Kagan Asks Questions at First High Court Argument

WASHINGTON (AP) — Newly-installed Supreme Court Justice Elena Kagan has asked her first public questions in a case before the bench.

Less than 20 minutes into the court's new term Monday, Kagan participated directly in an argument before the justices.

The court was trying to figure out whether someone in bankruptcy who owned a car outright could still shield some income from creditors by claiming an allowance for a car payment. Like many seemingly easy issues that come to the court, this one has divided federal appeals courts.

Kagan wanted to know if the debtor could instead claim the gas and maintenance expenses that go along with having a car.