The 85-year-old Clinton appointee will work from home following the removal of two malignant cancerous growths from her left lung on Dec. 21 according to court spokeswoman Kathy Arberg. Ginsburg was released on Christmas day from a New York hospital.

The cancer was discovered one week after Ginsburg broke her ribs in a November 7 fall after doctors noticed growths on her lung. 

The oldest Supreme Court Justice has battled cancer twice in the past, once in 1999 and then in 2009 when she underwent surgery for pancreatic cancer - neither of which kept her away from court. 

During the heat of the 2016 US election, Ginsburg made shockwaves when she told the New York Times that should President Trump become President, it would be time to move to New Zealand, stating "I can't imagine what the country would be with Donald Trump as our president," adding "For the country, it could be four years. For the court, it could be — I don't even want to contemplate that."

The comments led many to suggest Ginsburg would need to recuse herself from any decisions involving Trump, with even the Washington Post noting that some "wondered what impact this might have on Ginsburg's decision to hear cases involving Trump. - If there's a redo of Bush v. Gore, how does Ginsburg not recuse herself, given her Trump comments?"