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U.S. Supreme Court,
Constitutional Law

Apr. 14, 2010

The Vision of John Paul Stevens

John Paul Stevens carried on the approach of the justice he replaced, William O. Douglas, and that of the Warren Court, writes Erwin Chemerinsky of UCI Law.

Erwin Chemerinsky

Dean and Jesse H. Choper Distinguished Professor of Law UC Berkeley School of Law

Erwin's most recent book is "Worse Than Nothing: The Dangerous Fallacy of Originalism." He is also the author of "Closing the Courthouse," (Yale University Press 2017).


By Erwin Chemerinsky


John Paul Stevens adhered to a constitutional philosophy based on the need to respect the decency and dignity of every individual. He embodied this in how he behaved on the Court and how he treated every lawyer who appeared before him. His decisions in every area of constitutional law reflected this basic vision. In this way, he carried on the approach of the justice he replaced, William O. Douglas, and that of the Warren Court.


It...

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