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'''Antonin "Nino" Scalia''' (March 11, 1936 – February 13, 2016) joined the U.S. [[Supreme Court]] as an Associate Justice in 1986, and quickly became its most outspoken [[conservative]] jurist. He filled a vacancy created by the retirement of Chief Justice [[Warren Burger]] and nomination of Associate Justice [[William Rehnquist]] to become Chief Justice. President [[Ronald Reagan]] nominated Scalia at the same time that he nominated Rehnquist for Chief Justice, and most opposition in the [[United States Senate|Senate]] focused all their opposition on the Rehnquist nomination. Scalia was confirmed by unanimous vote, while Rehnquist was confirmed over substantial opposition.

'''Antonin "Nino" Scalia''' (March 11, 1936 – February 13, 2016) joined the U.S. [[Supreme Court]] as an Associate Justice in 1986, and quickly became its most outspoken [[conservative]] jurist. He filled a vacancy created by the retirement of Chief Justice [[Warren Burger]] and nomination of Associate Justice [[William Rehnquist]] to become Chief Justice. President [[Ronald Reagan]] nominated Scalia at the same time that he nominated Rehnquist for Chief Justice, and most opposition in the [[United States Senate|Senate]] focused all their opposition on the Rehnquist nomination. Scalia was confirmed by unanimous vote, while Rehnquist was confirmed over substantial opposition.

Justice Scalia was more outspoken off the court than on it, where he was typically silent in the denial of conservative petitions for certiorari,<ref>Justice Scalia has written dissents from denials of cert only about three times in the past decade, a rate of less than 1 in 20,000 cert denials.</ref> and he often joins liberal colleagues in opinions. Scalia's off-the-court commentary has caused problems for himself, as when ''pro se'' litigant Dr. Michael Newdow successfully filed a motion that led to Justice Scalia recusing himself from Newdow's challenge to the Pledge of Allegiance to avoid the appearance of a conflict of interest.<ref>supreme.lp.findlaw.com/supreme_court/briefs/02-1624/03-7.recuse.pdf</ref>  Scalia once quipped about himself to the media, "Ah yes, esteemed jurist by day, man about town by night."<ref>http://www.oyez.org/justices/antonin_scalia/</ref>

Justice Scalia was more outspoken off the court than on it, where he was typically silent in the denial of conservative petitions for certiorari,<ref>Justice Scalia has written dissents from denials of cert only about three times in the past decade, a rate of less than 1 in 20,000 cert denials.</ref> and he often joins liberal colleagues in opinions.<ref>Scalia's off-the-court commentary has caused problems for himself, as when ''pro se'' litigant Dr. Michael Newdow successfully filed a motion that led to Justice Scalia recusing himself from Newdow's challenge to the Pledge of Allegiance to avoid the appearance of a conflict of interest. [supreme.lp.findlaw.com/supreme_court/briefs/02-1624/03-7.recuse.pdf]</ref>  Scalia once quipped about himself to the media, "Ah yes, esteemed jurist by day, man about town by night."<ref>http://www.oyez.org/justices/antonin_scalia/</ref> Scalia's written dissents were sometimes scathing, as in ''[[Obergefell v. Hodges]]'', in ridicule of the Court opinion written by the less [[conservative]] Republican-appointed Justice [[Anthony Kennedy]].

Justice Scalia was the author, with the support of three liberal Justices, of the 5-4 decision declaring the sale of extremely violent [[video games]] to children to be a right of free speech under the [[First Amendment]], which no law can limit.  He is more likely than Justices Alito or Thomas to join [[liberal]] Justices in a non-[[conservative]] ruling, and vice-versa.  In one of the biggest cases of the 2013-2014 Term, ''Harris v. Quinn'', Justice Scalia's hostile questioning of the conservative side at oral argument implied that he was the least willing among conservatives to support a decision to end mandatory membership dues for public sector unions, which would have reduced liberal political power enormously.  Scalia also agrees with liberals in arguing that the Constitution is somehow too difficult to amend.

Justice Scalia was the author, with the support of three liberal Justices, of the 5-4 decision declaring the sale of extremely violent [[video games]] to children to be a right of free speech under the [[First Amendment]], which no law can limit.  He is more likely than Justices Alito or Thomas to join [[liberal]] Justices in a non-[[conservative]] ruling, and vice-versa.  In one of the biggest cases of the 2013-2014 Term, ''Harris v. Quinn'', Justice Scalia's hostile questioning of the conservative side at oral argument implied that he was the least willing among conservatives to support a decision to end mandatory membership dues for public sector unions, which would have reduced liberal political power enormously.  Scalia also agrees with liberals in arguing that the Constitution is somehow too difficult to amend.