| − | On issues of religion, Justice Breyer is the least [[liberal]] of the four-Justice [[liberal]] voting bloc on the Court, which also includes Justices [[John Paul Stevens]], [[David Souter]] and [[Ruth Bader Ginsburg]], and former Justice [[Sandra Day O'Connor]]. Justice Breyer broke with that voting bloc to provide the pivotal fifth vote to allow the [[Texas]] government to maintain a monument to the [[Ten Commandments]] on its capitol grounds in [[Van Orden v. Perry]]. | + | On issues of religion, Justice Breyer is the least [[liberal]] of the former five-Justice [[liberal]] voting bloc on the Court, that included fellow former Justices [[John Paul Stevens]], [[David Souter]], [[Ruth Bader Ginsburg]], and [[Sandra Day O'Connor]]. Justice Breyer broke with that voting bloc to provide the pivotal fifth vote to allow the [[Texas]] government to maintain a monument to the [[Ten Commandments]] on its capitol grounds in [[Van Orden v. Perry]]. |
| − | But on the issue of [[stare decisis]], Justice Breyer is leading the defense against [[liberal]] precedents vulnerable to being overturned by the [[Roberts Court]]. The most prominent target among the precedents is [[Roe v. Wade]], but many other lesser-known precedents were quickly overturned in the 2006-2007 sitting of the [[Roberts Court]]. This led Justice Breyer to declare on the last day of the term, perhaps in exasperation, "What has happened to stare decisis?"<ref>''[[Parents Involved in Cmty. Schs. v. Seattle Sch. Dist. No. 1]]'' (2007) (Breyer, J., dissenting)</ref> Justice Breyer dissented, on the grounds of [[stare decisis]], from 2007 decisions in: | + | But on the issue of ''[[stare decisis]]'', Justice Breyer led the defense against [[liberal]] precedents vulnerable to being overturned by the [[Roberts Court]]. The most prominent target among the precedents is [[Roe v. Wade]], but many other lesser-known precedents were quickly overturned in the 2006-2007 sitting of the [[Roberts Court]]. This led Justice Breyer to declare on the last day of the term, perhaps in exasperation, "What has happened to stare decisis?"<ref>''[[Parents Involved in Cmty. Schs. v. Seattle Sch. Dist. No. 1]]'' (2007) (Breyer, J., dissenting)</ref> Justice Breyer dissented, on the grounds of [[stare decisis]], from 2007 decisions in: |
| | *''[[Leegin Creative Leather Prods. v. PSKS, Inc.]]'' | | *''[[Leegin Creative Leather Prods. v. PSKS, Inc.]]'' |