LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — U.S. Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts says he's worried about growing partisanship in the judicial confirmation process and a public perception that the court is a political body.

Roberts told an audience at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln on Friday that the current partisan atmosphere in Washington would make it unlikely for justices such as Antonin Scalia or Ruth Bader Ginsburg to win confirmation.

Roberts offered advice for lawyers who argue before the court, urging them to keep their legal briefs short. He acknowledged that the justices sometimes ask too many questions, to the point that he has to referee them.

Roberts also said assigning cases is the best part of his job, and he tries to give each justice a mix of important cases and those he deemed "dogs."