bench.

Supreme Court justices are not laughing at you. They're laughing with you. Robert Barnes 2011

Now might be the time to acknowledge that Malphurs may be writing about laughter, but his approach is strictly academic.

Supreme Court justices are not laughing at you. They're laughing with you. Robert Barnes 2011