Talk Elections

General Discussion => Constitution and Law => Topic started by: politicus on March 20, 2012, 01:07:21 PM



Title: Best Supreme Court justice
Post by: politicus on March 20, 2012, 01:07:21 PM
Which US Supreme Court justice has the best legal mind? Discuss.

(sorry for spelling error in the question)


Title: Re: Best Supreme Court justice
Post by: tpfkaw on March 20, 2012, 01:12:05 PM
Objectively speaking, Scalia is by far the most intelligent and has the best grasp of law and precedent.  That isn't my own opinion (Thomas is probably the "best" politically), but rather that of my parents' neighbor, a very liberal lawyer who formerly clerked for Justice Blackmun (of Roe v. Wade fame).


Title: Re: Best Supreme Court justice
Post by: World politics is up Schmitt creek on March 20, 2012, 03:15:56 PM
Objectively speaking, Scalia is by far the most intelligent and has the best grasp of law and precedent.  That isn't my own opinion (Thomas is probably the "best" politically), but rather that of my parents' neighbor, a very liberal lawyer who formerly clerked for Justice Blackmun (of Roe v. Wade fame).

Replace Thomas in this post with...well, pretty much anybody else (probably Ginsburg, perhaps Sotomayor) and this is about how I see it too.


Title: Re: Best Supreme Court justice
Post by: CARLHAYDEN on March 20, 2012, 04:10:46 PM
Thomas is by far the finest jurist on the Court for decades.

Unlike other jurists on the Court he doesn't engage in bluster during oral argumentation.



Title: Re: Best Supreme Court justice
Post by: World politics is up Schmitt creek on March 20, 2012, 04:14:42 PM
By which you mean he hasn't said anything for seven years.

That's not 'not engaging in bluster'. That's dereliction of duty.


Title: Re: Best Supreme Court justice
Post by: Kaine for Senate '18 on March 20, 2012, 09:18:20 PM
Scalia is the most enjoyable, while Ginsburg gets the best results.  Voted for Scalia.


Title: Re: Best Supreme Court justice
Post by: © tweed on March 21, 2012, 07:57:00 AM
By which you mean he hasn't said anything for seven years.

That's not 'not engaging in bluster'. That's dereliction of duty.

be silent and affirm power: perfect


Title: Re: Best Supreme Court justice
Post by: CultureKing on March 21, 2012, 09:58:00 PM
Definately between Ginsburg and Scalia. Scalia is extremely witty, has a firm grasp of the law and writes the most entertaining opinions (even if I disagree with him I still firmly respect the guy). Ginsburg meanwhile seems to be a quiet leader on the bench, extremely thoughtful and never too quick to jump to a conclusion. I voted Ginsburg simply because I feel like she is under-appreciated, but really both are great.

By the way why do people like Thomas? He doesn't contribute anything to the court and its pretty easy to guess how he'll decide in basically any case.

Most mediocre: Roberts, he's just blah.


Title: Re: Best Supreme Court justice
Post by: Ogre Mage on March 22, 2012, 01:32:13 AM
I don't think Sotomayor and Kagan have been on the bench long enough for us to have a good grasp of their impact.  In light of that, I had to vote for Ginsburg for now.


Title: Re: Best Supreme Court justice
Post by: RIP Robert H Bork on March 22, 2012, 12:30:44 PM
Scalia


Title: Re: Best Supreme Court justice
Post by: Gass3268 on March 22, 2012, 03:36:30 PM
I voted for Ginsburg. Yet I also like Breyer and I do respect Scalia in an intellectual sense. I don't know how exactly I feel about Sotomayor and Kagan, its too early to form an opinion. The rest are blah or awful.   


Title: Re: Best Supreme Court justice
Post by: They put it to a vote and they just kept lying on March 31, 2012, 09:29:39 PM
Scalia.


Title: Re: Best Supreme Court justice
Post by: TJ in Oregon on April 03, 2012, 09:56:34 AM
Roberts

I agree with him politically and he seems the most pragmatic and willing to honestly assess the cases more than some of the other conservatives. He also is supposedly the most influential over Kennedy.


Title: Re: Best Supreme Court justice
Post by: bullmoose88 on April 03, 2012, 10:27:59 PM
I really want to say someone like Kennedy, but no...Its Scalia...flaws and all.


Title: Re: Best Supreme Court justice
Post by: Bacon King on April 05, 2012, 09:04:27 AM
1. Scalia
2. Ginsburg
3. Breyer
4. Roberts


Title: Re: Best Supreme Court justice
Post by: Grumpier Than Uncle Joe on April 24, 2012, 01:17:41 PM
Scalia


Title: Re: Best Supreme Court justice
Post by: Tutankhuman Bakari Sellers on April 24, 2012, 05:56:05 PM
Ginnsberg reminds me of my favorite SCrt jurist O Douglas.


Title: Re: Best Supreme Court justice
Post by: 🐒Gods of Prosperity🔱🐲💸 on April 27, 2012, 10:44:30 PM
Scalia is a wiz for sure.

