The Roberts Court: The Struggle for the Constitution
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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