cross-posted from my blog, Basie!
Everyone knows that William Rehnquist is Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, making this the “Rehnquist Court” (like the “Warren Court” before it, for instance). But is William Rehnquist the real leader of this iteration of the top court in the nation? The Los Angeles Times David G. Savage explores this question and more.
The Rehnquist court did not come to an end last week as predicted, despite the illness of the chief justice.
But the conservative Supreme Court led by Chief Justice William H. Rehnquist did fade away, a development as surprising as the retirement announced Friday by Justice Sandra Day O’Connor.
In its place at the end of the term stood a moderate-to-liberal court led by John Paul Stevens, the 85-year-old justice who sports bow ties and whose energy and influence seem to have grown with age.
By forming alliances with O’Connor or Justice Anthony M. Kennedy — and sometimes even with Justice Antonin Scalia — Stevens has been able to forge a majority in some of the biggest Supreme Court cases.
The loss of O’Connor’s vote might mean Stevens’ sway over the court has reached its high-water mark. But with Kennedy and four liberals still in place, the Stevens bloc isn’t likely to dissolve overnight.
It’s quite a fascinating piece that’s worth reading. On many issues, Justice Kennedy was much more of the swing vote than O’Connor, with O’Connor often serving as the sixth liberal vote rather than the fifth liberal vote. So unless Stevens passes away or retires any time soon, the “Stevens Court” might continue to extend the legacy of Earl Warren for a long time to come, much to the consternation of the Court’s conservatives.
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