RKMBs Forums .::Important::. Politics and Current Events Chief Justice Rehnquist Dies at Home

WASHINGTON - Chief Justice William H. Rehnquist died Saturday evening at his home in suburban Virginia, said Supreme Court spokeswoman Kathy Arberg.

A statement from the spokeswoman said he was surrounded by his three children when he died in Arlington.

"The Chief Justice battled thyroid cancer since being diagnosed last October and continued to perform his dues on the court until a precipitous decline in his health the last couple of days," she said.

Rehnquist was appointed to the Supreme Court as an associate justice in 1971 by President Nixon and took his seat on Jan. 7, 1982. He was elevated to chief justice by President Reagan in 1986.

William Rehnquist, so stern and cold on the bench, had a deep throaty laugh and warm side away from it.

Crusty and intimidating in court, the 80-year-old chief justice sat next to 85-year-old Justice John Paul Stevens (search), who by comparison comes across as a huggable grandfather.

Rehnquist, who died Saturday night, was known to snap at lawyers who exceeded their time. Behind large glasses he peered down at attorneys, sometimes raising his eyebrows to an exaggerated arch at their responses. Each court session he swore in lawyers to the Supreme Court bar and gave them "a warm welcome" in a cold, monotonous voice.

But to those who spent any time with him, Rehnquist quickly emerged as a family man and beloved boss who remembered even the tiniest of details about those who worked for him in his 33 years at the Supreme Court (search).

In return, they went overboard in finding just the perfect gift for him: a Lone Ranger doll to symbolize the days he often voted alone in cases, a videotaped birthday greeting from his hometown baseball team, a shirt from President Clinton's impeachment trial that says, "I presided over a presidential impeachment trial and all I got was this lousy T-shirt."

What is striking about Rehnquist upon seeing him up close was his size. Even in his later years, hunched by chronic back pain, he was a large man with oversized hands and feet that probably served him well as a cross-country runner at his suburban Milwaukee high school.

A lifelong sports fan and trivia buff, Rehnquist enjoyed a competitive game of doubles tennis with his law clerks into his late 70s. He would balance out the teams and didn't want anyone to let him win.

He also enjoyed placing low-dollar wagers on everything from the Super Bowl to a presidential election.

Rehnquist was quick to crack jokes and poke fun at himself — for instance, he spent three years in the Army Air Forces as a weather observer during World War II but readily confessed that he never successfully repaired a broken weather instrument.

He also joked about almost flunking out of college in his early years — although he graduated at the top of his class at Stanford Law School.

A widower, Rehnquist remained close to his three children and eight grandchildren, going on trips together.

He was a history buff, frequently speaking to area historical societies and once appearing before Congress to urge approval of a commemorative coin honoring one of his predecessors, Chief Justice John Marshall (search).

Both in interviews and in person, Rehnquist was low-key and understated.

Though his colleagues include some wine connoisseurs, he ordered a lowbrow Miller Lite with his meals.

On many mornings the chief justice would walk the halls of the first floor, negotiating his way around tourists or making loops around the outside of the building. He was quick to say hello, awkwardly raising his arm in a greeting.

Quote:

---

the G-man said:
Rest In Piece.

---

Quote:

---

Captain Sammitch said:
Sad. Rest in peace Judge.

---

Quote:

---

britneyspearsatemyshorts said:

---

Quote:

---

PJP said:
Rest in Peace..........the war has begun. Now with 2 nominees things are going to get even uglier.

---

Moving swiftly, President Bush on Monday nominated John Roberts to succeed William H. Rehnquist as chief justice of the Supreme Court.

The president made the announcement in the Oval Office before leaving for another trip to the hurricane-battered Gulf Coast.

Roberts, who once clerked for Rehnquist, said he would be honored "to succeed a man I deeply respect and admire."

"I am honored and humbled by the confidence the president has shown in me," Roberts said, standing alongside Bush in the Oval Office.