Sotomayor is promising. I feel like she's more open minded than some of the others, and asks good questions without having an obvious agenda. 


Title: Re: Best Supreme Court justice
Post by: Seattle on May 03, 2012, 08:16:09 PM
Ginsberg, because she wears that bib thing.

If I could, I would vote for both Scalia and Ginsberg. They're both entertaining and Scalia's by far the most knowledgable.


Title: Re: Best Supreme Court justice
Post by: Atlas Has Shrugged on May 15, 2012, 05:06:15 PM
Scalia.

Scalia is a wiz for sure.

Sotomayor is promising. I feel like she's more open minded than some of the others, and asks good questions without having an obvious agenda. 
Sotomayor and Kagan are both likeable people, which is rare for the SCOTUS.


Title: Re: Best Supreme Court justice
Post by: World politics is up Schmitt creek on May 17, 2012, 12:02:26 AM
I've heard Scalia's much less abrasive in his personal life than he is in his opinions. Maybe not Harry Blackmun likable, but likable.


Title: Re: Best Supreme Court justice
Post by: 🐒Gods of Prosperity🔱🐲💸 on May 17, 2012, 12:56:47 AM
Thomas and Ginsburg are good friends.


Title: Re: Best Supreme Court justice
Post by: Badger on May 25, 2012, 12:38:29 AM
I'd readily vote Scalia for "most overrated".


Title: Re: Best Supreme Court justice
Post by: Torie on May 25, 2012, 02:43:14 PM
I'd readily vote Scalia for "most overrated".

I actually tend to agree with that. He's good (I know you think he's not), but not that good (he pretends that all you need rather than love is original intent, and the answer to everything just pops up, and that dog just won't hunt sometimes). Roberts I think is the man. I am surprised about all the Ginsburg love around here. Where did that come from?  I mean, she is a nice lady and all, but a brilliant legal mind?  Really?  The lady who mentioned Social Security and tossed it out as a life preserver for the solicitor general, when Clements was cutting him to pieces on the cross subsidy issue vis a vis the mandate thing and the futile search for a clear limiting principle?  I don't think so.

By the way, speaking of Ginsburg,  it is Scalia and Ginsburg who are best buds in fact. They go to the opera together a lot. :)


Title: Re: Best Supreme Court justice
Post by: MASHED POTATOES. VOTE! on May 25, 2012, 05:05:58 PM
Breyer.


Title: Re: Best Supreme Court justice
Post by: politicus on May 26, 2012, 07:48:46 AM
Its a discussion of the current judges.

...Ginsburg... is a nice lady and all, but a brilliant legal mind? Really?
For many of us, ideology is the only measure - we think it is determinative, not 'skill'.  

Yeah, that's pretty obvious from your answers, but the poll was about "best legal mind", not "most likeable character" or "who do you agree with the most".


Title: Re: Best Supreme Court justice
Post by: politicus on May 26, 2012, 09:20:20 AM
Well, if you wanna use wikipedia as a reference:

"In 1937, the option was extended to Supreme Court justices, although justices so electing are generally referred to as "retired" justices rather than as on senior status (...) However, a retired justice no longer participates in the work of the Supreme Court itself".

Anyway the question dealt with the current nine members of the SC.


Title: Re: Best Supreme Court justice
Post by: The Mikado on June 16, 2012, 12:27:06 PM
TBH, I don't know enough to make a fully informed vote, but from what my legal friends have told me, Sotomayor has a lot of potential.


Title: Re: Best Supreme Court justice
Post by: ○∙◄☻¥tπ[╪AV┼cVê└ on June 28, 2012, 07:13:55 PM
Ginsburg


Title: Re: Best Supreme Court justice
Post by: Badger on July 06, 2012, 11:32:14 PM
What's with all the thomas votes? He's as underqualified a hack as ever served o the high court.

Ironically, he earned his position through blatent affermative action tokenism.


Title: Re: Best Supreme Court justice
Post by: Maxwell on July 27, 2012, 01:32:04 AM
no love for Kennedy?


Title: Re: Best Supreme Court justice
Post by: HagridOfTheDeep on July 27, 2012, 12:10:12 PM
Scalia is a constitution hound. I like him a lot. And I agree that Sotomayor has also been refreshing. I am absolutely not impressed with Kagan though.


Title: Re: Best Supreme Court justice
Post by: RogueBeaver on July 27, 2012, 04:36:35 PM
Scalia and Alito, in that order.


Title: Re: Best Supreme Court justice
Post by: minionofmidas on July 29, 2012, 03:24:12 PM
Scalia is either the most brilliant legal mind on there, or recent world judicial history's most brilliant and most influential troll.

More likely the latter.


Title: Re: Best Supreme Court justice
Post by: © tweed on July 29, 2012, 10:50:04 PM
Scalia is either the most brilliant legal mind on there, or recent world judicial history's most brilliant and most influential troll.

More likely the latter.

at that level of power the troll/serious distinction evaporates.