Thursday, November 13, 2008

Will Supreme Court's liberal justices consider retirement?

Article in Legal Times on the prospects that the Supreme Court's liberal justices may consider retirement during an Obama administration:
At her law clerks' reunion last June, Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg put the word out in no uncertain terms.

"If anyone asks you, 'When is she retiring?'" Ginsburg said, according to several who were there, "tell them I have a great role model in Justice [John Paul] Stevens, who is going strong at age 88."

Apparently, not enough people asked, so tucked away at the end of a speech at Columbia University on Oct. 25, she made the point again. Referring to the legendary Justice Louis Brandeis, Ginsburg said he "became a justice at age 60, as I did. He remained on the bench until age 83. My hope and expectation is to hold my office at least that long."

Article here. The article also discusses the possibility of Justice Stevens and/or Justice Souter also retiring, and some potential timing issues.

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