Samuel Anthony Alito
Associate Justice of the United States Supreme Court
Incumbent
Assumed office  January 31, 2006
Nominated by	George W. Bush
Preceded by	Sandra Day O'Connor
Succeeded by	Incumbent
Born	April 1, 1950 (1950-04-01) (age 57) Trenton, New Jersey
Spouse	Martha Alito
Alma mater	Princeton University Yale University
Religion	Roman Catholic

Samuel Anthony Alito, Jr. (born April 1, 1950) is the junior Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States. Educated at Yale Law School, Alito served as a United States attorney and a judge on the United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit prior to joining the Supreme Court. He is a conservative jurist with a libertarian streak (especially on First Amendment issues); since becoming a member of the Supreme Court he has often voted with conservative members of the court. He is the 110th justice^[1][2] and the second Italian-American on the Supreme Court. Image File history File linksMetadata Justice_Alito_official. ... 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. ... is the 31st day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... For the Manfred Mann album, see 2006 (album). ... George Walker Bush (born July 6, 1946) is the 43rd and current President of the United States, inaugurated on January 20, 2001. ... Sandra Day OConnor (born March 26, 1930) is an American jurist who served as the first female Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States from 1981 to 2006. ... is the 91st day of the year (92nd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1950 (MCML) was a common year starting on Sunday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... Location of Trenton inside of Mercer County Coordinates: Country United States State New Jersey County Mercer County Founded circa 1719 Government  - Mayor Douglas H. Palmer Area  - City  8. ... Official language(s) English de facto Capital Trenton Largest city Newark Area  Ranked 47th  - Total 8,729 sq mi (22,608 km²)  - Width 70 miles (110 km)  - Length 150 miles (240 km)  - % water 14. ... Princeton University is a private coeducational research university located in Princeton, New Jersey, in the United States of America. ... “Yale” redirects here. ... The Roman Catholic Church, most often spoken of simply as the Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with over one billion members. ... is the 91st day of the year (92nd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1950 (MCML) was a common year starting on Sunday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... 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. ... 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... The Sterling Law Building Sculptural ornamentation on the Sterling Law Building Yale Law School, or YLS, is the law school of Yale University in New Haven, Connecticut. ... United States Attorneys (also known as federal prosecutors) represent the U.S. federal government in United States district court and United States court of appeals. ... The United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit is a federal court with appellate jurisdiction over the following United States District Courts: District of Delaware District of New Jersey Western, Middle, and Eastern Districts of Pennsylvania District of the United States Virgin Islands The court is based at... This article does not adequately cite its references. ... An Italian American is an American of Italian descent. ...

Personal life

Alito was born in Trenton, New Jersey, to Italian American parents: Samuel A. Alito, Sr., and the former Rose Fradusco.^[3][4] He is a Roman Catholic^[5]. Location of Trenton inside of Mercer County Coordinates: Country United States State New Jersey County Mercer County Founded circa 1719 Government  - Mayor Douglas H. Palmer Area  - City  8. ... Official language(s) English de facto Capital Trenton Largest city Newark Area  Ranked 47th  - Total 8,729 sq mi (22,608 km²)  - Width 70 miles (110 km)  - Length 150 miles (240 km)  - % water 14. ... An Italian-American is an American of Italian descent either born in America or someone who has immigrated. ... Topics in Christianity Movements · Denominations Ecumenism · Preaching · Prayer Music · Liturgy · Calendar Symbols · Art · Criticism Important figures Apostle Paul · Church Fathers Constantine · Athanasius · Augustine Anselm · Aquinas · Palamas Luther Calvin · Wesley Arius · Marcion of Sinope Pope · Archbishop of Canterbury Patriarch of Constantinople Christianity Portal This box:      The Roman Catholic Church or Catholic...

Alito attended Steinert High School in Hamilton Township, New Jersey and graduated from Princeton University's Woodrow Wilson School of Public and International Affairs with a Bachelor of Arts in 1972 before attending Yale Law School, where he served as editor on the Yale Law Journal and earned a Juris Doctor in 1975. Steinert High School is one of three secondary schools that are part of the Hamilton Township Public Schools, located in Hamilton Township in Mercer County, New Jersey, United States. ... Hamilton Township highlighted in Mercer County. ... Princeton University is a private coeducational research university located in Princeton, New Jersey, in the United States of America. ... Robertson Hall, which houses the Woodrow Wilson School. ... A B.A. issused as a certificate Bachelor of Arts (B.A., BA or A.B.), from the Latin Artium Baccalaureus is an undergraduate bachelors degree awarded for either a course or a program in the liberal arts or the sciences, or both. ... The Sterling Law Building Sculptural ornamentation on the Sterling Law Building Yale Law School, or YLS, is the law school of Yale University in New Haven, Connecticut. ... The Yale Law Journal, published continuously since 1891, is by far the oldest and most widely known of the eight law reviews published by students at Yale Law School. ... Doctor of Law, Doctor of Jurisprudence, or Juris Doctor (abbreviated J.D. or JD, from the Latin, Teacher of Law) is a professional degree in law offered by universities in a number of countries. ...

