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|name=William Rehnquist

|name=William Rehnquist

|image=Rehnquist.jpg

|image=Rehnquist.jpg

|party=[[Republican]]<ref>https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Rehnquist</ref>

|party=[[Republican]]

|spouse=

|spouse=

|religion=[[Lutheran]]

|religion=[[Lutheran]]

|rank=[[Sergeant]]

|rank=[[Sergeant]]

|branch=[[United States Army]]

|branch=[[United States Army]]

|serviceyears=1943-1946

|serviceyears=1943 – 1946

}}

}}

[[File:Justice Rehnquist and Phyllis Schlafly.jpg|thumb|Justice Rehnquist with [[Phyllis Schlafly]] in the 1980s]]

[[File:Justice Rehnquist and Phyllis Schlafly.jpg|thumb|Justice Rehnquist with [[Phyllis Schlafly]] in the 1980s]]

'''William Rehnquist''' was an Associate Justice of the [[U.S. Supreme Court]] (1972-1986) and its 16th Chief Justice (1986-2005).  When he began he was the only [[conservative]] on the Court, and he led the Court increasingly to the [[conservative]] side until his death in office in 2005.  Before he died he was likely responsible for the appointment to the Court of his protégé and former law clerk, [[John Roberts]].  Though a lifelong evangelical [[Lutheran]],<ref>http://www.adherents.com/people/pr/William_Rehnquist.html</ref> Rehnquist received an extraordinary [[Catholic]] funeral after his death.<ref>http://www.catholicnews.com/data/stories/cns/0505067.htm</ref>  His trademark judicial philosophy was to restore and advance [[federalism]].

'''William Hubbs Rehnquist''' (October 1, 1924 – September 3, 2005) was an Associate Justice of the [[U.S. Supreme Court]] (1972–1986) and its 16th Chief Justice (1986–2005).  When he began he was the only [[conservative]] on the Court, and he led the Court increasingly to the [[conservative]] side until his death in office in 2005.  Before he died he was likely responsible for the appointment to the Court of his protégé and former law clerk, [[John Roberts]].  Though a lifelong evangelical [[Lutheran]],<ref>http://www.adherents.com/people/pr/William_Rehnquist.html</ref> Rehnquist received an extraordinary [[Catholic]] funeral after his death.<ref>http://www.catholicnews.com/data/stories/cns/0505067.htm</ref>  His trademark judicial philosophy was to restore and advance [[federalism]].

 

William Rehnquist, who had no prior experience as a judge, was a surprise appointment to the [[U.S. Supreme Court]]. He was one of many government legal advisors to President [[Richard Nixon]], who was so unimpressed that he would mistakenly refer to him as "Renchburg."

William Rehnquist, who had no prior experience as a judge, was a surprise appointment to the [[U.S. Supreme Court]]. He was one of many government legal advisors to President [[Richard Nixon]], who was so unimpressed that he would mistakenly refer to him as "Renchburg."

While Chief Justice Rehnquist is often described as a [[conservative]], he was not [[conservative]] on gender issues or free speech issues.  He dissented from ''[[Wooley v. Maynard]]'', and he preferred to defer to state and local regulations on speech issues.  He wrote a spirited dissent in which he supported a local ban on door-to-door canvassing in ''[[Watchtower Bible and Tract Society v. Village of Stratton]]'' (2002).

While Chief Justice Rehnquist is often described as a [[conservative]], he was not [[conservative]] on gender issues or free speech issues.  He dissented from ''[[Wooley v. Maynard]]'', and he preferred to defer to state and local regulations on speech issues.  He wrote a spirited dissent in which he supported a local ban on door-to-door canvassing in ''[[Watchtower Bible and Tract Society v. Village of Stratton]]'' (2002).

== Rehnquist's Lasting Contribution ==

==Rehnquist's Lasting Contribution==

 

Rehnquist made a lasting contribution in these areas:

Rehnquist made a lasting contribution in these areas:

# Preserving [[federalism]] by limiting the [[Commerce Clause]], which had been used as a "hook" for national legislation of all kinds, unrelated to commerce (''[[U.S. v. Lopez]]'').  This had the effect of checking what had formerly been a fairly comprehensive governmental power over the states.

# Preserving [[federalism]] by limiting the [[Commerce Clause]], which had been used as a "hook" for national legislation of all kinds, unrelated to commerce (''[[U.S. v. Lopez]]'').  This had the effect of checking what had formerly been a fairly comprehensive governmental power over the states.

*''[[Daniels v. Williams]]'', 474 U.S. 327 (1986)

*''[[Daniels v. Williams]]'', 474 U.S. 327 (1986)

== [[Liberal]] objections to Rehnquist ==

==[[Liberal]] objections to Rehnquist==

 

Liberals attempted to derail President [[Ronald Reagan]]'s elevation of Rehnquist to Chief Justice by insisting that early in his career, as a clerk on the Supreme Court for Justice Jackson, Rehnquist had written a memorandum expressing some discontent with [[Brown v. Board of Education]].  Rehnquist explained that his written statements were merely advisory opinions reflecting the views of Justice Jackson, and did not reflect Rehnquist's personal views.  Rehnquist was then confirmed as Chief Justice by a substantial margin in the [[U.S. Senate]].

Liberals attempted to derail President [[Ronald Reagan]]'s elevation of Rehnquist to Chief Justice by insisting that early in his career, as a clerk on the Supreme Court for Justice Jackson, Rehnquist had written a memorandum expressing some discontent with [[Brown v. Board of Education]].  Rehnquist explained that his written statements were merely advisory opinions reflecting the views of Justice Jackson, and did not reflect Rehnquist's personal views.  Rehnquist was then confirmed as Chief Justice by a substantial margin in the [[U.S. Senate]].

* [http://lc.org/071218TheNotionofaLivingConstitution.doc.pdf The Notion of a Living Constitution] (PDF)

* [http://lc.org/071218TheNotionofaLivingConstitution.doc.pdf The Notion of a Living Constitution] (PDF)

== References ==

==References==

{{Supreme Court|rehnquist=y}}

{{Supreme Court|rehnquist=y}}

{{USChiefJustices}}

{{USChiefJustices}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Rehnquist, William}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Rehnquist, William}}

[[Category:United States Supreme Court Justices]]

[[Category:United States Supreme Court Justices]]