Supreme Court Watch
 Supreme Court in a unanimous decision remands Ayotte to lower court for new findings.
 Supreme Court to hear Ayotte v. Planned Parenthood, first abortion case since 2000
Opinions of the Court for 2004 Term
Opinions of the Court 2005 Term 
Snap shot of the Supreme Court Justices
Biographies of the Supreme Court Justices

Two new justices of the Supreme Court sworn in:
October 2, 2005 Chief Justice Rehnquist's death on September 3, 2005 prompted President Bush to nominate John Roberts for Chief Justice. Roberts was confirmed by the Senate by a vote of 78-22 on September 29, 2005. He was sworn in as Chief Justice on the first Monday in October. Given the qualifications of Chief Justice Roberts, it is virtually impossible to imagine any nomination which Bush could make which would garner the 22 Democratic votes against Roberts' confirmation.
January 31, 2006 Samuel Alito was sworn in as replacement to Sandra Day O'Connor. Many believe this appointment was more important than Roberts because O'Connor was viewed as a swing vote. Since the 1994-95 term, Sandra Day O'Connor has been in the majority on more 5-4 decisions than any other justice. She has departed from the conservative block on a number of decisions including Stenberg v Carhart which declared Nebraska's ban on late term abortion unconstitutional, Grutter v Bollinger which upheld university admission affirmative action program, and McCreary County v. A.C.L.U. which held the Ten Commandments could not be displayed on courthouse walls. Only over time will Alito's decisions be subject to categorizing if at all. 

US Supreme Court agreed to hear the first case on abortion since Stenberg v Carhart which was decided in June of 2000. The case is Ayotte v. Planned Parenthood. The main issue in the case appears to be whether the New Hampshire law requiring parental notification in the case of a minor's having an abortion is constitutional since it makes an exception only if the mother's life is at stake. It does not mention the mother's health as an exception. The US Court of Appeals upheld the District Court's ruling that it was unconstitutional. The US Supreme Court ruled in Stenberg that it was necessary to include both exceptions in order to be constitutional. The decision was 5-4. Sandra Day O'Connor was the swing vote. Her replacement's vote in Ayottee may well be outcome determinative. As one follows the hearings on Roberts, the nominee, it is important to note that a position affirming Roe v Wade does not necessarily answer the legal issues presented in Ayottee v Planned Parenthood.  The reason or reasons that the Court agreed to hear the case were not specified.

The Justices

Justice

 Appointment

Appointed by

 DOB
John Roberts*

2005

 G.W.Bush 01/ 27/ 55
John Paul Stevens 1975 Ford 04/20/20
Antonin Scalia 1986 Reagan 03/11/36
Anthony Kennedy 1988 Reagan 07/23/36
David Souter 1990 G.H.W. Bush 09/17/39
Clarence Thomas 1991 G.H.W. Bush 06/23/48
Ruth Bader Ginsburg 1993 Clinton 03/15/33
Stephen Breyer 1994 Clinton 08/15/38
Samuel Alito 2006 G.W.Bush 04/ 01/ 55
*President George W. Bush appointed as Chief Justice 10/02/2005

Click for the official biographies of the Justices of the Supreme Court

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