Samuel Alito
Samuel Alito
Samuel Anthony Alito, Jr.is an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States. He was nominated by President George W. Bush and has served on the court since January 31, 2006...
NationalityAmerican
ProfessionSupreme Court Justice
Date of Birth1 April 1950
CityTrenton, NJ
CountryUnited States of America
judging mind habit
Good judges develop certain habits of mind. One of those habits of mind is the habit of delaying reaching conclusions until everything has been considered.
judging mind next
Good judges are always open to the possibility of changing their minds based on the next brief that they read, or the next argument that's made by an attorney who's appearing before them, or a comment that is made by a colleague during the conference on the case when the judges privately discuss the case.
years judging mind
I have been a judge for 15 years and I've made up my own mind during all that time.
issues mind together
I want to commend the [Federalist] Society for bringing together the best minds from right, left, and center to debate the most pressing legal issues of the day.
achieve attorney case certainly client desirable judge outcome particular practicing preferred result role
The role of a practicing attorney is to achieve a desirable result for the client in the particular case at hand. But a judge can't think that way. A judge can't have any agenda, a judge can't have any preferred outcome in any particular case and a judge certainly doesn't have a client.
attorney case deal expression great happened law point since time true views
The things that I said in the 1985 memo were a true expression of my views at the time from my vantage point as an attorney in the Solicitor General's office. But that was 20 years ago and a great deal has happened in the case law since then.
advances common courts create deal developed existed extension issues living medical situation state talking
Yes, that's, I think, an extension of the traditional right that I was talking about that existed under common law, and it's been developed by state legislatures, and in some instances, state courts to deal with the living will situation and advances ... in medical technology, which create new issues in this area.
aside becomes judge lawyer legal performing period points prior role statement time
That was a statement that I made at a prior period of time when I was performing a different role and, as I said yesterday, when someone becomes a judge you really have to put aside the things you did as a lawyer at prior points in your legal career.
anybody approach court looks record supreme work
I think if anybody looks at my record on the court of appeals, they can get an idea about the way I approach the work of being a judge. And that's what I would try to do on the Supreme Court.
assuming bad decision faith final general judicial review
Judicial review after a final decision is the general rule. You're assuming bad faith on the part of those making these decisions.
agree question states therefore united whether
We therefore question whether the United States should agree to this provision.
attorney general issue question raise
I do not question that the attorney general should have this immunity. But for tactical reasons, I would not raise the issue here.
inexorable
But I've also said it's not an inexorable command.
belief cases complex decided devotion facts known meticulous needs particular
She has been known for her meticulous devotion to the facts of the particular cases that come before her and her belief that each case needs to be decided on its complex facts.