Roberts

Judge John Roberts is President’s Choice to be Next Chief Justice

The man who is likely to become the most powerful judge in the country says he will decide cases on the facts. John Roberts has been nominated to become the Chief Justice of the United States.

Roberts would sit on the Supreme Court. President George Bush nominated Roberts to the position on September 5.

In July, Bush had nominated Roberts to take the place of Justice Sandra Day O’Connor. But Chief Justice William Rehnquist died September 3.

Justice O’Connor had planned to retire. But she agreed to stay on the court until her replacement is confirmed by the United States Senate. Bush is expected to nominate a person to replace O’Connor soon after the Senate confirms Roberts.

Vote may take place by October 3
The Senate is expected to vote to put Roberts on the nation’s highest court. Roberts could be confirmed before the court goes back to work on October 3.

Roberts is 50-years-old. He would be the youngest Chief Justice since 1801. He has been a judge in a lower federal court since 2003.

The Supreme Court is one of the three branches of the federal government. The president heads the executive branch. The third branch is the Congress. The Senate and the House of Representatives form the Congress.

Roberts needs 51 out 100 votes
Roberts needs to get the votes of at least 51 of the 100 members of the Senate. He is expected to be confirmed because 55 Senators are members of the Republican Party. Bush is a Republican. Roberts was active in the

Republican Party before he became a judge. Federal judges are not allowed to take part in party politics.
Some of the most important legal issues in the nation are settled by the Supreme Court. A ruling by the Supreme Court is final.

Nine people serve on the nation’s Supreme Court. Each member of the court holds the title of Justice. Justices are appointed for life. Most Justices retire from the court. But some choose to stay on the court until they die.

Each Justice has one vote when cases are decided. Cases are decided by majority vote. Some votes are 5-to-4. Others can be 9-0.

The court issues an opinion when it decides a case. The opinion of the majority explains why the court ruled the way it did.

The Chief Justice has powers that other members of the court do not. When a case is decided, the Chief Justice assigns a member of the court to write the opinion for the majority view.

The Supreme Court does not try cases. The court only rules on cases that are appealed to it. Many cases come from lower federal courts. Other cases come from state courts when a national issue is involved.

Roberts told Senators that he would decide cases on the facts that are given to the court. He said he would vote on cases based on how he views the Constitution.

The Constitution is a set of rules that form the guidelines for the laws of the nation.

Roberts also said judges do not make laws. Roberts said judges apply the laws. He also said he believes in using cases that have been decided by the court in the past as guides to ruling in future cases.

Will not answer Senators’ questions
Judge Roberts is refusing to answer over 100 questions about important issues, such as affirmative action, workers rights, and women’s rights. Also, the White House refuses to release some records on court decisions he made in the past.

Many have concern that this information shows he will overturn former court rulings, like Roe versus Wade.

hey want the Senate to reject his confirmation. But Roberts is expected to get the job because he has enough Republican votes in the Senate.
Source: Milwaukee Journal Sentinel by Craig Gilbert and various others