Standing in front of a portrait of former President Bill Clinton, Martha Alito (right), daughter Laura (left) and son Philip (center) look on as President Bush announces Samuel Alito's nomination on October 31, 2005

Alito's father, who is now deceased, was a high school teacher and then became the first Director of the New Jersey Office of Legislative Services, a position he held from 1952 to 1984. Alito's mother is a retired schoolteacher. Alito's sister, Rosemary, is regarded as one of New Jersey's top employment lawyers. ImageMetadata File history File links Download high resolution version (515x717, 65 KB) Licensing File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... ImageMetadata File history File links Download high resolution version (515x717, 65 KB) Licensing File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... William Jefferson Bill Clinton (born William Jefferson Blythe III[1] on August 19, 1946) was the 42nd President of the United States, serving from 1993 to 2001. ... George Walker Bush (born July 6, 1946) is the 43rd and current President of the United States, inaugurated on January 20, 2001. ... is the 304th day of the year (305th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... Employment law is the branch of the law that deals with employment related issues. ...

At Princeton, Alito led a student conference in 1971 called "The Boundaries of Privacy in American Society" which, among other things, supported curbs on domestic intelligence gathering, called for the legalization of sodomy, and urged for an end to discrimination against homosexuals in hiring by employers.^[6] François Elluin, Sodomites provoking the wrath of God, from Le pot pourri de Loth (1781). ... Homosexuality refers to sexual interaction and / or romantic attraction between individuals of the same sex. ...

Alito was a member of the Concerned Alumni of Princeton, which was formed in October 1972 at least in part to oppose Princeton's decisions regarding affirmative action. Apart from Alito's written 1985 statement of membership of CAP on a job application, which Alito says was truthful, there is no other documentation of Alito's involvement with or contributions in the group. Alito has cited the banning and subsequent treatment of ROTC by the university as his reason for belonging to CAP. The Concerned Alumni of Princeton (CAP) was a group of politically conservative former Princeton University students that existed between 1972 and 1986. ... The Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC) is a training program of the United States armed forces present on college campuses to recruit and educate commissioned officers. ...

While a sophomore at Princeton, Alito received the (low) lottery number of 32, in a Selective Service drawing on December 1, 1969. In 1970, he became a member of the school's Army ROTC program, attending a six-week basic summer camp that year at Fort Knox, Kentucky, in lieu of having been in ROTC during his first two years in college. Graduating in 1972, Alito left a sign of his lofty aspirations in his yearbook, which said that he hoped to "eventually warm a seat on the Supreme Court."^[7] SSS redirects to here, you may also want the Social Security System The Selective Service System, in the United States, is a system to register all males over the age of 18 for the purpose of having information available about potential soldiers in case of war. ... The U.S. Bullion Depository at Ft. ... Official language(s) English[1] Capital Frankfort Largest city Louisville Area  Ranked 37th  - Total 40,444 sq mi (104,749 km²)  - Width 140 miles (225 km)  - Length 379 miles (610 km)  - % water 1. ...

He was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant in the U.S. Army Signal Corps after his graduation and assigned to the United States Army Reserve. Following his graduation from Yale Law School in 1975, he served on active duty from September to December 1975, while attending the Officer Basic Course for Signal Corps officers at Fort Gordon, Georgia. The remainder of his time in the Army was served in the inactive Reserves. He had the rank of Captain when he received an Honorable Discharge in 1980.^[8][9] The U.S. Army Signal Corps was founded in 1861 by United States Army Major Albert J. Myer, a physician by training. ... The United States Army Reserve is the federal reserve force of the United States Army. ... Fort Gordon (formerly known as Camp Gordon) is a United States Army Installation and the current home of the United States Army Signal Corps and Signal Center and was once the home of The Provost Marshal General School (Military Police). ...

Since 1985, Alito has been married to Martha-Ann Alito (born Martha-Ann Bomgardner), once a law librarian with family roots in Oklahoma. They have two college age children: Philip and Laura. In 2007 the family moved out of West Caldwell, New Jersey to a home in Washington. Year 1985 (MCMLXXXV) was a common year starting on Tuesday (link displays 1985 Gregorian calendar). ... The Librarian, a 1556 painting by Giuseppe Arcimboldo A librarian is an information professional trained in library science and information science: the organization and management of information and service to people with information needs. ... Official language(s) None Capital Oklahoma City Largest city Oklahoma City Area  Ranked 20th  - Total 69,960 sq mi (181,196 km²)  - Width 230 miles (370 km)  - Length 298 miles (480 km)  - % water 1. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is now the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era. ... Map of West Caldwell Township in Essex County West Caldwell is an upper-middle class township located in the West Essex area in northwestern Essex County, New Jersey. ... Aerial photo (looking NW) of the Washington Monument and the White House in Washington, DC. Washington, D.C., officially the District of Columbia (also known as D.C.; Washington; the Nations Capital; the District; and, historically, the Federal City) is the capital city and administrative district of the United...

Career

Alito upon his induction as a judge for the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit, 1990

• 1976 – 1977 — Law clerk for Leonard I. Garth of the Third Circuit.
• 1977 – 1981 — Assistant United States Attorney, District of New Jersey.
• 1981 – 1985 — Assistant to Solicitor General Rex E. Lee.
• 1985 – 1987 — Deputy Assistant to Attorney General Edwin Meese.
• 1987 – 1990 — United States Attorney for the District of New Jersey.
• 1990 – 2006 — Judge on the United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit
• 1999 – 2004 — Adjunct Professor of Law at Seton Hall University School of Law in Newark, New Jersey.
• 2006 – (current) — Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States.

