The Roberts Court: The Struggle for the Constitution

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The Roberts Court: The Struggle for the Constitution Page 41

by Marcia Coyle


  Gross v. FBL Financial Services (2009): 5–4 decision by Justice Clarence Thomas. Workers in an age job discrimination suit must prove by a “preponderance of the evidence” that age was the “but-for” cause of the employer’s action. Majority: Roberts, Scalia, Kennedy, Thomas, Alito; Dissent: Stevens, Souter, Ginsburg, Breyer.

  Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission (2010): 5–4 decision by Justice Anthony Kennedy. The federal ban on corporations and unions using their treasury funds for independent campaign spending violates the First Amendment. Majority: Roberts, Scalia, Kennedy, Thomas, Alito; Dissent: Stevens, Souter, Ginsburg, Breyer.

  Graham v. Florida (2010): 6–3 decision by Justice Anthony Kennedy. The Eighth Amendment bars the imposition of a sentence of life in prison without parole on juveniles who commit non-homicide crimes. Majority: Roberts, Stevens, Kennedy, Ginsburg, Breyer, Sotomayor. Dissent: Scalia, Thomas, Alito.

  McDonald v. City of Chicago (2010): 5–4 decision by Justice Samuel Alito. The Second Amendment guarantee of an individual right to possess a gun in the home applies to the states. Majority: Roberts, Scalia, Kennedy, Thomas, Alito; Dissent: Stevens, Ginsburg, Breyer, Sotomayor.

  U.S. v. Comstock (2010): 7–2 decision by Justice Stephen Breyer. Congress had authority under the necessary and proper clause to enact a law providing for the civil commitment of dangerous sexual offenders who had completed their criminal sentences. Majority: Roberts, Stevens, Kennedy, Ginsburg, Breyer, Alito, Sotomayor; Dissent: Scalia, Thomas.

  U.S. v. Stevens (2010): 8–1 decision by Chief Justice John Roberts Jr. A federal law prohibiting the knowing selling of depictions of animal cruelty was overbroad and violated the First Amendment. Majority: Roberts, Stevens, Scalia, Kennedy, Thomas, Ginsburg, Breyer, Sotomayor. Dissent: Alito.

  Doe v. Reed (2010): 8–1 decision by Chief Justice John Roberts Jr. A law requiring public disclosure of the identity of petition signers does not generally violate the First Amendment. Majority: Roberts, Stevens, Scalia, Kennedy, Ginsburg, Breyer, Sotomayor, Alito. Dissent: Thomas.

  Holder v. Humanitarian Law Project (2010): 6–3 decision by Chief Justice John Roberts Jr. A federal law prohibiting material support of terrorist-designated foreign organizations is not unconstitutionally vague as applied to a group seeking to teach and advocate peaceful resolution of conflicts to two such designated organizations. Majority: Roberts, Stevens, Scalia, Kennedy, Thomas, Alito; Dissent: Ginsburg, Breyer, Sotomayor.

  Chamber of Commerce v. Whiting (2011): 5–3 decision by Chief Justice John Roberts Jr. Federal immigration law does not preempt an Arizona law requiring employers to check the immigration status of potential employees and revoking the business license of those who hire illegal immigrants. Majority: Roberts, Scalia, Kennedy, Thomas, Alito; Dissent: Ginsburg, Breyer, Sotomayor. (Kagan recused).

  AT&T Mobility v. Concepcion (2011): 5–4 decision by Justice Antonin Scalia. Federal arbitration law preempts state-law rules prohibiting contracts with clauses that bar class actions. Majority: Roberts, Scalia, Kennedy, Thomas, Alito; Dissent: Ginsburg, Breyer, Sotomayor, Kagan.

  Wal-Mart v. Dukes (2011): 5–4 decision by Justice Antonin Scalia. A nationwide class of female employees suing Wal-Mart for discrimination in pay and promotions failed to have common questions of law or fact in order to qualify as a class action under federal rules. Majority: Roberts, Scalia, Kennedy, Thomas, Alito; Dissent: Ginsburg, Breyer, Sotomayor, Kagan.

  American Electric Power v. Connecticut (2011): 8–0 decision by Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg. States cannot use common-law nuisance lawsuits in an attempt to limit greenhouse gases. Majority: Roberts, Scalia, Kennedy, Thomas, Ginsburg, Breyer, Alito, Kagan. (Sotomayor recused).

  Snyder v. Phelps (2011): 8–1 decision by Chief Justice John Roberts Jr. The First Amendment protects protests by the Westboro Baptist Church at military funerals from state tort liability, including lawsuits for intentional infliction of emotional distress. Majority: Roberts, Scalia, Kennedy, Thomas, Ginsburg, Breyer, Sotomayor, Kagan. Dissent: Alito.

