Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts praised courts across the country in an annual end of year report for how they responded to the COVID-19 pandemic. Roberts noted that the nation’s highest court in March asked employees to work remotely, and moved most filings and opinions online. In May, the Supreme Court held oral arguments by teleconference for the first time, an arrangement that remains in place at least through January. “Other appellate courts around the country have responded with similar considered flexibility,” he wrote in the 7-page report. Trial courts, meanwhile, have worked to carry out their vital functions while following the best available health guidance amid the pandemic, he added. Hearings went virtual; video and audio conferencing became normal practice. Courtrooms that needed to be in session did so in reconfigured spaces. “All this is a credit to judges and court staff, but also to the citizens who …