John Paul Stevens
Associate Justice of the United States Supreme Court
Incumbent
Assumed office  December 19, 1975
Nominated by	Gerald Ford
Preceded by	William O. Douglas
Succeeded by	Incumbent
Born	April 20, 1920 (1920-04-20) (age 87) Chicago, Illinois
Spouse	Elizabeth Jane Sheeren (div.) Maryan Mulholland Simon
Alma mater	University of Chicago Northwestern University
Religion	Protestant

John Paul Stevens (born April 20, 1920) is currently the most senior Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States. He joined the Court in 1975 and is the oldest and longest serving incumbent member of the Court. Although he was appointed to the court by a Republican President, Gerald R. Ford, Stevens is widely regarded as the anchor of the Court's liberal wing. He is the only current Associate Justice to have served under three Chief Justices. Image File history File linksMetadata John_Paul_Stevens,_SCOTUS_photo_portrait. ... Associate Justices of the Supreme Court of the United States are the members of the Supreme Court of the United States other than the Chief Justice of the United States. ... The incumbent, in politics, is the current holder of a political office. ... December 19 is the 353rd day of the year (354th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1975 (MCMLXXV) was a common year starting on Wednesday (link will display full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... this guy is awsome i played him in a school play he also has some pretty funky history Gerald Rudolph Ford, Jr. ... William Orville Douglas (October 16, 1898 – January 19, 1980) was a United States Supreme Court Associate Justice. ... April 20 is the 110th day of the year (111th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... 1920 (MCMXX) was a leap year starting on Thursday. ... Nickname: Motto: Urbs In Horto (Latin: City in a Garden), I Will Location in the Chicago metro area and Illinois Coordinates: , Country United States State Illinois County Cook & DuPage Settled 1770s Incorporated March 4, 1837 Government  - Mayor Richard M. Daley (D) Area  - City  234. ... Official language(s) English[1] Capital Springfield Largest city Chicago Largest metro area Chicago Area  Ranked 25th  - Total 57,918 sq mi (149,998 km²)  - Width 210 miles (340 km)  - Length 390 miles (629 km)  - % water 4. ... The University of Chicago is a private university located principally in the Hyde Park neighborhood of Chicago. ... Northwestern University is a private, coeducational, non-sectarian research university located in Evanston and Chicago, Illinois. ... Protestantism is a general grouping of denominations within Christianity. ... April 20 is the 110th day of the year (111th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... 1920 (MCMXX) was a leap year starting on Thursday. ... Associate Justices of the Supreme Court of the United States are the members of the Supreme Court of the United States other than the Chief Justice of the United States. ... The Republican Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States of America, along with the Democratic Party. ... Gerald Rudolph Ford, Jr. ... Federal courts Supreme Court Chief Justice Associate Justices Elections Presidential elections Midterm elections Political Parties Democratic Republican Third parties State & Local government Governors Legislatures (List) State Courts Counties, Cities, and Towns Other countries Politics Portal      The Chief Justice of the United States is the head of the judicial branch of...

Biography

Early life, 1920-1947

Stevens was born on April 20, 1920, in Chicago, Illinois, to a wealthy family of that city. His paternal grandfather had formed an insurance company and held real estate in Chicago, while his great-uncle owned the Chas. A. Stevens department store. His father, Ernest James Stevens, was a lawyer who later became a hotelier, owning two hotels, the La Salle and the Stevens Hotel. He lost ownership of the hotels during the Great Depression. (The Stevens Hotel was subsequently bought by Hilton Hotels and is today the Chicago Hilton and Towers.) His mother, Elizabeth Maude Street Stevens, a native of Michigan City, Indiana, was a high school English teacher. Two of his three older brothers also became lawyers. April 20 is the 110th day of the year (111th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... 1920 (MCMXX) was a leap year starting on Thursday. ... Flag Seal Nickname: The Windy City Motto: Urbs In Horto (Latin: City in a Garden), I Will Location Location in Chicagoland and northern Illinois Coordinates , Government Country State Counties United States Illinois Cook, DuPage Mayor Richard M. Daley (D) Geographical characteristics Area     City 606. ... Official language(s) English[1] Capital Springfield Largest city Chicago Largest metro area Chicago Area  Ranked 25th  - Total 57,918 sq mi (149,998 km²)  - Width 210 miles (340 km)  - Length 390 miles (629 km)  - % water 4. ... Chas A. Stevens was a Chicago department store. ... A lawyer, according to Blacks Law Dictionary, is a person learned in the law; as an attorney, counsel or solicitor; a person licensed to practice law. ... The Great Depression was a time of economic down turn, which started after the stock market crash on October 29, 1929, known as Black Tuesday. ... Entrance of the Beverly Hilton Hotel in Beverly Hills, California Beverly Hilton Hotel viewed from Wilshire Boulvard Hilton is a brand of the Hilton Hotels Corporation, based in Beverly Hills, California. ... This article or section does not cite any references or sources. ...

