Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts Speaks at the University of Miami
From Hurricane-Online:
If not for a chance encounter between two judges at the University of Miami Law School in 1978, John G. Roberts, Jr. may not be where he is today - chief justice of the United States Supreme Court.
William Rehnquist, then an associate justice on the U.S. Supreme Court, and Henry Friendly, an appellate judge on the second circuit, met at a UM Law School event and soon became friends. Roberts clerked for Friendly from 1979 to 1980, straight out of Harvard Law School.
Roberts, 51, recounted this and other stories to 3,000 students, faculty and special guests at the inaugural University Lecture Series Monday night at the BankUnited Center.
The friendship between Rehnquist and Friendly led the former to hire Roberts as a clerk in 1980. Dean Colson, chairman of the UM Board of Trustees, began clerking for Rehnquist at the same time.
“We all knew that he was special, even at that young age [25],” he said in his introductory remarks at the event.
In a phone interview with The Miami Hurricane, Colson said that Roberts is one of the greatest lawyers in the country and will be a great chief justice.
Colson, who invited Roberts to speak at UM about a month ago, was the best man at Roberts’ wedding in 1996.
Roberts and his wife, Jane Sullivan Roberts, adopted two infants in 2000 - Josephine and Jack.
“A great thing about having young children is that they don’t care if you’re the chief justice or whatever, they do make sure you have a good perspective on life and what’s important,” he said.
Jack, 5 at the time, became famous for stealing the spotlight at his father’s press conference at the White House after President George W. Bush nominated Roberts in July 2005 to replace retiring associate justice Sandra Day O’Connor.
“People think Jack was dancing,” Roberts said. “He was not dancing; he was being Spider-Man.”
Roberts said he looked forward to sitting on the bench with his former boss, Rehnquist.
But, sadly, this would not be.
Rehnquist, who became chief justice in 1986, died on Sept. 3, 2005. Three days later, Bush nominated Roberts, who was one of Rehnquist’s pallbearers, to fill the seat.
In discussing his responsibilities as chief justice, he said the importance of the job hits him almost everyday.
“If you think about it too much it can be paralyzing,” he said, adding that he believes the position should be used to help the court speak with one voice. “It is an important responsibility because you can exercise some power of persuasion in getting the court to function as a court.”
As a court, Roberts believes that there is one quality that sits low on the list of those that should be present at conference sessions, when the nine justices go around the table voicing their opinions.
“Boldness is a virtue you look for in other branches [rather] than the judicial,” he said, noting that it is the responsibility of the elected legislature to bring about concrete change in society.
As is such, Roberts repeatedly emphasized the role and independence of the judiciary.
“Judges are protected from politics because they are supposed to uphold the rule of law,” he said, adding, “There’s a lot more to life than politics.”
Two Views on Cramming for Law School Exams
From Legal Underground:
Here’s what William James had to say about cramming in The Principles of Psychology (1890):
. . . The reason why cramming is such a bad mode of study is now made clear. I mean by cramming that way of preparing for examinations by committing ‘points’ to memory during a few hours or days of intense application immediately preceding the final ordeal, little or no work having been performed during the previous course of the term. Things learned thus in a few hours, on one occasion, for one purpose, cannot possibly have formed many associations with other things in the mind. Their brain-processes are led into by few paths, and are relatively little liable to be awakened again. Speedy oblivion is the almost inevitable fate of all that is committed to memory in this simple way. Whereas, on the contrary, the same materials taken in gradually, day after day, recurring in different contexts, considered in various relations, associated with other external incidents, and repeatedly reflected on, grow into such a system, form such connections with the rest of the mind’s fabric, lie open to so many paths of approach, that they remain permanent associations . . .
This is one view of cramming. A second is that cramming is law school; law school is not meant to teach the law, but how to cram. Here is how Mark Herrmann put the idea in The Curmudgeon’s Guide to Practicing Law
:
Take law school exams. You always thought they were ridiculous; you probably still do. Cram irrelevant crap into your head for two days; spill it all out in an hour or three; forget about it, and move on to the next set of irrelevant crap. Sit back and wait while someone passes judgment on your abbreviated presentation. Surely this has nothing to do with the practice of law.
Wrong, wrong, and wrong again. That process is the very essence of practicing law. What do I do when I argue a motion? Cram irrelevant crap into my head for two days; spill it all out in five minutes or thirty; forget about it, and move on to the next set of irrelevant crap. Have someone tell me if I win or lose.
What do I do when I take a deposition? Cram irrelevant crap into my head; spill it out in the course of a day; forget about it, and move on.
What do I do when I argue an appeal? Try a case? Participate in a beauty contest to attract new business? You got it. If you don’t enjoy cramming, spewing, and moving on, you picked the wrong profession.
A Lighthearted Look at Your First Year in Law School
From A Theory of Jurishprudensh:
As the summer draws to a close and the school year creeps closer and closer, I’ve had some time to reflect on that hazing ritual called “1L”. Rather, I’ve had time to reflect, but I’ve mainly used that time to drink beer on the Terrace. Since I’m such a nice guy, I’ve assembled a few thoughts to try and assuage the fears of this incoming class:
1. Watch The Paper Chase. In fact, watch it over and over. You may even consider buying a transcript, an outline, and possibly even memorizing it. Not only is law school exactly as it is portrayed, but you will be tested on the movie come exams. In fact, if you don’t cite to the movie at least three times on any given question, you’ve probably failed and will be condemned to spend the rest of your life clerking for Judge Judy.
2. Stress yourself out as much as you possibly can. There is a reason that the inscription over the door to any respectable law school reads “Abandon All Hope, Ye Who Enter This Place.” Because, after all, ulcers are the shit.
3. Beware the Socratic method. At some point in the semester (probably the first day), the professor will ask you a mind-bogglingly difficult legal question that even Chief Justice Rehnquist couldn’t answer. After you get it wrong, (which of course you will,) the entire class will laugh at your utter incompetence and throw spitballs at you. The professor will call you names and ridicule you mercilessly. But don’t worry - your torment will soon stop. Fortunately, the school is equipped with a trap door underneath every classroom seat which will open and you will fall into sweet, sweet oblivion and you’ll wake up several days later in a bathtub full of ice and missing your kidneys.
4. Law school is exactly like high school. Make a bet with your friends to lose your virginity by prom. Try not to have sex with any baked goods, as this will come back to haunt you on the “Character and Fitness” portion of the Bar.
5. Sleep with your professors. Since the grading is anonymous, it may not help you get that A. But hey, it couldn’t hurt either.
6. Tell everyone your LSAT score. In fact, post flyers around the atrium with it. People will be very impressed and you will make friends quickly. Actually, flyers may not be very effective. Use spray paint.
7. Take up smoking. If you’re already a smoker, take up heroin. If you’re already addicted to heroin, just freebase the UCC.
8. Finally, make sure that you say good-bye to your old friends and family. You’re not going to see them or speak to them for the next year. In fact, you’re not going to see anything outside the library for the next year. As we all know from books like One-L, Law school is a terrible experience and if you have any sort of social life, you will fail out. If you manage to have a social life and still pass your exams, you will still be expelled on principle… Or, you could always just chill the fuck out and enjoy yourself.
Hope that helps.
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