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
hard-work thinking optimism
I think that what my parents taught me about hard work, optimism and education still holds true.
thinking hard-times grandparent
I know that some poor immigrants from that era had unrealistic expectations and were disappointed, but I don't think my grandparents were disappointed at all, even though they experienced some very hard times during the Great Depression.
school college thinking
A generation earlier, I think that somebody from my background probably would not have felt fully comfortable at a college like Princeton. But, by the time I graduated from high school, things had changed.
thinking years judging
I've learned a lot during my years on the 3rd Circuit, particularly, I think, about the way in which a judge should go about the work of judging. I've learned by doing, by sitting on all of these cases. And I think I've also learned from the examples of some really remarkable colleagues.
thinking decision perception
I think that the legitimacy of the court would be undermined in any case if the court made a decision based on its perception of public opinion.
thinking jewels firsts
The First Amendment, I think, is the jewel of our Constitution.
thinking hands judging
When I became a judge, I stopped being a practicing attorney. And that was a big change in 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.
thinking people discrimination
When I get a case about discrimination, I have to think about people in my own family who suffered discrimination because of their ethnic background or because of religion or because of gender. And I do take that into account.
thinking reason congress
I think that Congress' ability to reason is fully equal to that of the judiciary.
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.