The family lived in Hyde Park, and John Paul Stevens attended the University of Chicago Laboratory School. He subsequently obtained an A.B. in English from the University of Chicago in 1941; while in college, Stevens also became a member of the Omega chapter of Psi Upsilon. Hyde Park is a neighborhood on the south side of Chicago, located seven miles south of the Chicago Loop. ... See also University Laboratory High School Of Baton Rouge, Louisiana University Laboratory High School of Urbana, Illinois University of Nebraska-Lincoln Independent Study High School University of Toronto Schools External links About the University of Chicago Lab Schools Category: ... A Bachelor of Arts (B.A. or A.B.) is an undergraduate academic degree awarded for a course or program in the arts and/or sciences. ... English studies is an academic discipline that includes the study of literatures written in the English language (including literatures from the U.K., U.S., Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Hong Kong, India, South Africa, and the Middle East, among other areas), English linguistics (including English phonetics, phonology, syntax, morphology, semantics... The University of Chicago is a private university located principally in the Hyde Park neighborhood of Chicago. ... Psi Upsilon (ΨΥ, Psi U) is the fifth oldest college fraternity, founded at Union College in 1833. ...

He began work on his master's in English at the university in 1941, but soon decided to join the United States Navy, serving as an intelligence officer in the Pacific Theater from 1942 to 1945 (for which service he was awarded a Bronze Star). A masters degree is an academic degree usually awarded for completion of a postgraduate or graduate course of one to three years in duration. ... The United States Navy (USN) is the branch of the United States armed forces responsible for conducting naval operations. ... A map of the Pacific Theater. ... The Bronze Star Medal is a United States Armed Forces individual military decoration and is the fourth highest award for bravery, heroism or meritorious service. ...

Stevens married Elizabeth Jane Sheeren in June 1942. Divorcing her in 1979, he married Maryan Mulholland Simon that December. He has four children: John Joseph (d. 1996 of cancer), Kathryn, Elizabeth and Susan.

With the end of World War II, Stevens returned to Illinois intending to return to his studies in English, but was persuaded by his brother Richard, who was a lawyer, to attend law school. Stevens enrolled in the Northwestern University School of Law in 1945 (the G.I. Bill mostly paying his way). He was a brilliant student (he was reputed to have the highest GPA in the history of the law school^{[citation needed]}) and was Editor-in-Chief of the Northwestern University Law Review. He received his J.D. in 1947. // A law school is an institution where future lawyers obtain legal degrees. ... The Northwestern University School of Law is a private American law school in Chicago, Illinois. ... The Servicemens Readjustment Act of 1944 (better known as the G.I. Bill) provided for college or vocational education for returning World War II veterans (commonly referred to as GIs or G.I.s) as well as one year of unemployment compensation. ... The initials GPA can refer, among other things, to Grade Point Average; see Grade (education) Guinness Peat Aviation General Practice Australia, a private, independent medical accreditation society Greyhound Pets of America This is a disambiguation page — a navigational aid which lists other pages that might otherwise share the same... The Northwestern University Law Review is a scholarly legal publication and student organization at Northwestern University School of Law. ... J.D. redirects here; for alternate uses, see J.D. (disambiguation) J.D. is an abbreviation for the Latin Juris Doctor, also called a Doctor of Law or Doctorate of Jurisprudence, and is the law degree typically awarded by an accredited U.S. law school after successfully completing three years...

Legal career, 1947-1970

Given his stellar academic performance in law school, several prominent Northwestern faculty members recommended Stevens for a Supreme Court clerkship: he served as a clerk to Justice Wiley Rutledge during the 1947-48 Term. (This service, Stevens has said, deeply inspired him, as evident from his Rutledgean focus on the careful interpretation of the facts in a case present in his opinions.) Federal courts Supreme Court Chief Justice Associate Justices Elections Presidential elections Midterm elections Political Parties Democratic Republican Third parties State & Local government Governors Legislatures (List) State Courts Counties, Cities, and Towns Other countries Politics Portal      The Supreme Court of the United States (SCOTUS) is the highest judicial body in the... Law clerks have assisted Supreme Court Justices in various capacities since the first one was hired by Justice Horace Gray in the 1880s. ... Wiley Blount Rutledge (1894 - 1949) was a U.S. educator and jurist. ...

Following his clerkship, Stevens returned to Chicago and joined the law firm of Poppenhusen, Johnston, Thompson & Raymond (which, in the 1960s, would become Jenner & Block). Stevens was admitted to the bar in 1949. He determined that he would not stay long at the Poppenhusen firm after he was docked a day's pay for taking the day off to travel to Springfield to swear his oath of admission. During his time at the Poppenhusen firm, Stevens began his practice in antitrust law. A law firm is a business entity formed by one or more lawyers to engage in the practice of law. ... Jenner & Block is a U.S. law firm with offices in Chicago, Dallas, New York, and Washington, DC. Over 400 attorneys serve a wide range of clients in corporate litigation, business transactions, and in the public sector. ... In the United States, admission to the bar is permission granted by a particular court system to a lawyer to practice law in that system. ... : Home of President Abraham Lincoln United States Illinois Sangamon 60. ... This article is about anti-competitive business behavior. ...

In 1951, he returned to Washington, D.C. to serve as Associate Counsel to the Subcommittee on the Study of Monopoly Power of the Judiciary Committee of the U.S. House of Representatives. During this time, the subcommittee worked on several highly publicized investigation concerns in many industries, most notably Major League Baseball. Nickname: Motto: Justitia Omnibus (Justice for All) Location of Washington, D.C., in relation to the states Maryland and Virginia Coordinates: , Country United States Federal District District of Columbia Government  - Mayor Adrian M. Fenty (D)  - City Council Chairperson: Vincent C. Gray (D) Ward 1: Jim Graham (D) Ward 2: Jack... U.S. House Committee on the Judiciary, or (more commonly) the House Judiciary Committee, is a standing committee of the United States House of Representatives. ... The United States House of Representatives (or simply the House) is one of the two chambers of the United States Congress; the other is the Senate. ... This article or section does not cite any references or sources. ...