Alito argued twelve cases before the Supreme Court for the federal government during his tenure as assistant to the Solicitor General. While serving as an Assistant U.S. Attorney for New Jersey, he prosecuted many cases that involved drug trafficking and organized crime.^[10] Image File history File links Alitobw. ... Image File history File links Alitobw. ... 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. ... Leonard I. Garth (born 1921 in Brooklyn, New York) is a judge for the United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit. ... The United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit is a federal court with appellate jurisdiction over the following United States District Courts: District of Delaware District of New Jersey Western, Middle, and Eastern Districts of Pennsylvania District of the United States Virgin Islands The court is based at... United States Attorneys (also known as federal prosecutors) represent the U.S. federal government in United States district court and United States court of appeals. ... The United States District Court for the District of New Jersey is the Federal district court whose jurisdiction is comprised of the state of New Jersey. ... The United States Solicitor General is the individual appointed to argue for the Government of the United States in front of the Supreme Court of the United States, when the government is party to a case. ... Rex E. Lee (February 27, 1935 - March 11, 1996) from St. ... 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. ... Edwin Meese III Edwin Ed Meese III (born December 2, 1931 in Oakland, California) served as the seventy-fifth Attorney General of the United States (1985-1988). ... The United States District Court for the District of New Jersey is the Federal district court whose jurisdiction is comprised of the state of New Jersey. ... The United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit is a federal court with appellate jurisdiction over the following United States District Courts: District of Delaware District of New Jersey Western, Middle, and Eastern Districts of Pennsylvania District of the United States Virgin Islands The court is based at... A professor is a senior teacher and researcher, usually in a college or university. ... Seton Hall University School of Law is part of Seton Hall University, the Catholic University of New Jersey, and is located in downtown Newark. ... Nickname: Map of Newark in Essex County County Essex Founded/Incorporated 1666/1836 Government  - Mayor Cory Booker, term of office 2006–2010 Area [1]  - City 67. ... 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. ... Retail selling Street selling is the bottom of the chain and can be accomplished through purchasing from prostitutes, through cloaked retail stores or refuse houses for users in the act located in red-light districts which often also deal in paraphernalia, dealers marketing merriment at night clubs and other events... Organized crime or criminal organizations are groups or operations run by criminals, most commonly for the purpose of generating a monetary profit. ...

In his 1985 application for Deputy Assistant to the Attorney General, Alito espoused conservative views, naming William F. Buckley, Jr., the National Review, Alexander Bickel, and Barry Goldwater's 1964 presidential campaign as major influences. American conservatism is a constellation of political ideologies within the United States under the blanket heading of conservative. ... William Francis Bill Buckley, Jr. ... National Review (NR) is a biweekly magazine of political opinion, founded by author William F. Buckley, Jr. ... Alexander Mordecai Bickel (December 17, 1924 – November 8, 1974) was a law professor and expert on the United States Constitution. ... Barry Morris Goldwater (January 1, 1909 – May 29, 1998) was a five-term United States Senator from Arizona (1953–1965, 1969–87) and the Republican Partys nominee for president in the 1964 election. ... Presidential electoral votes by state. ...

He also expressed concern about Warren Court decisions in the areas of criminal procedure, the Establishment Clause, and reapportionment. He appears to believe that racial and ethnic quotas should not be allowed and that the Constitution does not protect a "right" to an abortion.^[11] 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). ... The Establishment Clause of the First Amendment to the United States Constitution states that: Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion Together with the Free Exercise Clause, (or prohibiting the free exercise thereof), these two clauses make up what are commonly known as the religion clauses. ... Reapportionment is the reallocation of seats in a legislature to the regions from which legislators are elected, following changes in population. ... Racial quotas in employment and education are numerical requirements for hiring, promoting, admitting and/or graduating members of a particular racial group. ...

Alito was nominated by George H. W. Bush on February 20, 1990 to the United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit. Alito was rated by the American Bar Association as "Well Qualified" at the time of his nomination. He was confirmed by unanimous consent in the Senate on April 27, 1990.^[12] As a Third Circuit judge, his chambers were in Newark, New Jersey. George Herbert Walker Bush (born June 12, 1924) was the 41st President of the United States, serving from 1989 to 1993. ... February 20 is the 51st day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1990 (MCMXC) was a common year starting on Monday (link displays the 1990 Gregorian calendar). ... The United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit is a federal court with appellate jurisdiction over the following United States District Courts: District of Delaware District of New Jersey Western, Middle, and Eastern Districts of Pennsylvania District of the United States Virgin Islands The court is based at... American Bar Associations Washington, DC office The American Bar Association (ABA) is a voluntary bar association of lawyers and law students, which is not specific to any jurisdiction in the United States. ... Unanimous consent, in parliamentary procedure, refers to situations in which a motion can pass if no one present objects. ... 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... April 27 is the 117th day of the year (118th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar, with 248 days remaining. ... Year 1990 (MCMXC) was a common year starting on Monday (link displays the 1990 Gregorian calendar). ... Nickname: Map of Newark in Essex County County Essex Founded/Incorporated 1666/1836 Government  - Mayor Cory Booker, term of office 2006–2010 Area [1]  - City 67. ...

As adjunct professor at Seton Hall University School of Law in Newark, Alito has taught courses in Constitutional law and an original course on terrorism and civil liberties. In 1995, Judge Alito was presented with that law school's Saint Thomas More Medal, "in recognition of his outstanding contributions to the field of law."^[13] On May 25, 2007, he delivered the commencement address at Seton Hall Law's commencement ceremony and received an honorary law degree from the law school. ^{[14] [15]} Seton Hall University School of Law is part of Seton Hall University, the Catholic University of New Jersey, and is located in downtown Newark. ... The French Declaration of the Rights of the Man and of the Citizen, whose principles still have constitutional value Constitutional law is the study of foundational or basic laws of nation states and other political organizations. ... Terrorist redirects here. ... Civil liberties is the name given to freedoms that protect the individual from government. ... There are also several institutions named Thomas More College. ...

