USA: Supreme Court Chief Justice dies (1 Viewer)

[townie]

William Rehnquist, chief justice of the US supreme court has died. So another appointment is in order. Discuss.

US Chief Justice William Rehnquist dies

United States Chief Justice William Rehnquist has died at his home in suburban Virginia. His death ends a remarkable 33-year Supreme Court career during which Rehnquist oversaw the court's conservative shift, presided over an impeachment trial and helped decide a presidential election.

The death gives President George Bush his second court opening within four months and sets up what is expected to be an even more bruising Senate confirmation battle than that of John Roberts, which was due to open on Tuesday. [...]

Rehnquist was appointed to the Supreme Court as an associate justice in 1971 by president Richard Nixon and took his seat on January 7, 1982. He was elevated to chief justice by president Ronald Reagan in 1986.

Rehnquist, 80 and ill with cancer, presided over president Bill Clinton's impeachment trial in 1999, helped settle the 2000 presidential election in Bush's favour, and fashioned decisions over the years that diluted the powers of the federal government while strengthening those of the states.

----
SMH - September 4, 2005.

 

[Rafy]

Say goodbye to decisions such as Roe v. Wade.

It will be quite a conservative court.

Why do they let the Executive appoint the Judiciary? *shakes head*

 

[gordo]

never heard of him
judges in america are elcted by a citizen vote yeh

do they campaign and crap?

 

[Rafy]

No the judges of the Supreme court are nominated by the President and confirmed by the Senate.

Bush also has to select a new Cheif Justice...

 

[gordo]

which judges are voted for?

 

[Rafy]

It varies from state to state (No federal court judges are directly elected) and its usually the lowest courts in the heirarchy (and the judges usually only hear civil law cases) i.e The New York City Civil Court

but yeh remember this varies between the states....

 

[MoonlightSonata]

What is particularly silly, in my opinion, is that the US does not have a mandatory retirement date for its Supreme Court judges. (Under our constitution our High Court judges must retire at 70.) There is a danger that they get into their dotage and start become senile and mentally off balance.

I wonder how many of them just die on the bench?

 

[townie]

What is particularly silly, in my opinion, is that the US does not have a mandatory retirement date for its Supreme Court judges. (Under our constitution our High Court judges must retire at 70.) There is a danger that they get into their dotage and start become senile and mentally off balance.

I wonder how many of them just die on the bench?

i suspect quite a few....i'm not well versed in US constitutional law, but one presumes u can remove a judge for going a bit crazy...which is bound to happen sooner or later.


i just hope that Bush has the decency to keep a balance in the court and appoint some1 a little less conservative as his replacement for O'Connor (more liberal) is a conservative

 

[Meldrum]

I think the constitution's a little outdated. It should be fixed.

There are many people over 70 who could sit well into their 90s. I think, in our next referendum, we should ammend the clause so that they have to pass a vote of confidence.

 

[MoonlightSonata]

I would like it extended to 75, but I wouldn't push it past that.

 

[j_hakka_v2]

i just hope that Bush has the decency to keep a balance in the court and appoint some1 a little less conservative as his replacement for O'Connor (more liberal) is a conservative

I dare say, Bush and decency? What lubricity!

 

[erawamai]

Rehnquist was kind of a funny judge. A bit all over the shop. But really the US should have a retirement age. 85 year olds on the Supreme Court is just too much.

 

[loquasagacious]

Anyone know the ages of the other justices?

Are we likley to see Bush's supremes preside for five, ten, twenty years?

 

[MoonlightSonata]

The current Justices:

• Chief Justice, vacant
• John Paul Stevens -- Born 1920 (~85 years old)
• Sandra Day O'Connor -- Born 1930 (~75 years old)
• Antonin Scalia -- Born 1936 (~69 years old)
• Anthony Kennedy -- Born 1936 (~69 years old)
• David Souter -- Born 1939 (~66 years old)
• Clarence Thomas -- Born 1948 (~57 years old)
• Stephen Breyer -- Born 1938 (~67 years old)

"On July 1, 2005, Justice O'Connor announced that she would retire from the Supreme Court when her successor is nominated and confirmed. On 19 July 2005, President George W. Bush announced the nomination of Judge John G. Roberts, Jr. to succeed her.

Justices Scalia and Thomas are generally perceived as the Court's conservative wing, and the late Chief Justice Rehnquist was seen as being part of this wing. Justices Souter, Breyer, Ginsburg, and Stevens are generally perceived as its liberal wing. Justices O'Connor and Kennedy are considered moderates, and are hence the swing votes who often determine the outcomes of close cases."

 

[Rafy]

Well Bush revoked his nomination of Roberts to replace O'connor as an associate judge and instead nominated him for Cheif Justice.

Roberts is only 50 years old (1955). So if he lived to 85 that would be 35 years as chief justice. Thats crazy.