In 1952, at age 32, Stevens returned to Chicago and, together with two other young lawyers he had worked with at the Poppenhusen firm, formed his own law firm, Rothschild, Stevens, Barry & Myers. They soon developed a successful practice, with Stevens continuing to focus on antitrust cases. His growing expertise in antitrust law led to an invitation to teach the "Competition and Monopoly" course at the University of Chicago Law School, and from 1953 to 1955, he was a member of the Attorney General's National Committee to Study Antitrust Law. At the same time, Stevens was making a name for himself as a first-rate antitrust litigator and was involved in a number of trials. He was widely regarded by colleagues as an extraordinarily capable and impressive lawyer with a fantastic memory and analytical ability, and authored a number of influential works on antitrust law. This article is about anti-competitive business behavior. ... The University of Chicago Law School, having recently celebrated its centennial in the 2002-2003 school year, has established itself as a high profile part of the University of Chicago. ... Seal of the United States Department of Justice The United States Attorney General is the head of the United States Department of Justice (see 28 U.S.C. Â§ 503) concerned with legal affairs and is the chief law enforcement officer of the United States government. ...

In 1969, the Greenberg Commission, appointed by the Illinois Supreme Court to investigate Sherman Skolnick's corruption allegations levelled at former Chief Justice Ray Klingbiel and current Chief Justice Roy J. Solfisburg, Jr., named Stevens as their counsel (meaning he essentially functioned as a special prosecutor). Supreme Court of Illinois is the apex court of judicature of the state of Illinois, United States of America. ... Sherman Skolnick (1930 – May 21, 2006) was a Chicago-based activist and conspiracy theorist. At the age of six, Skolnick was paralyzed by polio, using a wheelchair for the rest of his life. ... Ray I. Klingbiel (1901-1973) was the Chief Justice of Illinois in 1956-57, and again from 1964 to 1967. ... Roy J. Solfisburg, Jr. ... A special prosecutor is a lawyer from outside the government appointed by the attorney general or Congress to investigate a federal official for misconduct while in office. ...

As a result of the prominence he gained during the Greenberg Commission, Stevens became Second Vice President of the Chicago Bar Association in 1970.

Judicial career, 1970-present

Stevens' role in the Greenberg Commission catapulted him to local (and to a degree, national) prominence and was largely responsible for President Richard Nixon's decision to appoint Stevens as a Judge of the United States Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit on November 20, 1970. Richard Milhous Nixon (January 9, 1913 – April 22, 1994) was the 37th President of the United States, serving from 1969 to 1974. ... The United States Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit is a federal court with appellate jurisdiction over the courts in the following districts: Central District of Illinois Northern District of Illinois Southern District of Illinois Northern District of Indiana Southern District of Indiana Eastern District of Wisconsin Western District...

President Gerald Ford then nominated him as an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court in 1975 to replace Justice William O. Douglas, who had recently retired, and he took his seat December 19, 1975, after being confirmed 98-0 by the Senate. this guy is awsome i played him in a school play he also has some pretty funky history Gerald Rudolph Ford, Jr. ... William Orville Douglas (October 16, 1898 – January 19, 1980) was a United States Supreme Court Associate Justice. ... December 19 is the 353rd day of the year (354th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1975 (MCMLXXV) was a common year starting on Wednesday (link will display full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... Federal courts Supreme Court Chief Justice Associate Justices Elections Presidential elections Midterm elections Political Parties Democratic Republican Third parties State & Local government Governors Legislatures (List) State Courts Local Government Other countries Politics Portal      The United States Senate is one of the two chambers of the bicameral United States Congress, the...

As the senior Associate Justice, Stevens assumes the administrative duties of the court whenever the post of Chief Justice of the United States is vacant or the Chief Justice is unable to perform his duties. Justice Stevens performed the duties of Chief Justice in September 2005, between the death of Chief Justice William Rehnquist and the swearing-in of new Chief Justice John Roberts, and has presided over oral arguments on a number of occasions when the Chief Justice was ill or recused. Federal courts Supreme Court Chief Justice Associate Justices Elections Presidential elections Midterm elections Political Parties Democratic Republican Third parties State & Local government Governors Legislatures (List) State Courts Counties, Cities, and Towns Other countries Politics Portal      The Chief Justice of the United States is the head of the judicial branch of... William Hubbs Rehnquist (October 1, 1924 – September 3, 2005) was an American lawyer, jurist, and a political figure, who served as an Associate Justice on the Supreme Court of the United States and later as the Chief Justice of the United States. ... John Glover Roberts Jr. ...

Stevens has given lectures on the importance of “learning on the job” and treating the law with flexibility, citing as one example his former disapproval and current support of some affirmative action policies.^[1] Affirmative Action refers to policies intended to promote access to education or employment aimed at a historically socio-politically non-dominant group (typically, minorities or women). ...

As his seniority grew in the closing decade of the Rehnquist court, Stevens was often the senior justice on one side of a split decision and thereby entitled to assign the writing of the opinion. He almost always writes a dissenting opinion when in dissent and writes concurring opinions more often than most other justices historically.^{[citation needed]} William Hubbs Rehnquist (October 1, 1924 – September 3, 2005) was an American lawyer, jurist, and a political figure, who served as an Associate Justice on the Supreme Court of the United States and later as the Chief Justice of the United States. ...

Stevens, right, swears in Chief Justice John Roberts.

