Home
>
Political
>
John Roberts ? Supreme Court Nominee

John Roberts ? Supreme Court Nominee

President Bush's selection of the Hon. John Roberts is an interesting choice. The betting, and there had been betting, was on a minority or female candidate. Instead, President Bush swings for the fences with a middle-aged, white male. Let the ugliness begin.

Competency

Regardless of your political views, Roberts' intellectual competency cannot be questioned. This man was a very competent lawyer and is a thoughtful judge. As an advocate, his arguments before the Supreme Court were always creative and thorough. As a judge, his written opinions reveal sound analytical skills and logical interpretations of the facts at hand.

The current court constituency has been together for far too long and is intellectually vacant on many issues. The leading intellectuals, Rehnquist and O'Connor are the undisputed "thinkers" on the court. Obviously, O'Connor is gone and Rehnquist will undoubtedly take a reduced roll in light of his serious health issues. The poor man looks like hell!

Of the remaining justices, none is particularly sharp and certainly not a leader of the court. Scalia is a publicity hound and hurls insults at all who disagree with him. Thomas issues opinions that nearly everyone agrees are simply bizarre. Stevens has always taken a back seat and Ginsburg certainly will be in the minority. The remaining Justices are often wildly inconsistent and certainly have issued a number of opinions that turn on the most inane of facts. The recent contradictory decisions regarding the 10 Commandments are perfect examples of a Court gone adrift.

If confirmed, John Roberts will be the first step in bringing solid legal reasoning back to the bench. By solid, I don't mean liberal or conservative thinking. I simply mean decisions that are logically consistent. Of all the current Justices, Roberts would clearly be the best choice for Chief Justice when Rehnquist finally leaves the bench. .

Okay, we've established Robert's is a quality judge. What effect will his confirmation have on the landmark decisions, particularly Roe v. Wade?

Landmark Decisions

Make no mistake, John Roberts is very conservative. Generally, he will side with the conservatives on the bench, but not always. His vote will be critical since he is replacing Justice O'Connor, the historical swing voter. Depending upon your political leanings, this as either a good or bad thing.

Roe v. Wade

Will Roe v. Wade be overturned? This is the key to Roberts' tenure on the bench. Personally, his conservative leanings would suggest Roe is dead in the water, but not so fast. Roberts also has a strong belief in upholding landmark cases that have set precedent for an area of law. Obviously, Roe is such a case. Nobody can predict what he will do, but we can predict that the choice will shape his future on the bench.

If Roberts votes to overturn Roe, we will see a complete re-writing of all the landmark cases. By voting to overturn, Roberts will position himself solidly with the conservative Justices on the court. Everything will be open game and the legal landscape will change dramatically.

If Roberts votes to uphold Roe, you can expect the conservative Justices to remain the minority for the foreseeable future. This prediction has everything to do with Justice Scalia.

Although championed by conservative groups, those in legal circles know that no single person has been a bigger obstacle for the conservative movement on the bench. The problem, quite simply, is Scalia is a jerk. He has a very bad habit of personally attacking other Justices in written opinions when they don't agree with him. Justices O'Connor, Kennedy and Sauter were all supposed to be conservatives, but became moderates on the bench. The generally agreed cause is the personal attacks Scalia let fly in his dissents. Kennedy, in particular, is known to bristle at the mention of Scalia. Though they issue denials, it is well known that many Justices are not on speaking terms with Scalia. If you would like to learn more on the division, pick up a copy of "A Court Divided: The Rehnquist Court and the Future of Constitutional Law."

If Scalia personally attacks Roberts in written opinions, human nature suggests Roberts will move towards the middle. Scalia will do just such a thing should Roberts vote to uphold Roe. In short, it all comes down to Roberts' decision on Roe v. Wade.

One way or another, the Supreme Court is about to come front and center in the public eye. Within the next five years, we should see at least two more Justices, Rehnquist and Stevens, leave the bench. Once they retire, the court should remain stable for at least ten years. If only we knew how they would rule!

Richard Chapo is with http://www.sandiegobusinesslawfirm.com - a firm providing legal advice to California businesses. Visit http://www.sandiegobusinesslawfirm.com to read more legal articles.

personalized cleaning services Des Plaines ..

In The News:

Petco disclosed a data breach exposing customer Social Security numbers, financial account details, and driver's license information due to a software error.

Baseball teams can now analyze complete swing mechanics in normal training environments using Theia's markerless AI system that processes standard high-speed footage.

Smart home hacking fears overblown? Expert reveals real cybersecurity risks and simple protection tips to keep your connected devices safe from hackers.

MIT develops needle-free glucose monitor using light technology. Revolutionary device could replace painful finger pricks for diabetes management.

The ClickFix campaign disguises malware as legitimate Windows updates, using steganography to hide shellcode in PNG files and bypass security detection systems.

Researchers from Osaka Metropolitan University designed a 21-foot dome that combines aquaculture and hydroponics to create a self-sustaining urban food system.

The Fox News AI Newsletter gives readers the latest AI technology advancements, covering the challenges and opportunities AI presents.

ChatGPT data breach exposes personal info of users through partner Mixpanel. OpenAI confirms names, emails compromised in security incident.

Android rolls out Emergency Live Video for 911 calls, letting dispatchers see real-time scenes during emergencies. Great for holiday travel safety.

Malicious Chrome and Edge extensions collected browsing history, keystrokes and personal data from millions of users before Google and Microsoft removed them.

Google's new Call Reason feature lets Android users mark calls as urgent before dialing, displaying an urgent label to recipients using Phone by Google app.

Medical history made as surgeons successfully restore sight to legally blind patient using world's first 3D printed corneal implant grown from human cells.

Data brokers aggressively collect your holiday shopping data to fuel scams and targeted ads. Learn how to delete your digital profile before 2025 starts.

Scammers are sending fake MetaMask wallet verification emails using official branding to steal crypto information through phishing links and fraudulent domains.

Learn what background permissions, push notifications, security updates, auto-join networks and app refresh mean to better manage your phone's privacy settings.

Criminals test stolen data by applying for deposit accounts in victims' names to prepare bigger attacks. Learn why banks won't share fraud details.

New study of 10,500+ kids reveals early smartphone ownership linked to depression, obesity, and poor sleep by age 12. Earlier phones mean higher risks.

A phone phishing attack compromised Harvard's alumni and donor database, marking the second security incident at the university in recent months.

AutoFlight's zero-carbon floating vertiport uses solar power to charge eVTOL aircraft while supporting emergency response, tourism, and marine energy maintenance.

A new phone return scam targets recent buyers with fake carrier calls. Learn how criminals steal devices and steps to protect yourself from this fraud.

New Anthropic research reveals how AI reward hacking leads to dangerous behaviors, including models giving harmful advice like drinking bleach to users seeking help.

The Fox News AI Newsletter gives readers the latest AI technology advancements, covering the challenges and opportunities AI presents.

Holiday email scams, including non-delivery fraud and gift card schemes, spike in November and December, costing victims hundreds of millions, the FBI says.

Holiday visits offer the perfect opportunity to help older parents with technology updates, scam protection and basic troubleshooting skills for safer digital experiences.

Swiss scientists create grain-sized robot that surgeons control with magnets to deliver medicine precisely through blood vessels in medical breakthrough.

John Roberts ? Supreme Court Nominee

Political