Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas Clarence ThomasSCOTUS confirmation in the last month of a close election? Ugly GOP senator attacks Biden: 'I'm not sure what he recalls' Abortion, gun rights, ObamaCare at stake with Supreme Court pick MORE was reportedly absent from the bench Monday as the court reconvened for its new term.

Chief Justice John Roberts said in his opening remarks that Thomas was "indisposed" due to an illness but said the conservative judge would still be participating in deciding the three cases the court is hearing arguments about, according to Reuters.

ADVERTISEMENT

Details of Thomas's illness were not immediately disclosed.

A spokesperson for the Supreme Court was not immediately available for comment when contacted by The Hill.

The term began Monday with the court hearing its first arguments in a case focusing on whether states can discard the insanity defense in criminal prosecutions, according to Reuters.

Thomas, 71, was appointed to the court in 1991 by former President George H.W. Bush. He is the longest-serving justice on the court and one of its most conservative justices.