Even though Justice Stevens is 87 years old, he has not shown any hints of opting for retirement. On the contrary, Stevens actively participates in questioning during the oral arguments before the Court and still plays tennis regularly.^[2] His possible retirement is a highly debated topic in legal and political circles in Washington. Stevens would be almost 89 years old if he remains on the court until the end of President Bush's term in January 2009. On the other hand, he has hired law clerks to work for him through the year 2008, which suggests he will not retire before then. Image File history File linksMetadata Robertsoath. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Robertsoath. ... Federal courts Supreme Court Chief Justice Associate Justices Elections Presidential elections Midterm elections Political Parties Democratic Republican Third parties State & Local government Governors Legislatures (List) State Courts Counties, Cities, and Towns Other countries Politics Portal      The Chief Justice of the United States is the head of the judicial branch of... John Glover Roberts Jr. ... For other uses, see Tennis (disambiguation). ... Nickname: Motto: Justitia Omnibus (Justice for All) Location of Washington, D.C., in relation to the states Maryland and Virginia Coordinates: , Country United States Federal District District of Columbia Government  - Mayor Adrian M. Fenty (D)  - City Council Chairperson: Vincent C. Gray (D) Ward 1: Jim Graham (D) Ward 2: Jack... George Walker Bush (born July 6, 1946) is the 43rd and current President of the United States, inaugurated on January 20, 2001. ...

Judicial philosophy

On the Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals, John Paul Stevens had a moderately conservative record. Early in his tenure on the Supreme Court Stevens had a moderate voting record. He voted to reinstate capital punishment in the United States and opposed the affirmative action program at issue in Regents of the University of California v. Bakke. But on the more conservative Rehnquist Court, Stevens tended to side with the more liberal-leaning Justices on issues such as abortion rights, gay rights and federalism. His Segal-Cover score, a measure of liberalism/conservatism of Court members, places him squarely in the ideological center of the Court. A 2003 statistical analysis of Supreme Court voting patterns, however, found Stevens the most liberal member of the Court.^[3][4] Capital punishment in the United States is officially sanctioned by 38 of the 50 states, as well as by the federal government and the military. ... Affirmative Action refers to policies intended to promote access to education or employment aimed at a historically socio-politically non-dominant group (typically, minorities or women). ... Holding The Court held that while affirmative action systems are constitutional, a quota system based on race is unconstitutional. ... William Hubbs Rehnquist (October 1, 1924 – September 3, 2005) was an American lawyer, jurist, and a political figure, who served as an Associate Justice on the Supreme Court of the United States and later as the Chief Justice of the United States. ... The gay rights movement is a collection of loosely aligned civil rights groups, human rights groups, support groups and political activists seeking acceptance, tolerance and equality for non-heterosexual, (homosexual, bisexual), and transgender people - despite the fact that it is typically referred to as the gay rights movement, members also... Political federalism is a political philosophy in which a group of members are bound together (Latin: foedus, covenant) with a governing representative head. ... Segal-Cover scores attempt to measure the relative liberalism or conservatism of United States Supreme Court justices. ...

Stevens's jurisprudence has usually been characterized as idiosyncratic. Stevens, unlike most justices, usually writes the first drafts of his opinions himself and reviews petitions for certiorari within his chambers instead of having his law clerks participate as part of the cert pool. He is not an originalist (such as fellow Justice Antonin Scalia) nor a pragmatist (such as Judge Richard Posner), nor does he pronounce himself a cautious liberal (such as Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg). He has been considered part of the liberal bloc of the court since the mid-1980s, though he publicly called himself a judicial conservative in 2007.^[5] Certiorari (pronunciation: sər-sh(ē-)ə-ˈrer-ē, -ˈrär-ē, -ˈra-rē) is a legal term in Roman, English and American law referring to a type of writ seeking judicial review. ... In the United States and Canada, a law clerk is a person who provides assistance to a judge in researching issues before the court and in writing opinions. ... The Cert pool is a mechanism by which the Supreme Court of the United States manages the influx of petitions for certiorari to the Court. ... Scene at the Signing of the Constitution of the United States, by Howard Chandler Christy. ... Antonin Gregory Scalia (born March 11, 1936[1]) is an American jurist and the second most senior Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States. ... Richard A. Posner Richard Allen Posner (born January 11, 1939 in New York City) is currently a judge on the United States Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit. ... Ruth Joan Bader Ginsburg (born March 15, 1933, Brooklyn, New York) is an Associate Justice on the U.S. Supreme Court. ...

In 1983's Michigan v. Long, for example, Stevens dissented from the U.S. Supreme Court decision overturning the Michigan Supreme Court's interpretation of federal law, arguing that state court decisions granting people rights under the federal constitution that nullify complained-of state action should not be disturbed by federal courts. In 1985's Cleburne v. Cleburne Living Center, Stevens argued against the Supreme Court's famous "strict scrutiny" doctrine for laws involving "suspect classifications", putting forth the view that all classifications should be evaluated on the basis of the "rational basis" test as to whether they could have been enacted by an "impartial legislature". In Burnham v. Superior Court (1990), Stevens demonstrated his independance in charateristically pithy fashion. As opposing factions led by Justice Scalia and Justice Brennan transformed a minor jurisdictional question into a philosophical battle over Originalism, Stevens concurred separately, explaining that "common sense" persuaded him not to enter the jurisprudential fray. Year 1983 (MCMLXXXIII) was a common year starting on Saturday (link displays the 1983 Gregorian calendar). ... Michigan v. ... Year 1985 (MCMLXXXV) was a common year starting on Tuesday (link displays 1985 Gregorian calendar). ... City of Cleburne v. ... Justice Antonin Scalia Justice Antonin Scalia (born March 11, 1936) has been a US Supreme Court Associate Justice since 1986. ... William Joseph Brennan (April 25, 1906 - July 24, 1997) was an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States. ... Scene at the Signing of the Constitution of the United States, by Howard Chandler Christy. ...