  Brown v. Entertainment Merchants Assn. (2011): 7–2 decision by Justice Antonin Scalia. A state law prohibiting the sale or rental to minors of violent video games violates the First Amendment. Majority: Roberts, Scalia, Kennedy, Ginsburg, Sotomayor, Kagan, Alito. Dissent: Thomas, Breyer.

  Sorrell v. IMS Health (2011): 6–3 decision by Justice Anthony Kennedy. A Vermont law banning the sale of doctors’ prescribing information to drug and data mining companies violates the First Amendment. Majority: Roberts, Scalia, Kennedy, Thomas, Alito, Sotomayor; Dissent: Ginsburg, Breyer, Kagan.

  Arizona Free Enterprise Club v. Bennett (2011): 5–4 decision by Chief Justice John Roberts Jr. The matching funds mechanism in an Arizona campaign finance law violates the First Amendment. Majority: Roberts, Scalia, Kennedy, Thomas, Alito; Dissent: Ginsburg, Breyer, Sotomayor, Kagan.

  J.D.B. v. North Carolina (2011): 5–4 decision by Justice Sonia Sotomayor. A juvenile’s age is a factor in determining whether Miranda warnings are required. Majority: Kennedy, Ginsburg, Breyer, Sotomayor, Kagan; Dissent: Roberts, Scalia, Thomas, Alito.

  Arizona Christian School Tuition Organization v. Winn (2011): 5–4 decision by Justice Anthony Kennedy. Arizona taxpayer group does not have standing to challenge a tuition tax credit that largely goes to private religious schools. Majority: Roberts, Scalia, Kennedy, Thomas, Alito; Dissent: Ginsburg, Breyer, Sotomayor, Kagan.

  Arizona v. U.S. (2012): 5–3 decision by Justice Anthony Kennedy. Federal immigration law preempts most of Arizona’s anti-immigration law. Majority: Roberts, Kennedy, Ginsburg, Breyer, Sotomayor; Dissent: Scalia, Thomas, Alito. (Kagan recused).

  Miller v. Alabama (2012): 5–4 decision by Justice Elena Kagan. The Eighth Amendment bars the sentence of life in prison without parole for juvenile murderers. Majority: Kennedy, Ginsburg, Breyer, Sotomayor, Kagan; Dissent: Roberts, Scalia, Thomas, Alito.

  Knox v. Service Employees International Union (2012): 7–2 decision by Justice Samuel Alito Jr. The First Amendment is violated when a union imposes a special assessment without the affirmative consent of non-members. Majority: Roberts, Scalia, Kennedy, Thomas, Ginsburg, Alito, Sotomayor; Dissent: Breyer, Kagan.

  National Federation of Independent Business v. Sebelius (2012): 5–4 decision by Chief Justice John Roberts Jr. The Affordable Care Act’s requirement that individuals purchase health insurance or pay a penalty is a constitutional exercise of Congress’s authority to levy taxes. Majority: Roberts, Ginsburg, Breyer, Sotomayor, Kagan; Dissent: Scalia, Kennedy, Thomas, Alito.

  PHOTO CREDITS

  Photo by Diego M. Radzinschi, © 2013 ALM Media Properties, LLC: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35

  Ken Lambert/The Seattle Times: 13

  Dean Rutz/The Seattle Times: 14

  Pacific Legal Foundation: 15

  Photo by Gage Skidmore: 23

  Stacey Cramp/Legal Times: 24

  INDEX

  abortion, 67–68, 83, 218, 354

  partial birth, 84, 97, 106–7, 215

  Abrams, Floyd, 260–61, 263–64

  academics, amicus briefs by, 181

  ACLU: At War with America (film), 206

  affirmative action, 4, 5, 89, 354, 356

  Michigan University cases on, 56–59, 63, 64, 77–78, 88, 90, 93, 117, 161

  opposition to, 36–37, 49–50, 58

  Supreme Court rulings on, 46, 63

  Texas University case on, 117, 241

  Affordable Care Act (2010), 2, 8, 91, 158, 237, 287–88

  implementation of, 321

  individual mandate in, 283, 287, 296, 322, 331, 336, 337, 338, 339, 340, 347–48, 350–51, 383

  and Kagan confirmation hearings, 304

  lawsuits against, 281–82, 318–19

  Medicaid expansion in, 283–84, 331, 333, 334, 336, 338, 345, 349, 350, 354

  Obama’s signing of, 281

  Affordable Care cases, 1–2, 3, 5, 8–
9, 240, 294, 383

  activity-inactivity distinction in, 287, 288, 331, 333, 334, 348, 350

  Ahlburg in, 285

  amicus briefs in, 341, 351

  Anti-Injunction Act and, 295–96, 320–21, 331, 336, 337, 338, 342

  Barnett and, 287–88

  Bondi in, 319–20

  Carvin in, 338

  Casey in, 284–86, 288

  Clement in, 320, 334, 337–38, 340

  commerce clause question in, 3, 283, 287, 322, 332–33, 336, 339, 344, 347–48, 349, 350, 354

