As for predictions of the outcome, which could come next week, specialists urged caution. For one thing, it is difficult to gauge the high court based on oral arguments alone. Transcripts and audiotapes of yesterday's oral arguments flooded the airwaves and the Internet within an hour, probably providing most Americans their first glimpse of the Supreme Court in action. What they read and heard was a group of justices well versed in the details of the Florida case, who appeared focused primarily on the proper role of courts in this messy political affair. Most professional court watchers agreed that oral arguments play a minor role in the court's actual decision making.
Justices usually study cases for months and pore over heavily footnoted briefs.
Then they hold conferences and votes to help them craft an opinion. The justices were really talking to each other. I think they've thinking about it for a while. It's possible they might have maybe been moved by oral arguments. But my guess is that they pretty much had their minds made up,'' he said.