Stevens was once an impassioned critic of affirmative action, voting in 1978 to invalidate the affirmative action program at issue in Regents of the University of California v. Bakke. He also dissented in 1980's Fullilove v. Klutznick, which upheld a minority set-aside program. He gradually shifted his position over the years and voted to uphold the somewhat different affirmative action program at the University of Michigan Law School challenged in 2003's Grutter v. Bollinger. Affirmative Action refers to policies intended to promote access to education or employment aimed at a historically socio-politically non-dominant group (typically, minorities or women). ... Affirmative Action refers to policies intended to promote access to education or employment aimed at a historically socio-politically non-dominant group (typically, minorities or women). ... Holding The Court held that while affirmative action systems are constitutional, a quota system based on race is unconstitutional. ... Year 1980 (MCMLXXX) was a leap year starting on Tuesday (link displays the 1980 Gregorian calendar). ... Holding --- Court membership Case opinions Laws applied --- Fullilove v. ... An aerial view of the Law Quadrangle at the University of Michigan. ... 2003 (MMIII) was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Holding University of Michigan Law School admissions program that gave special consideration for being a certain racial minority did not violate the Fourteenth Amendment. ...

Stevens wrote the majority opinion in Hamdan v. Rumsfeld (2006), which held that certain military commissions had been improperly constituted. Holding Military commission to try Plaintiff is illegal and lacking the protections required under the Geneva Conventions and United States Uniform Code of Military Justice. ...

Freedom of speech

Stevens's views on obscenity under the First Amendment have changed over the years. Initially quite critical of constitutional protection for obscenity, rejecting a challenge to Detroit zoning ordinances that barred adult theatres in designated areas in 1976's Young v. American Mini Theatres ("[E]ven though we recognize that the First Amendment will not tolerate the total suppression of erotic materials that have some arguably artistic value, it is manifest that society's interest in protecting this type of expression is of a wholly different, and lesser, magnitude than the interest in untrammeled political debate"), Stevens now adheres firmly to a libertarian free speech approach on obscenity issues, voting to strike down a federal law regulating "virtual" child pornography in 2002's ACLU v. Ashcroft, where in a concurring opinion Stevens argued that while "[a]s a parent, grandparent, and great-grandparent", he endorsed the legislative goal of protecting children from pornography "without reservation": "As a judge, I must confess to a growing sense of unease when the interest in protecting children from prurient materials is invoked as a justification for using criminal regulation of speech as a substitute for, or a simple backup to, adult oversight of children's viewing."^[6] The first ten Amendments to the U.S. Constitution make up the Bill of Rights. ... Motto: Speramus Meliora; Resurget Cineribus (We Hope For Better Things; It Shall Rise From the Ashes - this motto was adopted after the disastrous 1805 fire that devastated the city) Nickname: The Motor City and Motown Location in Wayne County, Michigan Founded Incorporated July 24, 1701 1815  County Wayne County Mayor... Holding Court membership Chief Justice: Warren E. Burger Associate Justices: William J. Brennan, Potter Stewart, Byron White, Thurgood Marshall, Harry Blackmun, Lewis Franklin Powell, Jr. ... Eroticism is an aesthetic focused on sexual desire, especially the feelings of anticipation of sexual activity. ... Holding The Court found provisions of the Child Online Protection Act (COPA) to be in violation of the free speech clause in the First Amendment. ...

Perhaps the most personal and unusual feature of his jurisprudence is his continual referencing of World War II in his opinions, which Stevens often cites in an attempt to appeal to shared patriotic, American values. For example, Stevens, a World War II veteran, was visibly angered by liberal attorney William Kunstler's flippant defense of flag-burning in oral argument in 1989's Texas v. Johnson and voted to uphold a prohibition on flag-burning against a First Amendment argument. Wrote Stevens, "The ideas of liberty and equality have been an irresistible force in motivating leaders like Patrick Henry, Susan B. Anthony, and Abraham Lincoln, schoolteachers like Nathan Hale and Booker T. Washington, the Philippine Scouts who fought at Bataan, and the soldiers who scaled the bluff at Omaha Beach. If those ideas are worth fighting for — and our history demonstrates that they are — it cannot be true that the flag that uniquely symbolizes their power is not itself worthy of protection from unnecessary desecration." Combatants Allied powers: China France Great Britain Soviet Union United States and others Axis powers: Germany Italy Japan and others Commanders Chiang Kai-shek Charles de Gaulle Winston Churchill Joseph Stalin Franklin Roosevelt Adolf Hitler Benito Mussolini Hideki Tōjō Casualties Military dead: 17,000,000 Civilian dead: 33,000... In historical context The factual accuracy of this section of this article is disputed. ... William Moses Kunstler (July 7, 1919 - September 4, 1995) was a American jurist, self-described radical lawyer and civil rights activist. ... Holding A Texas statute that criminalized the desecration of the American flag violated the First Amendment. ... The first ten Amendments to the U.S. Constitution make up the Bill of Rights. ... Patrick Henry (May 29, 1736 – June 6, 1799) was a prominent figure in the American Revolution, known and remembered primarily for his stirring oratory. ... Susan Brownell Anthony (February 15, 1820 – March 13, 1906) was a prominent, independent and well-educated American civil rights leader who played a pivotal role in the 19th century womens rights movement to secure womens suffrage in the United States. ... For other uses, see Abraham Lincoln (disambiguation). ... For the U.S. Congressman, see Nathan W. Hale. ... Booker Taliaferro Washington (April 5, 1856 – November 14, 1915) was an American educator, author and leader of the African American community. ... This page is about the military unit. ... REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES Province of Bataan Region: Central Luzon (Region III) Capital: Balanga City Founded: —1754 Population: 2000 census—557,659 (46th largest) Density—406 per km² (12th highest) Area: 1,373. ... Combatants United States Nazi Germany Commanders Omar Bradley Norman Cota Clarence R. Huebner U.S. 1st Infantry Division U.S. 29th Infantry Division Dietrich Kraiss German 352nd Infantry Division Strength 43,250 Unknown Casualties 3,000 1,200 The build-up of Omaha Beach: reinforcements of men and equipment moving...

