Little late in here, but you are so correct, nopardons. I was a court reporter in both state and federal court (9th District). There are some days you don’t even know which way a judge will rule, human and all. It takes so many things to get a case before the SCOTUS.
My salad days are long past, but I still have a very good memory and remember all of the steps it takes, just to get a case just TO the SCOTUS! And then, they might just ignore it, or refuse to take it. Yes, judges are humans and most assuredly fall for all the vicissitudes of all mankind.