Anthony Kennedy

Profession: 106th US Supreme Court Justice

Nationality:

Biography: Anthony Kennedy is a retired Associate Justice of the U.S. Supreme Court who served from 1988 to 2018. He was nominated to the court by President Ronald Reagan and was thereafter often considered the swing vote on many important 5-4 decisions during his tenure.

Kennedy attended Stanford University and Harvard Law School before taking over his father's law practice. He also worked as a professor of constitutional law during this period. In 1975, President Gerald Ford appointed him to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit.

Known for his libertarian views and international perspective, Kennedy looked at each case individually rather than deciding based on a strict ideology. He wrote majority opinions in several key cases, including ones related to habeas corpus, campaign finance, and gay rights.

In Obergefell v. Hodges (2015), he authored the opinion that established a constitutional right to same-sex marriage. Kennedy also co-wrote the controlling opinion in Planned Parenthood v. Casey (1992), which reaffirmed Roe v. Wade.

Despite being a Republican appointee, conservatives often criticized Kennedy for contradicting their line, particularly on social issues like abortion and gay rights.

Kennedy retired in 2018 and was replaced by Brett Kavanaugh, his former law clerk. He is the only Supreme Court justice to have had two former clerks, Neil Gorsuch and Brett Kavanaugh, also serve on the court.

Born: July 23, 1936
Birthplace: Sacramento, California, USA
Age: 87 years old

Generation: Silent Generation
Chinese Zodiac: Rat
Star Sign: Leo