  Comstock and, 294, 339

  deliberations leak in, 350, 351

  in Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals, 285, 331

  Farr in, 339

  government brief in, 339–40

  individual liberty and, 340

  individual mandate question in, 336, 337, 338, 339, 340, 343–45, 347–48, 350–51

  joint dissent in, 349, 355

  judicial restraint and, 355

  Katsas in, 338

  Katyal in, 319, 320, 321–23

  Long in, 338

  Lopez opinion and, 339

  McCollum in, 281–86, 288, 295

  Medicaid question in, 336, 338, 345, 349, 354

  moot courts in, 322

  NAMUDNO and, 321–22

  National Federation of Independent Business in, 285, 319, 334, 335, 338

  necessary and proper clause and, 348

  Obama administration and, 294–96, 319, 320–21, 322

  oral arguments in, 340, 342–45, 369n

  pre-decision speculation on, 347

  Raich opinion and, 339

  recusal demands in, 340–41

  Rivkin in, 284–86, 288, 295

  Roberts’s opinion in, 240, 248, 347–49, 355

  severability question in, 336, 338–39, 344–45

  in Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals, 330–31

  standing requirement and, 284–85, 331

  state attorneys general in, 282, 284, 286, 295, 319, 320, 333–34, 335, 340

  Supreme Court appeals filed in, 333–34, 335

  taxation powers question in, 296, 321, 336, 340, 342–43, 344, 347–48, 349, 350, 351, 383