Stevens generally supports students' right to free speech in public schools. He wrote sharply worded dissents in Bethel v. Fraser and Morse v. Frederick, two decisions that restricted students' freedom of speech. However, he joined the court's ruling on Hazelwood v. Kuhlmeier that upheld a principal's censorship of a student newspaper. Holding The First Amendment, as applied through the Fourteenth, permits a public school to punish a student for giving a lewd and indecent, but not obscene, speech at a school assembly. ... Holding Because schools may take steps to safeguard those entrusted to their care from speech that can reasonably be regarded as encouraging illegal drug use, the school officials in this case did not violate the First Amendment by confiscating the pro-drug banner and suspending Frederick. ... Holding The Court held that public school curricular student newspapers that have not been established as forums for student expression are subject to a lower level of First Amendment protection than independent student expression or newspapers established (by policy or practice) as forums for student expression. ... A student newspaper is a newspaper run by students of a university, high school, or middle school. ...

Commerce clause and states' rights

On the issue of Interstate commerce clause, Stevens consistently sided with the federal government. He dissented from United States v. Lopez and United States v. Morrison, two prominent cases in which the Rehnquist court broke way by holding that Congress had exceeded its constitutional power under the commerce clause. He then authored Gonzales v. Raich, which permits the federal government to arrest, prosecute, and imprison patients who use medical marijuana regardless of if they are using the medicine legally under states' law. Article I, Section 8, Clause 3 of the United States Constitution, known as the Commerce Clause, empowers the United States Congress To regulate Commerce with foreign Nations, and among the several States, and with the Indian Tribes. ... A federal government is the common government of a federation. ... Holding Possession of a gun near a school is not an economic activity that has a substantial effect on interstate commerce. ... Insert non-formatted text here Holding The Violence Against Women Act of 1994, 42 U.S.C. § 13981, is unconstitutional as exceeding congressional power under the Commerce Clause and under section 5 of the Fourteenth Amendment to the Constitution. ... William H. Rehnquist has served as the Chief Justice of the United States since 1986. ... Article I, Section 8, Clause 3 of the United States Constitution, known as the Commerce Clause, reads as follows:The Congress shall have Power . ... Holding Congress may ban the use of marijuana even where states approve its use for medicinal purposes. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... Criminal law (also known as penal law) is the body of law that regulates governmental sanctions (such as imprisonment and/or fines) as retaliation for crimes against the social order. ... A prison is a place in which people are confined and deprived of a range of liberties. ... Cannabis sativa extract. ...

Fourth Amendment

Stevens has a generally liberal voting record on Fourth Amendment, which deals with search and seizure. He dissented in New Jersey v. T.L.O. and Vernonia School District 47J v. Acton, both involving searches in schools. He was a dissenter in Oliver v. United States, a case relating to the open fields doctrine. However, Stevens is more conservative on Fourth Amendment than William Brennan and Thurgood Marshall. In United States v. Montoya De Hernandez he sided with the government, and he was the author of United States v. Ross, which permits the police to search automobiles without a warrant. The Fourth Amendment may refer to the: Fourth Amendment to the United States Constitution - part of the Bill of Rights, it guards against unreasonable searches and seizures. ... Searching is the act of trying to find something or someone. ... This article is about the medical term, epileptic seizure, as distinct from a non-epileptic seizure. ... This article contains information that has not been verified and thus might not be reliable. ... This page meets Wikipedias criteria for speedy deletion. ... REDIRECTTemplate:Cleanup Oliver v. ... The Open Fields Doctrine is a U.S. legal doctrine created judicially for purposes of evaluating claims of an unreasonable search by the government in violaiton of the Fourth Amendment of the U.S. Constitution. ... William Joseph Brennan (April 25, 1906 - July 24, 1997) was an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States. ... This article or section does not cite any references or sources. ... United States v. ... Case opinions United States v. ... Karl Benzs Velo (vélo means bicycle in French) model (1894) - entered into the first automobile race 2005 MINI Cooper S. An automobile (also motor car or simply car) is a wheeled passenger vehicle that carries its own motor. ... Warrant has several meanings: In law, a warrant is a form of authorization, such as A writ issued by a judge. ...

On April 30, 2007, he was the lone dissenter in an 8-1 ruling holding that high-speed police chases that result in death or serious injury do not violate the Fourth Amendment. Scott v. Harris.^[7] is the 120th day of the year (121st in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era. ... Holding Because the car chase respondent initiated posed a substantial and immediate risk of serious physical injury to others, Scotts attempt to terminate the chase by forcing respondent off the road was reasonable, and Scott is entitled to summary judgment. ...