Opinions as court of appeals judge

Federalism

• A dissenting opinion in United States v. Rybar, 103 F.3d 273 (3d Cir. 1996), arguing that a U.S. law banning private citizens from owning submachine guns was similar to one struck down by the Supreme Court in United States v. Lopez and thus outside the authority of Congress under the Commerce Clause of the U.S. Constitution.
• A majority opinion in Chittister v. Department of Community & Economic Development, 226 F.3d 223 (3d Cir. 2000). This case concerned an employee's claim of wrongful termination under the Family and Medical Leave Act against the state of Pennsylvania. States are free to maintain sovereign immunity under the U.S. Constitution. Since Pennsylvania had maintained its immunity to such suits, Alito affirmed the lower court's dismissal of the employee’s claims.

United States of America v. ... This article or section does not cite any references or sources. ... Holding Possession of a gun near a school is not an economic activity that has a substantial effect on interstate commerce. ... Article I, Section 8, Clause 3 of the United States Constitution, known as the Commerce Clause, reads as follows:The Congress shall have Power . ... Page I of the Constitution of the United States of America Page II of the United States Constitution Page III of the United States Constitution Page IV of the United States Constitution The Syng inkstand, with which the Constitution was signed The Constitution of the United States is the supreme... Chittister v. ... The Family and Medical Leave Act of 1993 (Public Law 103-3, enacted February 5, 1993) was one of the first major new laws enacted by United States President Bill Clinton in his first term, fulfilling a campaign promise. ... Capital Harrisburg Largest city Philadelphia Area  Ranked 33rd  - Total 46,055 sq mi (119,283 km²)  - Width 280 miles (455 km)  - Length 160 miles (255 km)  - % water 2. ... Sovereign immunity or crown immunity is a type of immunity that, in common law jurisdictions traces its origins from early English law. ... Page I of the Constitution of the United States of America Page II of the United States Constitution Page III of the United States Constitution Page IV of the United States Constitution The Syng inkstand, with which the Constitution was signed The Constitution of the United States is the supreme...

First Amendment

• A majority opinion in Saxe v. State College Area School District, 240 F.3d 200 (3d Cir. 2001), holding that a public school district's anti-harassment policy was unconstitutionally overbroad and therefore violated First Amendment guarantees of free speech.
• A majority opinion in ACLU v. Schundler, 168 F.3d 92 (3d Cir. 1999), holding that a government-sponsored holiday display consisting solely of religious symbols was impermissible, but that a mixed display including both secular and religious symbols was permissible if balanced in a generally secular context.
• A dissenting opinion in C.H. v. Oliva et al. (3rd Cir. 2000), arguing that the removal and subsequent replacement in "a less conspicuous spot" of a kindergartener's religious themed poster was, at least potentially, a violation of his right to free expression.

Saxe v. ... The first ten Amendments to the U.S. Constitution make up the Bill of Rights. ... Freedom of speech is the right to freely say what one pleases, as well as the related right to hear what others have stated. ... ACLU v. ... C.H. v. ...

Civil rights

• A majority opinion in Williams v. Price, 343 F.3d 223 (3d Cir. 2003), granting a writ of habeas corpus to a black state prisoner after state courts had refused to consider the testimony of a witness who stated that a juror had uttered derogatory remarks about blacks during an encounter in the courthouse after the conclusion of the trial.^[16]
• A dissenting opinion in Glass v. Philadelphia Electric Company, 34 F.3d 188 (3rd Cir. 1994), arguing that a lower court did not abuse its discretion in excluding certain evidence of past conduct that defendant had created a hostile and racist work environment.
• A majority opinion in Robinson v. City of Pittsburgh, 120 F.3d 1286 (3rd Cir. 1997), rejecting a female police officer's Equal Protection-based sexual harassment and retaliation claims against the city and certain police officials and rejecting her Title VII-based retaliation claim against the city, but allowing her Title VII-based sexual harassment claim against the city.

This article needs to be wikified. ... In common law, habeas corpus (/heɪbiəs kɔɹpəs/) (Latin: [We command that] you have the body) is the name of a legal action or writ by means of which detainees can seek relief from unlawful imprisonment. ... The words inscribed above the entrance to the U.S. Supreme Court are: Equal justice under law The Equal Protection Clause, part of the Fourteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution, provides that no state shall… deny to any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws. ... President Johnson signs the Civil Rights Act of 1964. ... President Johnson signs the Civil Rights Act of 1964. ...

Other decisions

• A dissenting opinion in Doe v. Groody, arguing that qualified immunity should have protected police officers from a finding of having violated constitutional rights when they strip-searched a mother and her ten-year-old daughter while carrying out a search warrant that authorized the search of a residence.
• A unanimous opinion in Chadwick v. Janecka (3d Cir. 2002), holding that there was "no federal constitutional bar" to the "indefinite confinement" of a man imprisoned for civil contempt because he claimed he could not pay his $2.5 million debt to his wife.

