Anthony Kennedy

Anthony Kennedy, born on July twenty-third, nineteen thirty-six, in Sacramento, California, is a distinguished American jurist and attorney. He served as an associate justice of the Supreme Court of the United States from nineteen eighty-eight until his retirement in two thousand eighteen. Nominated by President Ronald Reagan in nineteen eighty-seven, Kennedy was sworn in on February eighteenth, nineteen eighty-eight, and quickly became known as the swing vote on many pivotal decisions of the Roberts Court.

After graduating from Stanford University and Harvard Law School, Kennedy took over his father's legal practice in Sacramento. His judicial career began in nineteen seventy-five when President Gerald Ford appointed him to the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit. Following the retirement of Sandra Day O'Connor in two thousand six, Kennedy assumed a crucial role in the court's decisions, often casting the decisive vote in five to four rulings.

Throughout his tenure, Kennedy authored the majority opinion in several landmark cases, including Boumediene v. Bush and Citizens United v. FEC. He played a significant role in advancing gay rights through his opinions in Romer v. Evans, Lawrence v. Texas, United States v. Windsor, and Obergefell v. Hodges. Additionally, he co-authored the controlling opinion in Planned Parenthood v. Casey alongside Justices O’Connor and Souter.

After the passing of Antonin Scalia in February two thousand sixteen, Kennedy became the senior associate justice of the Supreme Court. He retired during the presidency of Donald Trump and was succeeded by his former law clerk, Brett Kavanaugh. Following the death of O'Connor in two thousand twenty-three, Kennedy holds the distinction of being the oldest living former Supreme Court justice.