Death penalty

Stevens joined the majority in Gregg v. Georgia, which overruled Furman v. Georgia and again allowed the use of the death penalty in the United States. In later cases such as Thompson v. Oklahoma and Atkins v. Virginia (which he authored) Stevens held that the Constitution forbids the use of death penalty in certain circumstances. Stevens opposed the use of death penalty on juvenile offenders, as he was a dissenter in Stanford v. Kentucky and joined the Court's opinion in Roper v. Simmons, which overturned Stanford. Holding The imposition of the death penalty does not, automatically, violate the Eighth and Fourteenth Amendment. ... Holding The arbitrary and inconsistent imposition of the death penalty violates the Eighth and Fourteenth Amendments, and constitutes cruel and unusual punishment. ... Holding The Eighth and Fourteenth Amendments forbid imposition of the death penalty on offenders who were under the age of 16 when their crimes were committed. ... Holding A Virginia law allowing the execution of mentally handicapped individuals violated the Eighth Amendments prohibition of cruel and unusual punishments. ... In law, a person who is not yet a legal adult is known as a minor (known in some places as an infant or juvenile). ... Holding Death penalty for juveniles was not cruel and unusual punishment thus did not violate the Eighth Amendment. ... Holding The Eighth and Fourteenth Amendments forbid imposition of the death penalty on offenders who were under the age of 18 when their crimes were committed. ...

Chevron

In 1984, Stevens authored the majority opinion in Chevron U.S.A., Inc. v. Natural Resources Defense Council, Inc., the most cited opinion in the history of the United States Supreme Court.^[8] The opinion stands for how courts review Administrative Agencies' interpretations of their organic statutes. If the organic statute is unambiguous, the court goes with that. If the statute is unclear, courts defer to an agency's interpretation of the statute, unless that interpretation is deemed to be "arbitrary and capricious." Holding Courts must defer to administrative agency interpretations of the authority granted to them by Congress (1) where the grant of authority was ambiguous, and (2) where the interpretation was reasonable or permissible. ...

Unlike some other members of the court, Stevens has been consistently willing to find organic statutes unambiguous and thus overturn agency interpretations of those statutes. (See his majority opinion in Immigration and Naturalization Service v. Cardoza-Fonseca, 480 U.S. 421 (1987), and his Dissent in Young v. Community Nutrition Institute, 476 U.S. 974 (1986).) It is somewhat ironic then that Chevron has come to stand only for the proposition of deference to agency interpretations when Stevens, the author of the opinion, was less willing to defer to agencies than the court. Holding To establish eligibility for asylum under § 208(a) of the Immigration and Nationality Act, an alien need only show a well-founded fear of persecution, which is something less than a 50% probability that the alien will be persecuted if he returns to his home country. ...

Criticism and praise

Stevens has drawn criticism from some on the right, who point to him as one of a number of justices (Justice Souter being another) who were appointed by a Republican president yet moved more and more towards the left as the years passed. At the time of Stevens' appointment, Senator James A. McClure questioned President Ford about Stevens and was told that Stevens would “vote like a good Republican”. Still no one was sure what that meant — Ford's appointments to other Federal courts ranged from very conservative to moderately liberal.^[9] Unlike some other Republican Presidents, such as Eisenhower (with Justice Brennan and Chief Justice Warren), Nixon (with Justice Blackmun and to some extent Justice Powell), and George H.W. Bush (with Souter), who were reportedly displeased with the later rulings of some of their appointments, President Ford in 2005 praised Stevens: “He is serving his nation well, with dignity, intellect and without partisan political concerns.”^[10] David Hackett Souter (born September 17, 1939) has been an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States since 1990. ... The Republican Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States of America, along with the Democratic Party. ... James Albertus McClure (born December 27, 1924) is an American politician from the state of Idaho, most notably serving as a Republican in the United States Senate. ... this guy is awsome i played him in a school play he also has some pretty funky history Gerald Rudolph Ford, Jr. ... Dwight David Ike Eisenhower (October 14, 1890–March 28, 1969), American soldier and politician, was the 34th President of the United States (1953–1961) and supreme commander of the Allied forces in Europe during World War II, with the rank of General of the Army. ... William J. Brennan, official portrait, 1976. ... Earl Warren (March 19, 1891 – July 9, 1974) was a California district attorney of Alameda County, the 20th Attorney General of California, the 30th Governor of California, and the 14th Chief Justice of the United States (from 1953 to 1969). ... Richard Milhous Nixon (January 9, 1913 – April 22, 1994) was the 37th President of the United States, serving from 1969 to 1974. ... Justice Harry Blackmun Harry Andrew Blackmun (November 12, 1908 – March 4, 1999) was an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States from 1970 to 1994. ... Lewis Franklin Powell, Jr. ... Order: 41st President Vice President: Dan Quayle Term of office: January 20, 1989 – January 20, 1993 Preceded by: Ronald Reagan Succeeded by: Bill Clinton Date of birth: June 12, 1924 Place of birth: Milton, Massachusetts First Lady: Barbara Pierce Bush Political party: Republican George Herbert Walker Bush, KBE (born... David Hackett Souter (born September 17, 1939) has been a US Supreme Court Associate Justice since 1990. ...

Other facts

• Stevens is currently the third-oldest Justice in the Supreme Court's history, behind Oliver Wendell Holmes, Jr. and Roger B. Taney. In order to pass Justice Holmes as the oldest serving Justice of the Supreme Court, Stevens would have to serve until Wednesday, February 26, 2011, when he would be 90 years and 312 days old.

