Alito treated for dehydration after falling ill in March, Supreme Court says

Washington — Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito was treated for dehydration aft falling sick astatine an lawsuit successful Philadelphia connected March 20, the court's nationalist accusation bureau said Friday.

"Out of an abundance of caution, helium agreed with his information detail's proposal to spot a doc earlier the three-hour thrust home," the bureau said successful a statement. "After that introspection and the medication of fluids for dehydration, helium returned location that night, arsenic antecedently planned."

CNN revealed the incidental successful a study earlier Friday, saying Alito had been taken to the infirmary for treatment. Alito was attending a Federalist Society lawsuit successful Philadelphia, CNN said. The tribunal said helium was "thoroughly checked by his ain physician" and returned to enactment arsenic usual.

Alito, 76, has participated successful oral arguments astatine the tribunal successful the 2 weeks since the episode, astir precocious connected Wednesday, erstwhile the justices considered President Trump's enforcement bid aimed astatine ending birthright citizenship.

One of the court's astir blimpish members, Alito was appointed to the seat by President George W. Bush successful 2006, and is present the third-longest-serving justness presently connected the court. 

Speculation astir his imaginable status has swirled since Mr. Trump returned to bureau past year, and has ramped up heading into the midterm elections. If Democrats triumph power of the Senate, filling immoderate vacancy would go highly hard erstwhile a caller Congress convenes successful January.