This is a 50minute event in the Supreme Court chamber. Good afternoon, ladies and gentlemen, on behalf of the trustees of the Supreme Court historical society, welcome to our 42nd annual lecture. Before we do anything else, ill ask everyone to take out their phones and turn them off, even on silent mode, they will interfere with the sound system here in the court. Im greg joseph. Im president of the society. Welcome. Were delighted to have you here today. Were honored to have as our lecturer, john sexton of nyu, whose topic tonight is Warren Burger, and Warren Burger, of course, is the founder of our society and is of immense importance to us. Theres no one more qualified than president sexton to deliver this lecture. Hes, was a Warren Burger clerk, but he a long history before that. President sexton earned his ba in history and ma in ph. D. In religion from fordham. He went to harvard law school, graduating in 1979, magna cou e magna cumlaude. He went to nyu in 1981. And by 1988, he w
Erwin griswold was surely one of the most remarkable lawyers of the last century, distinguishing himself in many ways during his 65year legal career. Among other things, he was a renowned expert in tax law. He was a professor for a long time. He was the dean of the Harvard Law School for 21 years and he was the solicitor general in an unprecedented and on succeeded on succeeded phenomena and of being appointed by Lyndon Johnson a democrat, and being kept on for several years in the Richard Nixon administration, which we will hear about tonight. He was also the Historical Societys first chairman. Following his term as closer journal, solicitor general the dean or just dean as we called him to his face joined in 1974. When i joined in 1985, i had the pleasure to work with them on a number of cases. Nothing significant. Commercial disputes, pro bono criminal appeals. But i was quite taken with the fact that that had no effect on the level of enthusiasm, interests, and just effort into whi
Erwin griswold was surely one of the most remarkable lawyers of the last century, distinguishing himself in many ways during his 65year legal career. Among other things, he was a renowned expert in tax law. He was a professor for a long time. He was the dean of the Harvard Law School for 21 years and he was the solicitor general in an unprecedented and on succeeded on succeeded phenomena and of being appointed by Lyndon Johnson a democrat, and being kept on for several years in the Richard Nixon administration, which we will hear about tonight. He was also the Historical Societys first chairman. Following his term as closer journal, solicitor general the dean or just dean as we called him to his face joined in 1974. When i joined in 1985, i had the pleasure to work with them on a number of cases. Nothing significant. Commercial disputes, pro bono criminal appeals. But i was quite taken with the fact that that had no effect on the level of enthusiasm, interests, and just effort into whi
Follow us on twitter on cspan history. And to keep up with the latest history news. President Richard Nixon had the opportunity to fill for seats on the u. S. Supreme court. American history tv, author Kevin Mcmahon discusses the strategy behind next and Supreme Court appointments and the influence he had on the court. His challenge to judicial liberalism and its political consequences. Justice Antonin Scalia makes introductory remarks. Good evening. My name is don air. I am a lawyer in washington and the chairman of the Supreme Court Historical Societys publication committee. I was honored to serve on the Selection Committee for the griswold prize and i am pleased to welcome you to the 2015 Erwin Griswold prize lecture. I have to ask everyone to make sure your cell phones, smart phones, tablets are turned off. They tell me if you do not do that the sound system may not function right, among other things. Erwin griswold was surely one of the most remarkable lawyers of the last century,
A lot of what he heard scalia saying from the bench reminded him of the italian opera. Sounds like a very good character. He was a music major at harvard and at yale and then went to law school and he said he was reading these dissents and said heres an operatic character thomas cooley. So that was the origin. While were in a theatrical mood, you serve as a martial in the Supreme Court. Detected a new perspective on the workings of the Supreme Court of the United States . All it did was make me into a hypocrite for what i criticized the justice of taking part. Im not sure who knows what i was talking about. The justices are out and about constantly. One of the things like to do is have mock trials where real Supreme Court advocates argue fake cases about hamlet or don quixote but whatever. This is a case where Tommy Goldstein and Carter Phillips argued about whether don quixote needs to be committed before ginsburg breyer, the d. C. Circuit, and you know, they are cheap laughs. They ra