The high court turned down hundreds of appeals, including one by the founders of former telecommunications giant Adelphia Communications. It also refused to hear an appeal from John and Timothy Rigas, who wanted their fraud convictions overturned.

The Rigases were sent to prison after Adelphia collapsed in 2002, with prosecutors saying they used it like a personal piggy bank.

Inside the courtroom, Kagan is getting her first taste of Supreme Court arguments from behind the bench. She replaced Justice John Paul Stevens, who retired after more than 34 years. Three women now are serving on the nine-justice court. Justices Ruth Bader Ginsburg and Sonia Sotomayor are the others.