The Doe v. ... Quality of Immunity Government officials performing discretionary functions generally are shielded from liability for civil damages insofar as their conduct does not violate clearly established statutory or constitutional rights of which a reasonable person would have known. ... A strip search is the stripping (removal of clothing, search of person, or personal effects) of a person to check for weapons or other contraband. ... A search warrant is a written warrant issued by judge or magistrate which authorizes the police to conduct a search of a person or location for evidence of a criminal offense, and seize the evidence. ... Contempt of court is a court ruling which, in the context of a court trial or hearing, deems an individual as holding contempt for the court, its process, and its invested powers. ...

Nomination to U.S. Supreme Court and confirmation hearings

Samuel Alito acknowledges his nomination.

Main article: Samuel Alito Supreme Court nomination

On July 1, 2005, Associate Justice Sandra Day O'Connor announced her retirement from the Supreme Court effective upon the confirmation of a successor. President Bush first nominated John Roberts to the vacancy; however, when Chief Justice William Rehnquist died on September 3, Bush withdrew Roberts' nomination to fill O'Connor's seat and instead nominated Roberts to the Chief Justiceship. On October 3, President Bush nominated Harriet Miers to replace O'Connor. However, Miers withdrew her acceptance of the nomination on October 27 after encountering widespread opposition. ImageMetadata File history File links Bush-Alito-051031. ... ImageMetadata File history File links Bush-Alito-051031. ... President George W. Bush announces that Judge Samuel A. Alito, Jr. ... is the 182nd day of the year (183rd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... 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. ... Sandra Day OConnor (born March 26, 1930) is an American jurist who served as the first female Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States from 1981 to 2006. ... 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... John Glover Roberts Jr. ... Federal courts Supreme Court Circuit Courts of Appeal District Courts Elections Presidential elections Midterm elections Political Parties Democratic Republican Third parties State & Local government Governors Legislatures (List) State Courts Local Government Other countries Atlas  Politics Portal      The Chief Justice of the United States is the head of the judicial branch... 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. ... is the 246th day of the year (247th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 276th day of the year (277th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Harriet Ellan Miers (born August 10, 1945 in Dallas, Texas) is an American lawyer, and former White House Counsel. ... is the 300th day of the year (301st in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ...

On October 31, President Bush announced that he was nominating Alito to O'Connor's seat, and he submitted the nomination to the Senate on November 10, 2005. Judge Alito was unanimously rated "well qualified" to fill the Associate Justice post by the American Bar Association's Standing Committee on Federal Judiciary, which measures the professional qualifications of a nominee. The committee rates judges as "not qualified," "qualified," or "well qualified."^[17] is the 304th day of the year (305th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 314th day of the year (315th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... American Bar Associations Washington, DC office The American Bar Association (ABA) is a voluntary bar association of lawyers and law students, which is not specific to any jurisdiction in the United States. ...

Alito's confirmation hearing was held from January 9 to January 13, 2006. On January 24, his nomination was voted out of the Senate Judiciary Committee on a 10-8 party line vote. Democratic Senators characterized Alito as a hard right conservative in the mold of a Clarence Thomas or Robert Bork. Alito professed reluctance to commit to any type of ideology, stating he would act as an impartial referee. On the abortion issue, he stated that he would look at that with an open mind but would not state how he would rule on Roe v. Wade if that issue were to come up before the court. Pro-life activists, however, claim Alito's confirmation as a victory for the anti-abortion cause.^[18] is the 9th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... January 13 is the 13th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... For the Manfred Mann album, see 2006 (album). ... January 24 is the 24th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Clarence Thomas (born June 23, 1948) is an American jurist and has been an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States since 1991. ... Robert Heron Bork (born March 1, 1927) is a conservative American legal scholar who advocates the judicial philosophy of originalism. ... Holding Texas law making it a crime to assist a woman to get an abortion violated her due process rights. ...

The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) formally opposed Alito's nomination. The ACLU has only taken this step two other times in its entire history, the last time being with the nomination of Robert Bork who was rejected by a 58-42 vote in the Senate. In releasing their report on Alito ACLU Executive Director Anthony Romero justified the decision saying that "At a time when our president has claimed unprecedented authority to spy on Americans and jail terrorism suspects indefinitely, America needs a Supreme Court justice who will uphold our precious civil liberties. Unfortunately, Judge Alito's record shows a willingness to support government actions that abridge individual freedoms." [1] The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) is a major American non-profit organization whose stated mission is to defend and preserve the individual rights and liberties guaranteed to every person in this country by the Constitution and laws of the United States.[1] It works through litigation, legislation, and community... Robert Heron Bork (born March 1, 1927) is a conservative American legal scholar who advocates the judicial philosophy of originalism. ... Anthony D. Romero is the executive director of the American Civil Liberties Union. ...

Debate on the nomination began in the full Senate on January 25. After a failed filibuster attempt by Senator John Kerry, on January 31, the Senate confirmed Alito to the Supreme Court by a vote of 58-42, with four Democratic senators voting for confirmation and one Republican and an Independent voting against. Such a close vote along party lines is rare for Supreme Court nominations, making Alito's confirmation one of the most controversial in American history. is the 25th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... As a form of obstructionism in a legislature or other decision making body, a filibuster is an attempt to extend debate upon a proposal in order to delay or completely prevent a vote on its passage. ... John Forbes Kerry (born December 11, 1943) is the junior United States Senator from Massachusetts, in his fourth term of office. ... is the 31st day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ...

U.S. Supreme Court career

Alito ceremonially sworn in by Chief Justice John Roberts the day after his confirmation, February 1, 2006.

