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Sunday, April 04, 2010

JUSTICE STEVENS PROBABLY TO RETIRE

No surprise there with the NY Times article that Justice Stevens will probably announce his retirement shortly, giving the President time to nominate a Justice and get him or her confirmed over the summer.

There are still pros and cons to be considered,” Justice John Paul Stevens said in his Supreme Court chambers on Friday afternoon, reflecting on his reluctance to leave a job he loves after almost 35 years. But his calculus seemed to be weighted toward departure, and he said his decision on the matter would come very soon....

“What really for me marks a conservative judge is one who doesn’t decide more than he has to in order to do his own job,” he said, relaxed in shirt sleeves and his signature bow tie in chambers floodlit by April sunshine. “Our job is to decide cases and resolve controversies. It’s not to write broad rules that may answer society’s questions at large.”

He is known for his fast and prolific writing, and for relying less on his law clerks than some other justices do.

“I write the first draft,” he said. “One of the tests I had for myself as to when I would retire was that if I ever got to the point that I stopped writing the first draft that would be a sign that I was no longer up to the job the way I think it should be done.”

That day, he said, has not yet come. “Everything that’s got my name on it, I wrote the first draft,” Justice Stevens said.


18 comments:

RFB said...

FIRST!

Fake Alex michaels said...

AT THE MOVIES --- WITH FAKE ALEX MICHAELS

So everybody say you must go see dis movie Greenberg...I say OK Greenberg Trauig big deal I see dis movie.

What bulsheeeet! It goes on and on and nothing happen. He happy- he sad, he crazy, his girl crazy. Big f;ing deal. He sorry he no take the record deal when he a kid and he apologize to his friends. We wait whole movie for dat? And nothing else. Dog sick. Dog better. Big deal. No longer a kid....generation gap with new teenagers? So what. Dis is not a movie. Dis is a long borefest. Save your money.

Dis is Fake Alex Michaels at da movies.

Shoot The Lawyers said...

Justice Stevens is an anachronism. His style harkens back to a time when American politics and culture were probably more divisive than they are today but when society's fissures were not defined along party lines. Both Democrats and Republicans had their share of ideologues but were by and large moderate institutions that governed by consensus out of necessity. Stevens, nominated by Ford, was a 7th circuit judge from Chicago. He made his mark as an anti trust specialist and was recommended to Ford by his attorney general Edward Levi, the former dean of the University of Chicago Law School, and Stevens' friend. There was talk at the time of nominating Robert Bork but Ford did not want to re-open old Watergate issues because Bork was the person who eventually fired Archibald Cox in the infamous "Saturday Night Massacre." Stevens is a good and honorable man. I disagreed with most of his opinions but they were always civil and principled. He was the Republican version of Byron White, the former Justice appointed by Kennedy. Each symbolized a bygone era in American politics when ideology was not the dominant concern of the court or of the presidents who selected people to serve there. His replacement will guarantee perfect symmetry between ideology and party identification, something the court has never seen but which reflects society at large.

off to the movies said...

OK FAM- what movie should I see instead?

Anonymous said...

Dear R, my friend, my dear friend.

You humbly came to me, say you were my “friend,” we lunched at a fine Coral Gables establishment, and you asked that I allow your blog to exist under my protection. I offered kindness, and allowed your fright of fancy, delusions of journalism, with one and only one condition, that my name and that of my syndicate family not me spoken or mentions in this blog. Now, I see my name, why have you allowed such affront to my power, such disrespect to me, what have I done to cause you and the sleazy characters who call the RGB home to be so disrespectful. You have allowed a “cockroach” an insignificant “pest” to post my name - - - my name, how can you. Next you will allow the names of my Capos to be published, again what have I done to have you treat me so disrespectful.

