John Paul Stevens facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
John Paul Stevens
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Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States | |
In office December 17, 1975 – June 29, 2010 |
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Nominated by | Gerald Ford |
Preceded by | William O. Douglas |
Succeeded by | Elena Kagan |
Judge of the United States Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit | |
In office November 2, 1970 – December 19, 1975 |
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Nominated by | Richard Nixon |
Preceded by | Elmer Jacob Schnackenberg |
Succeeded by | Harlington Wood Jr. |
Personal details | |
Born | Chicago, Illinois, U.S. |
April 20, 1920
Died | July 16, 2019 Fort Lauderdale, Florida, U.S. |
(aged 99)
Resting place | Arlington National Cemetery |
Political party | Republican |
Spouse(s) |
Elizabeth Sheeren
(m. 1942; div. 1979)Maryan Mulholland Simon
(m. 1979; died 2015) |
Children | 4 |
Education | University of Chicago (BA) Northwestern University (JD) |
Civilian awards | Presidential Medal of Freedom |
Signature | ![]() |
Military service | |
Allegiance | ![]() |
Branch/service | ![]() |
Years of service | 1942–1945 |
Rank | ![]() |
Battles/wars | World War II |
Military awards | Bronze Star World War II Victory Medal |
John Paul Stevens (April 20, 1920 – July 16, 2019) was an American lawyer and jurist who served as an associate justice of the United States Supreme Court from 1975 until his voluntary retirement in 2010. At the time of his retirement, he was the second-oldest-serving justice in the history of the court. The oldest-serving justice was Oliver Wendell Holmes Jr., who was 90 years and 309 days at the time of his retirement in 1932. and the third-longest-serving justice. His long tenure saw him write for the court on most issues of American law, including civil liberties, death penalty, government action and intellectual property. In cases involving presidents of the United States, he wrote for the court that they were to be held accountable under American law. A registered Republican when appointed, Stevens was considered to have been on the liberal side of the court at the time of his retirement. Stevens was the longest-lived Supreme Court justice in United States history.
Born in Chicago, Stevens served in the United States Navy during World War II and graduated from Northwestern University School of Law. After clerking for Justice Wiley Blount Rutledge, he co-founded a law firm in Chicago, focusing on antitrust law. In 1970, President Richard Nixon appointed Stevens to the Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit. Five years later, President Gerald Ford successfully nominated Stevens to the Supreme Court to fill the vacancy caused by the retirement of Justice William O. Douglas. He became the senior Associate Justice after the retirement of Harry Blackmun in 1994. Stevens retired during the administration of President Barack Obama and was succeeded by Elena Kagan.
Images for kids
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Stevens with President Gerald Ford and Chief Justice Warren E. Burger on December 19, 1975, the day he took his seat on the Supreme Court
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Stevens (right) swears in John Roberts as Chief Justice on September 29, 2005, while Roberts' wife Jane and President George W. Bush look on. Ceremony in the East Room of the White House
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Stevens with his successor Elena Kagan in 2010
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President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump at Stevens's funeral.