Because Alito joined the court mid-Term, he had not heard arguments for many cases which had yet to be decided. The decisions in most of those cases were released without his participation (i.e., with an 8-member Court); none were 4-4, so Alito would not have been the deciding vote in any of them if he had participated. Three cases — Garcetti v. Ceballos, Hudson v. Michigan, and Kansas v. Marsh — were reargued, since a tie needed to be broken. Image File history File linksMetadata Alitoswornin. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Alitoswornin. ... The Chief Justice in many countries is the name for the presiding member of a Supreme Court in Commonwealth- or other countries with an Anglosaxon type of justice, such as the Supreme Court of the United States, the Supreme Court of Canada, the Supreme Court of New Zealand, the Supreme... John Glover Roberts Jr. ... is the 32nd day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... For the Manfred Mann album, see 2006 (album). ... Holding Statements made by public employees pursuant to their official duties are not protected by the First Amendment from employer discipline. ... Holding A violation of the knock and announce rule by police does not require the suppression of the evidence found during a search. ... Holding The Eighth Amendment did not prohibit states from imposing the death penalty when mitigating and aggravating sentencing factors were in equipose. ...

Justice Alito delivered his first written opinion on May 1, 2006 in the case Holmes v. South Carolina, a case involving the right of criminal defendants to present evidence that a third-party committed the crime. (Since the beginning of the Rehnquist Court, new justices have been given unanimous opinions to write as their first majority court opinion, often done as a courtesy "breaking in" of new justices, so that every justice has at least one unanimous, uncontroversial opinion under his/her belt with which to battle critics). Alito wrote for a unanimous court in ordering a new trial for Bobby Lee Holmes due to South Carolina's rule that barred such evidence based on the strength of the prosecution's case, rather than on the relevance and strength of the defense evidence itself. His other majority opinions in his first Term were in Zedner v. United States, Woodford v. Ngo, and Arlington Central School District Board of Education v. Murphy. is the 121st day of the year (122nd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... For the Manfred Mann album, see 2006 (album). ... Holding A State could not exclude evidence presented by a criminal defendant that a third party committed the crime simply because the prosecution had a strong case. ... 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. ... Holding Second Circuit Court of Appeals reversed and remanded Court membership Chief Justice: John Roberts Associate Justices: John Paul Stevens, Antonin Scalia, Anthony Kennedy, David Souter, Clarence Thomas, Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Stephen Breyer, Samuel Alito Case opinions Majority by: Alito Joined by: Roberts, Stevens, Kennedy, Souter, Thomas, Ginsburg, Breyer Concurrence... Holding Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals reversed and remanded Court membership Chief Justice: John Roberts Associate Justices: John Paul Stevens, Antonin Scalia, Anthony Kennedy, David Souter, Clarence Thomas, Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Stephen Breyer, Samuel Alito Case opinions Majority by: Alito Joined by: Roberts, Scalia, Kennedy, Thomas Concurrence by: Breyer Dissent... Holding Second Circuit Court of Appeals reversed and remanded Court membership Chief Justice: John Roberts Associate Justices: John Paul Stevens, Antonin Scalia, Anthony Kennedy, David Souter, Clarence Thomas, Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Stephen Breyer, Samuel Alito Case opinions Majority by: Alito Joined by: Roberts, Scalia, Kennedy, Thomas Concurrence by: Ginsburg Dissent...

In his first Term, Alito voted fairly conservatively. For example, in the three reargued cases (Garcetti v. Ceballos, Hudson v. Michigan and Kansas v. Marsh), Alito created a 5-4 majority by voting with four other conservative Justices — Chief Justice Roberts and Justices Scalia, Kennedy, and Thomas. He further voted with the conservative wing of the court on Sanchez-Llamas v. Oregon and Rapanos v. United States. Alito was also a dissenter in Hamdan v. Rumsfeld, alongside Justices Scalia and Thomas. John Glover Roberts Jr. ... 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. ... Anthony McLeod Kennedy (born July 23, 1936) has been an Associate Justice of the U.S. Supreme Court since 1988. ... Clarence Thomas (born June 23, 1948) is an American jurist and has been an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States since 1991. ... Holding Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals vacated and remanded Court membership Chief Justice: John Roberts Associate Justices: John Paul Stevens, Antonin Scalia, Anthony Kennedy, David Souter, Clarence Thomas, Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Stephen Breyer, Samuel Alito Case opinions Plurality by: Scalia Joined by: Roberts, Thomas, Alito Concurrence by: Roberts Concurrence by... 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. ...

While Alito's voting record is conservative, he does not always join the most conservative Justices on the Court. On February 1, 2006, in Alito's first decision sitting on the Supreme Court, he voted with the majority (6-3) to refuse Missouri's request to vacate the stay of execution issued by the Eighth Circuit for death-row inmate Michael Taylor; Chief Justice Roberts and Justices Scalia and Thomas were in favor of vacating the stay. Missouri had twice asked the justices to lift the stay and permit the execution.^[19] is the 32nd day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... For the Manfred Mann album, see 2006 (album). ... A stay of execution is a court order to temporarily suspend the execution of a court judgement. ... The United States Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit is a federal court with appellate jurisdiction over the following United States district courts: Eastern and Western Districts of Arkansas Northern and Southern Districts of Iowa District of Minnesota Eastern and Western Districts of Missouri District of Nebraska District of... Michael Taylor is a Missouri prison inmate on death row, convicted of raping and murdering 15-year-old Ann Harrison after abducting her from a school bus stop in March of 1989, in Raytown, Missouri. ...

