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William Rehnquist, The Separation Of Powers, And The Riddle Of The Sphinx, Jay S. Bybee
William Rehnquist, The Separation Of Powers, And The Riddle Of The Sphinx, Jay S. Bybee
Scholarly Works
William Rehnquist's tenure on the Supreme Court presents a Sphinx-like riddle for students of the separation of powers: “What animal is that which in the morning goes on four, at noon on two, and in the evening on three feet?” One might well answer: “Rehnquist's separation of powers jurisprudence, as it is a difficult creature to characterize, arguably evolving over time.” In adolescence, it appeared an originalist on all fours, in manhood it walked erect, a Byron White functionalist, and in old age . . . well, perhaps the Sphinx might just devour one after all! Indeed, it is difficult …
William H. Rehnquist: A Life Lived Greatly, And Well, Richard W. Garnett
William H. Rehnquist: A Life Lived Greatly, And Well, Richard W. Garnett
Journal Articles
Chief Justice Rehnquist leaves behind a formidable and important legacy in constitutional law. His work on the Court was animated and guided by the view that We the People, through our Constitution, have authorized our federal courts, legislators, and administrators to do many things - but not everything. Because the Nation's powers are few and defined, Congress may not pursue every good idea or smart policy, nor should courts invalidate every foolish or immoral one. However, for those of us who knew, worked with, learned from, and cared about William Rehnquist, it is his unassuming manner, the care he took …
Chief Justice Rehnquist's Enduring Democratic Constitution, Richard W. Garnett
Chief Justice Rehnquist's Enduring Democratic Constitution, Richard W. Garnett
Journal Articles
William H. Rehnquist's essay, The Notion of a Living Constitution, was delivered as the Will E. Orgain Lecture and then published thirty years ago, back when Rehnquist was still a relatively junior Associate Justice. The piece provides a clear and coherent statement of Rehnquist's judicial philosophy, and the Harvard Journal of Law and Public Policy and the Texas Law Review deserve thanks for their initiative and generosity in reproducing it, in memory of his life and work.
This introduction to Rehnquist's essay highlights his view that the Notion of a Living Constitution was to be resisted, not out of pious …