John Paul Stevens

Details

Birth

April 20, 1920 · Chicago, Illinois

Death

July 16, 2019

Law school

northwestern university

Prior experience

U.s. court of appeals judge

Biography

John Paul Stevens (1920–2019) was an Associate Justice of the United States Supreme Court from 1975 to 2010. Born in Chicago, Illinois, Stevens earned his bachelor's degree from the University of Chicago in 1941 and served as a naval officer during World War II, receiving the Bronze Star. He graduated magna cum laude from Northwestern University School of Law in 1947, where he was editor-in-chief of the law review. Stevens clerked for Supreme Court Justice Wiley Rutledge before establishing a successful antitrust law practice in Chicago. He served on the United States Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit from 1970 to 1975. President Gerald Ford nominated Stevens to the Supreme Court in 1975, and he was confirmed unanimously by the Senate. Initially considered a moderate conservative, Stevens gradually moved toward the liberal wing of the Court over his 34-year tenure, becoming its senior associate justice and frequent spokesperson for the minority in closely divided cases. His judicial philosophy emphasized pragmatism over rigid ideological frameworks, with particular attention to individual liberty and procedural fairness. Stevens authored significant majority opinions in cases such as Sony Corp. v. Universal City Studios (1984), which established the "substantial non-infringing use" standard for new technologies, and notable dissents in Bush v. Gore (2000) and Citizens United v. FEC (2010). He consistently opposed the death penalty in his later years and supported broad interpretations of civil liberties. Stevens retired in 2010 at age 90, having written over 400 majority opinions during his tenure, making him one of the most prolific justices in Supreme Court history.

Notable opinions

• Texas v. Johnson
• Kelo v. City of New London