On the abortion issue, it appears that Alito indeed supports some restrictions on the procedure, but also has not stated a willingness to overturn Roe v. Wade. Holding Texas law making it a crime to assist a woman to get an abortion violated her due process rights. ...

In 2003, Congress passed the Partial-Birth Abortion Ban Act, which led to a lawsuit in the case of Gonzales v. Carhart. The Court had previously ruled in Stenberg v. Carhart that a state's ban on partial birth abortion was unconstitutional because such a ban would not allow for the health of the mother. The membership of the Court changed after Stenberg, with John Roberts and Samuel Alito replacing William Rehnquist (a staunch opponent and original dissent of Roe) and Sandra Day O'Connor (who went from supporting a large amount of restrictions on abortion to supporting most every procedure in recent years) respectively. Further, the ban at issue in Gonzales v. Carhart is a federal statute, rather than a state statute as in the Stenberg case. It has been suggested that Partial-Birth Abortion Ban Act of 1995 be merged into this article or section. ... The majority of information on this page is speculative. ... Holding Laws banning partial-birth abortion are unconstitutional if they do not make an exception for the womans health, or if they cannot be reasonably construed to apply only to the partial-birth abortion (intact D&X) procedure and not to other abortion methods. ...

On April 18, 2007, the Supreme Court handed down a decision upholding the constitutionality of the Partial-Birth Abortion Ban Act. Justice Anthony Kennedy wrote for the five-justice majority that Congress was within its power to generally ban the procedure, although the Court left the door open for as-applied challenges. Kennedy's opinion implied but did not absolutely reach the question whether the Court's prior decisions in Roe v. Wade, Planned Parenthood v. Casey, and Stenberg v. Carhart were valid, and instead the Court said that the challenged statute is consistent with those prior decisions whether or not those prior decisions were valid. Holding Texas law making it a crime to assist a woman to get an abortion violated her due process rights. ... Holding A Pennsylvania law that required spousal notification prior to obtaining an abortion was invalid under the Fourteenth Amendment because it created an undue burden on married women seeking an abortion. ...

Alito joined fully in the majority as did Chief Justice Roberts. Justice Thomas filed a concurring opinion, joined by Justice Scalia, contending that the Court's prior decisions in Roe v. Wade and Planned Parenthood v. Casey should be reversed, and also noting that the Partial-Birth Abortion Ban Act may exceed the powers of Congress under the Commerce Clause. Alito, Roberts, and Kennedy did not sign on to that assertion. Justices Ginsburg, Souter (who supported abortion restrictions back in 1992 but has changed his stance on this and other issues), Breyer, and Stevens dissented, contending that the ruling ignored Supreme Court abortion precedent.

Moreover, despite having been at one time nicknamed "Scalito" (a portmanteau of "Scalia" and "Alito" that appears to have originated in a 1992 National Law Journal article), Alito's views have sometimes differed from those of Scalia (and Thomas), as in the Michael Taylor case cited above and various other cases of the 2005 Term. Scalia, a fierce critic of reliance on legislative history in statutory interpretation, was the only member of the Court in Zedner v. United States not to join a section of Alito's opinion that discussed the legislative history of the statute in question. In two higher-profile cases, involving the constitutionality of political gerrymandering and campaign finance reform (LULAC v. Perry and Randall v. Sorrell), Alito adopted narrow positions, declining to join the bolder positions advanced by either philosophical side of the Court. According to a scotusblog.com analysis of 2005 Term decisions, Alito and Scalia concurred in the result of 86 percent of decisions (in which both participated), and concurred in full in only 75 percent.^[20] (By scotusblog.com's reckoning, this is less agreement than between Scalia and Kennedy, O'Connor and Souter, or Stevens and Ginsburg.) On the recent abortion ruling, Alito simply joined Anthony Kennedy's opinion rather than join Scalia in Thomas's stronger assertion. A portmanteau (IPA pronunciation: ) is a word or morpheme which fuses two or more words or parts of words to give a combined or loaded meaning. ... The National Law Journal, a periodical founded in 1980, provides timely legal information of national importance to attorneys, including federal circuit court decisions, verdicts, practitioners columns, coverage of legislative issues, and legal news for the business and private sectors. ... Holding Second Circuit Court of Appeals reversed and remanded Court membership Chief Justice: John Roberts Associate Justices: John Paul Stevens, Antonin Scalia, Anthony Kennedy, David Souter, Clarence Thomas, Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Stephen Breyer, Samuel Alito Case opinions Majority by: Alito Joined by: Roberts, Stevens, Kennedy, Souter, Thomas, Ginsburg, Breyer Concurrence... Holding Texas redrawing of District 23’s lines amounts to vote dilution violative of §2 of the Voting Rights Act of 1965. ... Holding Vermonts campaign finance restrictions violated the First Amendment. ...

In the 2007 landmark free speech case Morse v. Frederick, Alito joined Roberts' majority decision that speech advocating drug use can be banned in public schools, but also warned that the ruling must be circumscribed that it does not interfere with political speech, such as the discussion of the medical marijuana debate. 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. ... Cannabis sativa extract. ...