Let educate you low lives, about two weeks ago, Manny “the Hulk” Alvarez, spoke with my Capo, Roberto P, Manny sought my blessing and that of my Capos, we all met in Coral Gables, nothing to hide, sidewalk conference, on Alcazar, Manny kissed my ring, agreed to our terms, and I, and my Capo, RP, said Special Ed is out, Manny you are in. Yes, we warned him, you, Manny, have sold your sole, and Manny someday we will call upon you to direct a verdict, screw some one over, and we will expect that neither I nor my Capos will be disappointed with you, as we were with Maria D and her stupid fax machine, capiché pedoné. Now Manny return to the gym and pump more iron.

Now, tell the insects, the pests, the other cockroaches at the RGB and downtown, that we own this town, and only we, I and my Capos, decide who becomes judges in this town, and Manny "the Hulk" Alvarez humbly sought baptism by us, sought our blessing, and he will be the next one of our instrumentalities on the bench, and you cannot stop us!

Io sono il Padrino di elezioni giudiziaria!!!!!!!

Fake Alex michaels said...

AT THE MOVIES WITH FAKE ALEX MICHAELS

Go see Ghost Writer. Better Movie. Fake story about British Prime Minister- cross between Bush and Thatcher. Present day. Leaves office after strongly supporting war in Iraq and war against terrorism. His ghost writer dies an unusual and suspicious death. Hero of movie is recruited to be new ghost writer for his autobiography. Good acting. Good plot. Has very hot aide. I want to do her myself. (Kim Catrell)

Nice Cameo by Eli Wallach. Fast paced plot- you can figure it out by middle of movie. But sort of a surprise ending. Very enjoyable.

Anonymous said...

Judge Judy Kreeger tenders her resignation, six months early, effective June 30,2010, to avoid changes in legislation that afftect her ability to sit as senior judge. New changes start JULY 1, 2010.

Anonymous said...

Sunday 10:45 am .......Hilarious

Anonymous said...

Does anybody really think that "Special Ed " is qualified to be a Judge ? Are you more concerned with ethnicity than competence?

Anonymous said...

Watch out Manny, the goomba says you sold your shoe. At least your soul is safe. Godfather can kiss my brown ring.

Anonymous said...

I saw some gold-rolex wearing defense attorney beat the snot out of the State last week in 2-10/ Jiminez. He actually referred to a police officer as an "idiot"! The rolex must give you powers.

Anonymous said...

I don't understand why people hold Manny Alvarez in higher esteem than Ed Newman.

Granted, Newman's learning curve covered 2 centuries and he had zero real world experience but he has developed into a decent County Court Judge. I like how he streamlines things and he not only gives fair trials but he also gets them going at an early time and at a decent pace. He is the modern "Calvin Mapp".

Manny is a nice guy but he has failed in private practice (I believe) two times and never was a mover & shaker in court. Being a judge will be the highest paying job he ever had.

Manny v Ed circa 1992...I'd give it to Manny. Manny v Ed with 18 years experience...Ed is better.

Anonymous said...

Manny Alvarez is gonna get smoked up and cashed.

Whizzer Newman said...

Now that Stevens is planning retirement, isn't it high time for Special Ed to throw his name into the hat?

Anonymous said...

Run Manny Alvarez's name on Westlaw and see what he has done with his career. That is the definition of success, not private practice vs. public service. It's called lawyering.

Anonymous said...

I note all those who are "offended" that Alvarez would run against a JUdge who by all accounts is incompetent ......those people "wail" about the sorry state of our Democracy......yet no one is "entitled " to any job you must,like every private lawyer earn the right to keep it .....everyone is accountable to their clients,The Florida Bar ,their bosses or the voters....those that NOW complain of the voters are complaing mostly because those voters are now Cubans........and they pine for the good old days when the good ole boys ran things........get over it ,suck it up and tighten your chinstraps!

Anonymous said...

to 3:18- you speak of the good ol' boy days? Now that cubans run it isnt it the same thing basically? Just cubans and not the good ole boys? How is your way any better than the good ole boys? Its not!! I hope Ed spanks any loser from Silent Charlies office. Bunch of losers!!

Anonymous said...

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