Annals of Law: No More Mr. Nice Guy

In every major case since he became the nation’s seventeenth Chief Justice, Roberts has sided with the prosecution over the defendant, the state over the condemned, the executive branch over the legislative, and the corporate defendant over the individual plaintiff. Even more than Scalia, who has embodied judicial conservatism during a generation of service on the Supreme Court, Roberts has served the interests, and reflected the values, of the ... Full Story »

Posted by Derek Hawkins - via New Yorker
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Posted by: Posted by Derek Hawkins - May 18, 2009 - 7:54 AM PDT
Content Type: Article
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Edited by: Derek Hawkins - Dec 30, 2009 - 9:40 AM PST

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Kenneth Sibbett
5.0
by Kenneth Sibbett - May. 19, 2009

This is quality journalism of the first order. While you might read a slight bias, it is in no way a condemnation of Justice Roberts.

As the article points out, at this time, the fab five vote constantly for the conservative agenda. We can only hope that Obama gets as many as three judges who stand up for the poor, as well as for the rich.

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Fred Gatlin
3.9
by Fred Gatlin - May. 18, 2009

This is a very good article about the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court. As I read it, it is clear that Justice Roberts lacks empathy.

I believe it was Winston Churchill who said those who fail to learn history are bound to repeat it. It appears that the Chief Justice lacks understanding about the lingering affects of racism.

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Walter Cox
4.5
by Walter Cox - May. 18, 2009

A wonderfully balanced description of Chief Justice Roberts. I agree with Roberts when he says, “The way to stop discrimination on the basis of race is to stop discriminating on the basis of race.” Yet I am in agreement with Obama’s observation during the confirmation hearings that in a critical 5% of the cases before him, Roberts’ heart cannot be trusted. I believe that Roberts’ charm masks a dangerous lack of empathy. Given his longstanding membership in the highest social stratum, he seems to have “lost the common touch” (borrowing Rudyard Kipling’s phrase).

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Derek Hawkins
4.1
by Derek Hawkins - Dec. 22, 2009
See Full Review » (9 answers)
Roger Powelson
4.1
by Roger Powelson - May. 20, 2009

I thought this was a very perceptive article on Justice Roberts. It also had details about his career I had not read about in any other articles I've seen about him. That being said, it is clear that Mr. Toobin is no fan of Justice Roberts from the tone of this piece.

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Francis V. Pirrone
3.4
by Francis V. Pirrone - May. 21, 2009

This is quality journalism, for sure. The new Yorker has always been a magazine of influence, ever since I would read it in the Dr. Wolin;s office as a child waiting to get my teeth fixed. funny, i'm still reading the mag, and i'm still waiting to get my teeth fixed.

This is quality journalism, for sure. The new Yorker has always been a magazine of influence, ever since I would read it in the Dr. Wolin;s office as a child waiting to get my teeth fixed. funny, i'm still reading the mag, and i'm still waiting to get my teeth fixed.

See Full Review » (7 answers)

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