Related documents

• Legal Memo written while working in the United States Solicitor General's office regarding the Fleeing felon rule. (May 18, 1984) (PDF)
• 'Personal Qualifications Statement' when applying to be an Assistant Attorney General under Pres. Ronald Reagan. (Nov. 15, 1985)
• Legal Memo written as Deputy Asst. Attorney General to the OMB’s General Counsel regarding OMB authority of FDIC funds. [2] (1986) (PDF)
• House Committee on the Judiciary testimony regarding unpublished court opinions. [3] (1990) (PDF)
• 2003 Financial Disclosure
• 2004 Financial Disclosure
• Response to a Senate Judiciary Committee questionnaire [4](Nov. 30 2005) (PDF), (Appendix1 Appendix2 Appendix3 Appendix4)

The United States Solicitor General is the individual appointed to argue for the Government of the United States in front of the Supreme Court of the United States, when the government is party to a case. ... In Common law, the Fleeing Felon Rule permits the use of force, including deadly force, against an individual who is suspected of a felony and is in clear flight. ...

Additional information

The National Italian American Foundation, a bipartisan organization that has supported Nancy Pelosi,^[21] has stated the use of the "Scalito" nickname "marginalizes [Alito's] outstanding record."^[22] The National Italian American Foundation (NIAF) is the major advocate in Washington, DC for nearly 25 million Italian Americans, the nations fifth largest ethnic group. ... Nancy Patricia DAlesandro Pelosi (born March 26, 1940) is currently the Speaker of the United States House of Representatives. ...

Alito is the eleventh Catholic to serve on the Supreme Court and the fifth on the current Court (along with Chief Justice Roberts and Associate Justices Scalia, Kennedy, and Thomas), creating the first majority-Catholic Supreme Court in history. See also: Demographics of the Supreme Court of the United States. The demographics of the Supreme Court of the United States have been raised as an issue in various contexts over the last century. ...

He has been a member of the Federalist Society, a group of conservatives and libertarian lawyers and legal students interested in conservative legal theory.^[23] The Federalist Society logo, depicting James Madisons silhouette The Federalist Society for Law and Public Policy Studies, most frequently called simply the Federalist Society, began at Yale Law School, Harvard Law School, and the University of Chicago Law School in 1982 as a student organization that challenged the perceived... This article does not adequately cite its references. ...

On September 22, 2006, Hamilton Township, New Jersey, Alito's hometown, honored him by renaming "Municipal Drive", "Justice Samuel A. Alito Jr. Way".^[24] is the 265th day of the year (266th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... For the Manfred Mann album, see 2006 (album). ...

On March 10, 2007, Alito, a longtime Philadelphia Phillies fan, threw out the ceremonial first pitch in a spring training game as his favorite team prepared to play the Tampa Bay Devil Rays in St. Petersburg, Fla.^[25] March 10 is the 69th day of the year (70th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is now the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era. ... Major league affiliations National League (1883–present) East Division (1969–present) Current uniform Retired Numbers 1, 14, 20, 32, 36, 42 Name Philadelphia Phillies (1884–present) Philadelphia Quakers (1883-1889) (Also referred to as Blue Jays 1943-1945 despite formal name remaining Phillies) Other nicknames Phils, The Phightin Phils, The... Major league affiliations American League (1998–present) East Division (1998–present) Current uniform Retired Numbers 12, 42 Name Tampa Bay Devil Rays (1998–present) Other nicknames The D-Rays, The Rays Ballpark Tropicana Field (1998–present) Major league titles World Series titles (0) none AL Pennants (0) none Division titles...

See also

• Judicial Restraint
• Unitary Executive theory

The neutrality of this article is disputed. ... In American political and legal discourse, the unitary executive theory is a controversial theory of Constitutional interpretation that addresses aspects of the separation of powers. ...

Notes

is the 32nd day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... For the Manfred Mann album, see 2006 (album). ... March 30 is the 89th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (90th in leap years). ... is the 35th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... For the Manfred Mann album, see 2006 (album). ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is now the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era. ... is the 182nd day of the year (183rd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... // The Chicago Tribune is a major daily newspaper based in Chicago, Illinois and owned by the Tribune Company. ... is the 304th day of the year (305th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 86th day of the year (87th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is now the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era. ...

References

• Bazelon, Emily (Oct. 31, 2005). "Alito v. O'Connor". Slate.
• "Bush choice sets up court battle". BBC.
• Collins, Ronald K.L. (Oct. 31, 2005). Judge Alito: fairly strong on free expression.
• Collins, Ronald K.L. (Nov. 3, 2005). Alito as government lawyer: '84 broadcast-regulation case.
• Dickerson, John (Oct. 31, 2005). "Ready To Rumble". Slate.
• Federal Judicial Center. Judges of the United States (official curriculum vitae).
• Hook, Janet (Nov. 1, 2005). "Bush's Supreme Court Nominee: A Phillies Fan With Blue-Chip Legal Stats." Los Angeles Times. P. A1.

Slate is an online news and culture magazine created in 1996 by former New Republic editor Michael Kinsley and owned by Microsoft (as part of MSN). ... The British Broadcasting Corporation, which is usually known as the BBC, is the largest broadcasting corporation in the world in terms of audience numbers, employing 26,000 staff in the United Kingdom alone and with a budget of more than GB£4 billion. ...

External links

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• Washington Post Profile
• Daily Princetonian profile
• Federal Judicial Center profile
• SourceWatch article on Alito
• People For The American Way's Preliminary Review of Judge Alito- a liberal group's analysis (PDF).
• Read Congressional Research Service (CRS) Reports regarding Samuel Alito
• Samuel Alito, JURIST
• National Archives Alito links

The Roberts Court
John Glover Roberts, Jr. (2005-present)
2006–present:	J.P. Stevens | A. Scalia | A. Kennedy | D. Souter | C. Thomas | R.B. Ginsburg | S. Breyer | S. Alito