U.S. Supreme Court postpones March cases to protect justices from virus exposure

WASHINGTON, DC -- The U.S. Supreme Court has taken the extraordinary step of postponing oral arguments for more than a dozen cases, including three involving subpoenas for President Donald Trump's financial records, citing "public health precautions" due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The session was set to begin on March 23. There is no new date set for the postponed arguments and the court building has been closed to the public.

The delay of cases is believed to be the most significant disruption to the court's business since the 1918 Spanish flu epidemic when several arguments were postponed for roughly a month, according to court records.

The justices, many of whom are among the most at-risk for COVID-19 given their age and underlying health conditions, remain in good health and continue to work on court business from home or their private chambers, court spokeswoman Kathy Arberg told ABC News.

Six of the nine justices are 65 and older. Justices Ruth Bader Ginsburg, 87, and Stephen Breyer, 81, are the oldest members of the court.