Bush called on the Senate to confirm him before the Supreme Court opens its fall term on Oct. 3. Congress has already been weighing whether to delay Roberts' confirmation hearings because of the Hurricane Katrina disaster.

Bush already had nominated Roberts to fill the seat of retiring Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O'Connor, who is retiring. It would just take a little paper shuffling to change the nomination for Rehnquist's seat. Bush still must fill O'Connor's seat but she has promised to stay on the court until a successor is named.

Quote:

---

r3x29yz4a said:
fuck you, g-man. and fuck that whole idea.
obstructionist? i would saying holding off on confirming someone for one of the highests posts in the country (which they can't be fired from) in the interests of being speedy is rather insulting to the country and and dangerous for it's future.

but then, this is the bush administration.

---

I wrote to both our Senators yesterday, r3x. You know DiFi is on the Judiciary Committee. I suggested it would be wise to delay any nominations as long as possible. The court term starts in October and with shrewed maneuvering, all the cases could be heard prior to the seating of any nominee. All decisions could be rendered with the current 7 Justices. That would be quite a bit more liberal than anything the Bushman would form.

As for Rehnquist, it couldn't have happened to a more deserving fellow!

Quote:

---

magicjay38 said:

As for Rehnquist, it couldn't have happened to a more deserving fellow!

---

Quote:

---

PJP said:

Quote:

---

britneyspearsatemyshorts said:

---

it doesn't get much uglier than that.

---

Unfortunately, PJP it does.



IATEMYMOTHERSTAMPON

Little geek boy, IAMMT, makes vain attempt to grow beard.

Quote:

---

magicjay38 said:

Quote:

---

PJP said:

Quote:

---

britneyspearsatemyshorts said:

---

it doesn't get much uglier than that.

---

Unfortunately, PJP it does.



IATEMYMOTHERSTAMPON

Little geek boy, IAMMT, makes vain attempt to grow beard.

---

You do realise that that's a picture of Rob don't you? Nice try but go back to what you do best wich is getting sexually arroused at the idea of old people and babies dying horrible deaths you sicko.

Quote:

---

magicjay38 said:
As for Rehnquist, it couldn't have happened to a more deserving fellow!

---

Showing your true colors once again. It's not surprising at all that you'd dance on the grave of someone who didn't give you or your pet cause/affiliation/whatever what you wanted. Too bad all the bitching while they're alive and gloating when they die doesn't change the sheer futility of some things in life.

Quote:

---

the G-man said:
Bush Nominates Roberts as Chief Justice

Moving swiftly, President Bush on Monday nominated John Roberts to succeed William H. Rehnquist as chief justice of the Supreme Court.

The president made the announcement in the Oval Office before leaving for another trip to the hurricane-battered Gulf Coast.

Roberts, who once clerked for Rehnquist, said he would be honored "to succeed a man I deeply respect and admire."

"I am honored and humbled by the confidence the president has shown in me," Roberts said, standing alongside Bush in the Oval Office.

Bush called on the Senate to confirm him before the Supreme Court opens its fall term on Oct. 3. Congress has already been weighing whether to delay Roberts' confirmation hearings because of the Hurricane Katrina disaster.

Bush already had nominated Roberts to fill the seat of retiring Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O'Connor, who is retiring. It would just take a little paper shuffling to change the nomination for Rehnquist's seat. Bush still must fill O'Connor's seat but she has promised to stay on the court until a successor is named.

Seems like a smart move to me. Roberts has already been investigated by everyone so you don't have to start from scratch. Furthermore, since O'Connor has said she'll stay on until her replacement is confirmed, so you don't have a vacancy when the new court session begins in October (assuming the Democratic leadership doesn't change their mind and decide to be obstructionist with Roberts now). You can then fill O'Connor's seat at a more leisurely pace and not distract from the hurricane, etc.

---

Quote:

---

Snapman said:

Quote:

---

the G-man said:
Bush Nominates Roberts as Chief Justice

Moving swiftly, President Bush on Monday nominated John Roberts to succeed William H. Rehnquist as chief justice of the Supreme Court.

