Antonin Scalia facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Antonin Scalia
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Official portrait, 2013
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| Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States | |
| In office September 26, 1986 – February 13, 2016 |
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| Nominated by | Ronald Reagan |
| Preceded by | William Rehnquist |
| Succeeded by | Neil Gorsuch |
| Judge of the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit | |
| In office August 17, 1982 – September 26, 1986 |
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| Nominated by | Ronald Reagan |
| Preceded by | Roger Robb |
| Succeeded by | David Sentelle |
| United States Assistant Attorney General for the Office of Legal Counsel | |
| In office August 22, 1974 – January 20, 1977 |
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| President | Gerald Ford |
| Preceded by | Roger C. Cramton |
| Succeeded by | John Harmon |
| Chair of the Administrative Conference of the United States | |
| In office 1972–1974 |
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| President | Richard Nixon |
| Preceded by | Roger C. Cramton |
| Succeeded by | Robert Anthony |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Antonin Gregory Scalia
March 11, 1936 Trenton, New Jersey, U.S. |
| Died | February 13, 2016 (aged 79) Shafter, Texas, U.S. |
| Resting place | Fairfax Memorial Park |
| Spouse |
Maureen McCarthy
(m. 1960) |
| Children | 9, including Eugene |
| Education | |
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| Signature |  |
Antonin Gregory Scalia (born March 11, 1936 – died February 13, 2016) was an important American judge. He served as an associate justice on the highest court in the United States, the U.S. Supreme Court, from 1986 until his death in 2016. He was known for his strong belief in originalism and textualism. These ideas mean interpreting laws and the U.S. Constitution based on their original meaning when they were written.
Many people consider him one of the most influential judges of the 20th century. He was also one of the most important justices in the history of the Supreme Court. After he passed away, he was given the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2018. This is one of the highest awards a civilian can receive in the U.S. A law school, the Antonin Scalia Law School at George Mason University, was also named in his honor.
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Early Life and Education
Antonin Scalia was born in Trenton, New Jersey. He was a devoted Catholic. He went to Xavier High School in New York City. After high school, he earned his college degree from Georgetown University.
He then went on to graduate from Harvard Law School. After law school, he worked for six years at a law firm called Jones Day. Later, he became a law professor at the University of Virginia School of Law.
Government Service
In the early 1970s, Scalia worked in the government under Presidents Richard Nixon and Gerald Ford. He eventually became an Assistant Attorney General for President Gerald Ford. This role involved giving legal advice to the President and other government officials.
After his time in government, he spent several years teaching at the University of Chicago. There, he became one of the first advisors for a new legal group called the Federalist Society.
Joining the Supreme Court
In 1982, President Ronald Reagan appointed Antonin Scalia to be a judge. He served on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit. This court is very important because it often handles cases involving the U.S. government.
Four years later, in 1986, President Reagan nominated him for the Supreme Court. The U.S. Senate voted to confirm him, with a unanimous vote of 98–0. This made him the first Italian-American justice on the Supreme Court.
His Legal Ideas
Justice Scalia had a very clear way of thinking about the law. He believed in two main ideas: textualism and originalism.
- Textualism means that when you read a law, you should only look at the words written in the law itself. You shouldn't try to guess what the lawmakers might have meant.
- Originalism means that when you interpret the U.S. Constitution, you should understand it based on what its words meant when it was first written.
Scalia often wrote memos to his fellow justices, trying to convince them of his views. These memos were sometimes called "Ninograms," after his nickname, "Nino."
Key Beliefs and Rulings
Justice Scalia was known for his conservative views. He strongly supported the powers of the executive branch (the President). He believed that the Constitution allowed the death penalty. He also believed that the Constitution did not guarantee a right to same-sex marriage.
He also thought that policies like affirmative action, which aim to help minority groups, were unconstitutional. These positions made him one of the most conservative justices on the Court.
Scalia often wrote separate opinions in cases. Sometimes he agreed with the final decision but for different reasons. Other times, he strongly disagreed with the majority of the Court.
Important Cases
Some of Justice Scalia's most important opinions include:
- Morrison v. Olson: In this case, he disagreed with the Court's decision. He argued that a law creating an "Independent Counsel" (a special prosecutor) was unconstitutional.
- Crawford v. Washington: In this case, he wrote the main opinion for the Court. This ruling explained a criminal defendant's right to confront witnesses against them, based on the Sixth Amendment.
- District of Columbia v. Heller: This was another major case where he wrote the Court's main opinion. The Court decided that the Second Amendment protects an individual's right to own handguns for self-defense.
See also
In Spanish: Antonin Scalia para niños
- List of federal judges appointed by Ronald Reagan
- List of United States Supreme Court justices by time in office
- The Originalist
- Scalia/Ginsburg
