Supreme Court

1. How did the judicial philosophies of Justice Brennan and Rehnquist differ?

                Justice Brennan and Justice Rehnquist were very different in their political philosophies. Justice Brennan is far more liberal while Justice Rehnquist is more conservative. Justice Brennan believes that it is his responsibility to protect the minority from the majority. Just as these two justices are on two different ends of the political spectrum when it comes to ideologies, Justice Rehnquist believes that it is his responsibility to let the majority to do what they need to do.

2. Which justice do your personal beliefs align most with? Why?

           

I would have to side with Brennan on this issue because I believe the minority should always have some say in the political process. This philosophy also helps to protect democracy.

Louis Brandeis

                Justice Brandeis was the first person of Jewish descent to sit on the Supreme Court. Brandeis was a strong defendant of freedom of speech laws as well as issues dealing with right to privacy. Because of this Brandeis has a legacy of being one of the most influential justices in the history of the Supreme Court. He was labeled as a “crusader of social justice” by his peers. Brandeis University in Massachusetts was named in his honor.

Source: www.brandeis.edu/legacyfund/bio