Chief Justice of the United States

March 6, 1875 a court verdict that will preside in infamy, the verdict of the Dred Scott versus John Sandford Supreme Court case. Dred Scott, a once enslaved African-American man who then moved with his wife to Illinois, a free state or one in which slavery is illegal. By virtue of not being allowed to purchase land undeterred by the fact that under state legislation he was a free man, Dred Scott attempted to sue in a federal court. The chief justice in this case was Chief Justice Roger B Taney, a Federalist white man. He was also born and raised in a slaveholding household, obviously one that was against the freedom of negroes in America. His bipartisan opinion on Dred Scott ensued Taney in ignoring crucial evidence brought before the court…

few men who have been given the task of guiding the court are some of history’s prominent figures. Two men in particular, Earl Warren and William Rehnquist ruled the American legal and political scene for nearly 35 years. Warren, serving from 1953-1969, presided over landmark cases of segregation (Brown v. Board of Education) and criminal rights (Miranda v. Arizona); Rehnquist, who is the fourth-longest serving chief justice in court history (1986-2005), steered the Court to a more conservative…

After the retirement of chief justice Warren, justice burger was next in line to take his position, thus entering the era of the Roberts court. Justice Burger, a conservative figure, held moderate ideologies views pertaining to black issues, but felt the need to somewhat detach from all back issues, a symbol of the conservative "retrenchment" promised by President Richard Nixon in the 1968 election At the time of this transition, as the political climate of the United States began to slowly…

free constitution is pure virtue.” John Adams, who served as the second President of the United States and was a remarkable political philosopher, penned these words. Remarkably, John Adam’s words ring true today. However, morality is the issue and one point is sure: The United States Supreme Court should not arbitrate morality. In order to explain this position, one must first understand how the Supreme Court works and then look into three cases in which morality was decided by the court. How…

was made involuntarily. When brought to the U.S. Supreme Court, the Court had to determine if Connelly’s statement as evidence violated the Due Process Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment (Colorado v. Connelly, n.d.). The court determined that no violation of the Due Process Clause occurred based on the fact that the Miranda rights only protect against government coercion leading them to surrender rights protected by the Fifth Amendment (Colorado v. Connelly, n.d.). This ruling limited the…

His body lay in state in the foyer of the Supreme Court Building – the first time such a ceremony had taken place on the death of a Supreme Court justice. Ironically, his enemy, President Richard Nixon attended his funeral and then resigned the presidency on August 9, 1974. Earl Warren was buried on July 12, 1974 with military honors at Arlington Ceremony. Earl Warren’s legacy One of Earl Warren’s core beliefs was that public office was to be treated as a public trust. He was one – perhaps one…

According to Katz (par. 3), the Supreme Tribunal joined the case together with the others and agreed to review them. The briefing was set to come to a close in April this year. The other lawsuits involved the Tennessee, Kentucky, and Michigan. The court advised the parties in the cases to present their arguments, according to the questions concerning the Amendment. The Obergefell’s lawsuit was mainly directed towards the violation of the Fourteenth Act. The oral arguments in the case were…

v. Stuart 427 U.S. 539 Decision: 9-0, delivered by Chief Justice Burger Facts: Erwin Charles Simants was a suspect of sexual assault and the murdering six members of the Kellie family in their home in Sutherland, Nebraska. Simants had confessed to law enforcement officers and had disclosed information to other private parties. This murder attracted attention to the town from local and nation news broadcasters. Simants’ attorney and the county attorney met before a judge to enact restrictions on…

Cruzan v Director, Missouri Department of Health, was a landmark United States Supreme Court decision. This became the first of the “right to die” cases heard by the Court. It brought forth the question: do people maintain a private, personal right to choose when to end their life? This case would spark national debate and an increased interest in “living wills”. Nancy Beth Cruzan was 25 years old when she was involved in a automobile accident in 1983 that left her unresponsive to outside…

Importance of Supreme Court Nominees’ Political Ideology Unlike the other branches of government, the Constitution is largely silent on judicial qualifications and the nomination process of judicial appointments other than stating that justices should exhibit "good behavior" and are confirmed with the “advice and consent” of the Senate. Thus, tradition largely dictates judicial nominations and the nomination processes that follow. The need for a judicial appointment can occur when a sitting…