  Tea Party and, 282, 286

  Verrilli team in, 336–37

  Weiner in, 294–95

  Wickard and, 291

  Age Discrimination in Employment Act, 314

  Agricultural Adjustment Act (1933), 290, 291

  Ahlburg, Kaj, in Affordable Care cases, 285

  Alito, Martha-Ann, 69

  Alito, Samuel, Jr., 8, 9, 20, 29, 83, 96

  abortion issue and, 67–68

  Affordable Care dissent of, 349, 355

  in Affordable Care oral arguments, 344

  Boumediene case and, 183

  Brown v. Entertainment Merchants Association concurring opinion of, 326

  Christian Legal Society dissent of, 302

  in Citizens United oral arguments, 234–35, 250

  in Citizens United reargument, 264

  confrontation clause and, 17

  Constitution viewed as color-blind by, 115

  Davis opinion of, 186, 216–17

  on executive power, 68–69

  First Amendment cases and, 108

  Hein opinion of, 107–8

  J.D.B. dissent of, 329–30

  Kennedy v. Louisiana dissent of, 185–86

  Knox opinion of, 345–46

  Ledbetter opinion of, 107, 309

  in LULAC dissent, 81

  McDonald opinion of, 302

  Montejo opinion of, 266

  and Obama’s State of the Union Address, 273

  O’Connor’s voting record compared to, 84

  partisan politics accusations against, 341

  personality of, 72

  petitions for review and, 75

  racial diversity as seen by, 30

  in Reagan administration, 25, 67–68, 70, 308

  on respect for precedent, 68

  in Roberts Court conservative shift, 71–73, 84, 88, 107, 117, 170–71, 200, 211

  seen as pro-business, 307–8

  Senate confirmation hearings of, 66–67

  Senate confirmation of, 27, 70–71

  as shooting enthusiast, 170

  Snyder dissent of, 325

  Stevens dissent of, 301

  Supreme Court nomination of, 25, 70–71

  and Vermont campaign finance decision, 211

  WRTL opinion of, 214

  Al Odah v. United States, 151

  Amar, Akhil, 321–22

  American Civil Liberties Union, 206

  American Constitution Society, 287, 342

  American Electric Power Co. v. Connecticut, 324, 382

  American Rights at Work, 217

  American Sovereignty Project, 202

  American Spectator, 341

  amicus curiae briefs, 78, 86

  by academics, 181

  importance of, 161

  see also specific cases

  Anderson, Audrey, 93, 99, 102

  “And for the Sake of the Kids,” 230

  Anti-Injunction Act (1867), 295–96, 320–21, 331, 336, 337, 338, 342

  Appeal, The (Grisham), 229

  arbitration cases, 313, 315, 324, 381

  Arizona, 383

  anti-immigration law of, 91, 312, 320, 324, 333, 346–47, 381, 383

  public campaign finance system of, 278, 382

  Arizona Christian School Tuition Organization v. Winn, 328–29, 383

  Arizona Free Enterprise Club v. Bennett, 327–28, 382

  Arizona v. United States, 333, 346–47, 383

  Articles of Confederation, 288

  Ashcroft, John, 90, 136, 222

  Second Amendment interpretation of, 126–27, 129, 137–38, 152, 153, 154

  Ashcroft v. Free Speech Coalition, 269

  Ashcroft v. Iqbal, 221, 222–24, 267, 310, 379

  assisted suicide, 83

  AT&T Mobility v. Concepcion, 315, 324, 381

  Atkins v. Virginia, 184

  Austin v. Michigan Chamber of Commerce, 204, 214, 224, 227, 251, 258–60

  Citizens United and, 249, 252, 258, 261, 262–65, 269, 270–71, 272, 274

  Kennedy’s dissent in, 260, 269

  Olson’s attack on, 228

  Scalia’s dissent in, 260

  T. Marshall’s opinion in, 259–60

  Authorization for Use of Military Force, 82, 83

  Ayotte v. Planned Parenthood of Northern New England, 26–27, 375

  Bakke case, 57–58, 90, 113

  Balkin, Jack, 6–7

  Balkinization blog, 287

  Ballard High School (Seattle), 30–31, 32–33, 37, 38–39, 54, 77

  Barnes, Kenny, 145

  Barnett, Randy, 166–67, 332, 334, 347, 351

  Affordable Care cases and, 287–88

  in Raich case, 293

  Baze v. Rees, 367n

  Bea, Carlos, 65, 110

  Bell Atlantic Corp. v. Twombly, 223–24, 309–10, 377–78

  Benjamin, Brent, 230–31

  Berry, Brian, 201

  Biden, Joseph, 304

  Bill of Rights, 123, 135

  state incorporation of, 195

  bin Laden, Osama, 82

  Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act (2002), see McCain-Feingold Act

  Black, Hugo, 268

  Black Codes, 136

  Black Lung Benefits Act, 350

  Blackmun, Harry A., 44, 45, 48, 57, 95, 232, 298, 299

  Blackstone, William, 177

  Blankenship, Don, 230–31, 244

  Bliss, John, 202

  Blum, Edward, 4, 241, 248

  Board of Education v. Dowell, 46

  Boies, David, 268, 320

  Bolick, Clint, 124–25

  Bondi, Pam, 319–20

  Bonilla, Henry, 80–81

  Boos, Michael, 201, 202, 205, 225, 267–68

  and Citizens United decision, 245

  on Citizens United oral arguments, 236

  and Citizens U
nited reargument, 249

  Olson hired by, 226

  see also Citizens United

  Bopp, James, Jr., 212, 227, 334

  in abortion rights cases, 218, 224

  Bossie’s firing of, 225–26

  Citizens United strategy of, 224–25

  ideological purity test devised by, 218–19

  Border War (film), 206

  Bork, Robert, 129

  Borkowski, John, 93

  Bossie, David, 199, 200, 225, 267–68, 270, 277

  background of, 200

  and Citizens United decision, 245

  on Citizens United oral arguments, 236

  and Citizens United reargument, 249, 260, 261–62, 265

  on FEC complaint outcome, 205

  Olson hired by, 225–26

  see also Citizens United

  Boudin, Michael, 63

  Boumediene v. Bush, 151, 175, 220, 378

  amicus briefs in, 182

  Kennedy’s opinion in, 182–84

  Bowles v. Russell, 311, 378

  Brady Center to Prevent Gun Violence, 137–38

  gun rights position of, 138

  Parker supported by, 140

  Seegars opposed by, 139

  Supreme Court appeal of Parker opposed by, 146

  Brady Handgun Violence Prevention Act, 135

  Brennan, William, Jr., 43, 44, 164, 297–98, 299

  Brewer, Jan, 333

  Breyer, Stephen, 5, 7–8, 83, 85, 105, 106, 108

  Boumediene case and, 183

  Brown v. Entertainment Merchants Association dissent of, 325–26

  in Citizens United oral arguments, 234, 236

  color-blindness of Constitution rejected by, 115

  Comstock opinion of, 293

  confrontation clause and, 17

  dissenting votes of, 94–95

  Heller dissent of, 180, 189, 190–91

  in Heller oral arguments, 178

  Humanitarian Law Project dissent of, 302

  and Kennedy v. Louisiana, 184–85

  Montana campaign finance case dissent of, 346

  as pragmatist, 167–68

  Scalia’s disagreements with, 167–69

  Seattle-Louisville case dissent of, 111–12, 115–16

  in Seattle-Louisville oral arguments, 101

  Second Amendment interpretation of, 146

  Sorrell dissent of, 327

 

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