• Stevens is currently the tenth longest-serving Justice in the Supreme Court's history. In order to pass his predecessor Justice William O. Douglas as the longest-serving Justice of the Supreme Court, Stevens would have to serve until Saturday, June 18, 2012. Should he do so, Stevens would be 92 years and 59 days old and, by then, would have served for more than 36 years.

• For many years, Stevens employed only three law clerks, one fewer than most of his colleagues. However, during the 1994 and 1995 terms, he shared a law clerk hired by retired Justice Lewis F. Powell, and from the 1996 through the 2000 terms, a fourth law clerk served him through a sharing arrangement with retired Justice Byron R. White. Since the 2001 term, he has hired the full complement of four.

• Justice Stevens does not participate in the cert. pool, meaning that his clerks personally review every single petition and he reviews every petition considered to have possible merit.

• Justice Stevens has a high school named after him in San Antonio, Texas, part of the Northside Independent School District. Stevens and his wife, Maryan, attended the dedication in September 2005.

• At the suggestion of Justice Stevens, humorist Dave Barry once wrote a column on the antiflatulence product Beano.^[11]

• In a Nightline interview aired January 2, 2007, Justice Stevens stated that he considers himself a "judicial conservative."^[12]

Oliver Wendell Holmes, Jr. ... Roger Brooke Taney (March 17, 1777 – October 12, 1864) was the fifth Chief Justice of the United States, from 1836 until his death in 1864, and the first Roman Catholic to hold that office. ... is the 57th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... 2011 (MMXI) will be a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar. ... William Orville Douglas (October 16, 1898 – January 19, 1980) was a United States Supreme Court Associate Justice. ... is the 169th day of the year (170th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... 2012 (MMXII) will be a leap year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Lewis Franklin Powell, Jr. ... Byron Raymond White (June 8, 1917 - April 15, 2002) won fame both as a bruising running back and as an associate justice of the Supreme Court of the United States. ... Law clerks have assisted Supreme Court Justices in various capacities since the first one was hired by Justice Horace Gray in the 1880s. ... The Cert pool is a mechanism by which the Supreme Court of the United States manages the influx of petitions for certiorari to the Court. ... Nickname: Location in the state of Texas Coordinates: , Counties Bexar County Government  - Mayor Phil Hardberger Area  - City  412. ... Northside Independent School District is a school district located in San Antonio, Texas. ... For the English musician, see Dave Berry (musician). ... Flatulence (expelled through the anus in a process commonly known as farting or emitting gas) is the presence of a mixture of gases known as flatus in the digestive tract of mammals. ... Beano is an enzyme-based dietary supplement that is alleged by its manufacturer to reduce gas in the digestive tract, thereby preventing flatulence. ... January 2 is the 2nd day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era. ...

Notes

September 23 is the 266th day of the year (267th in leap years). ... Year 1991 (MCMXCI) was a common year starting on Tuesday (link will display the 1991 Gregorian calendar). ...

References

• Illinois Justice: The Scandal of 1969 and the Rise of John Paul Stevens by Kenneth A. Manaster (University of Chicago Press, 2001)

External links

• Supreme court official bio (PDF)
• John Paul Stevens encyclopedia article by Prof. Joseph Thai
• Justice Weighs Desire v. Duty (Duty Prevails) by Linda Greenhouse August 25, 2005 on civilrights.org
• Stevens High School, named after Justice Stevens

The Burger Court
Warren Burger (1969–1986)
1975–1981:	Wm. J. Brennan | P. Stewart | B. White | T. Marshall | H. Blackmun | L.F. Powell, Jr. | Wm. Rehnquist | J.P. Stevens
1981–1986:	Wm. J. Brennan | B. White | T. Marshall | H. Blackmun | L.F. Powell, Jr. | Wm. Rehnquist | J.P. Stevens | S.D. O'Connor
The Rehnquist Court
William Rehnquist (1986–2005)
1986–1987:	Wm. J. Brennan | B. White | T. Marshall | H. Blackmun | L.F. Powell, Jr. | J.P. Stevens | S.D. O'Connor | A. Scalia
1988–1990:	Wm. J. Brennan | B. White | T. Marshall | H. Blackmun | J.P. Stevens | S.D. O'Connor | A. Scalia | A. Kennedy
1990–1991:	B. White | T. Marshall | H. Blackmun | J.P. Stevens | S.D. O'Connor | A. Scalia | A. Kennedy | D. Souter
1991–1993:	B. White | H. Blackmun | J.P. Stevens | S.D. O'Connor | A. Scalia | A. Kennedy | D. Souter | C. Thomas
1993–1994:	H. Blackmun | J.P. Stevens | S.D. O'Connor | A. Scalia | A. Kennedy | D. Souter | C. Thomas | R.B. Ginsburg
1994–2005:	J.P. Stevens | S.D. O'Connor | A. Scalia | A. Kennedy | D. Souter | C. Thomas | R.B. Ginsburg | S. Breyer
The Roberts Court
John Roberts (2005-present)
2005–2006:	J.P. Stevens | S.D. O'Connor | A. Scalia | A. Kennedy | D. Souter | C. Thomas | R.B. Ginsburg | S. Breyer
2006–present:	J.P. Stevens | A. Scalia | A. Kennedy | D. Souter | C. Thomas | R.B. Ginsburg | S. Breyer | S. Alito