The president made the announcement in the Oval Office before leaving for another trip to the hurricane-battered Gulf Coast.

Roberts, who once clerked for Rehnquist, said he would be honored "to succeed a man I deeply respect and admire."

"I am honored and humbled by the confidence the president has shown in me," Roberts said, standing alongside Bush in the Oval Office.

Bush called on the Senate to confirm him before the Supreme Court opens its fall term on Oct. 3. Congress has already been weighing whether to delay Roberts' confirmation hearings because of the Hurricane Katrina disaster.

Bush already had nominated Roberts to fill the seat of retiring Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O'Connor, who is retiring. It would just take a little paper shuffling to change the nomination for Rehnquist's seat. Bush still must fill O'Connor's seat but she has promised to stay on the court until a successor is named.

Seems like a smart move to me. Roberts has already been investigated by everyone so you don't have to start from scratch. Furthermore, since O'Connor has said she'll stay on until her replacement is confirmed, so you don't have a vacancy when the new court session begins in October (assuming the Democratic leadership doesn't change their mind and decide to be obstructionist with Roberts now). You can then fill O'Connor's seat at a more leisurely pace and not distract from the hurricane, etc.

---

What's the difference between Chief Justice and the other justices? Why does Roberts have to become "Chief" Justice, as opposed to just replacing Rehnquist's seat and one of the other experienced members of the Court being promoted to Chief? I know shit about the Supreme Court, so please enlighten me.

---

Quote:

---

magicjay38 said:
It's really more titular than anything else. The CJ is first among equals. The only additional power possessed by the Chief regard the administration of the Federal Courts. Chiefs usually delegate those duties to a clerk. Warren Berger was the last CJ to take much interest in those duties.

---

In addition to the duties of the Associate Justices, the Chief Justice has the following duties:

• If the Chief Justice is in the majority on a Supreme Court case, he or she may decide to write the Opinion of the Court, or may assign it to an associate justice of his or her choice.


• The Constitution stipulates that the Chief Justice shall preside when the Senate tries an impeachment of the President of the United States.
  
  
  
  • Two Chief Justices, Salmon P. Chase and William Rehnquist, have had the duty of presiding over the trial in the Senate that follows an impeachment of the President – Chase in 1868 over the proceedings of President Andrew Johnson and Rehnquist in 1999 over the proceedings against President Bill Clinton.
  
  
  
  


• Presides over the impeachment trial of the Vice President if the Vice President is serving as Acting President (not a Constitutional responsibility but a rule of the Senate; no Vice President has been impeached, though Spiro Agnew resigned under threat of impeachment, and none has been Acting President for more than a few hours).


• Administers the oath of office at the inauguration of the President of the United States. This is a traditional, not a constitutional, responsibility of the Chief Justice. All federal and state judges, as well as notaries public, are empowered by law to administer oaths and affirmations.


• Serves as the Chancellor of the Smithsonian Institution.


• Serves as the head of the Judicial Conference of the United States, the chief administrative body of the U.S. federal courts. The Judicial Conference is empowered by the Rules Enabling Act to promulgate rules to ensure the smooth operation of the federal courts. Major portions of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure and Evidence have been adopted by most state legislatures and are considered canonical by American law schools.

Quote:

---

Snapman said:
Thanks for the clarification. I was thinking this was similar to hiring an intern to replace a CEO (obviously Roberts is more qualified than an intern, but I think you get my meaning).

---

Quote:

---

the G-man said:

Quote:

---

Snapman said:
Thanks for the clarification. I was thinking this was similar to hiring an intern to replace a CEO (obviously Roberts is more qualified than an intern, but I think you get my meaning).

---

One other clarification.

There seems to be an unspoken assumption here that it is atypical for a "newcomer" to be named Chief Justice. Not true.

Of the 16 men who've served as chief justice, only three were elevated directly from the court. The rest were all appointed directly to the court as Chief Justice.

---