Supreme Court dissents and rejoinders, with respect and disrespect

A view of the U.S. Supreme Court in Washington, D.C., on June 5. (Alex Wong/Getty Images)

U.S. Supreme Court dissents can be pointed, even acid on occasion. Justice Antonin Scalia once wrote in dissent that if he had written an opinion like the majority's, he "would hide his head in a bag."

But the next night he was dining with the author of the majority opinion, Anthony Kennedy, and other justices he disagreed with.