Supreme Court of the United States
Elena Kagan
Associate Justice
Biography
Elena Kagan is an American lawyer who serves as an associate justice of the Supreme Court of the United States. She was appointed in 2010 by President Barack Obama and is the fourth woman to serve on the Court.
Source: Wikipedia
Education & Career
Undergraduate
Princeton University, A.B. in History, summa cum laude (1981)
Law School
Harvard Law School, J.D., magna cum laude (1986)
Prior Roles
- —Solicitor General of the United States (2009–2010)
- —Dean, Harvard Law School (2003–2009)
- —Associate White House Counsel and Deputy Assistant to the President for Domestic Policy (1995–1999)
Judicial Philosophy
Kagan is known for careful statutory interpretation and for building coalitions across ideological lines. She emphasizes legal craft and has written influential opinions on administrative law, First Amendment, and separation of powers.
Notable Opinions
Arizona State Legislature v. Arizona Independent Redistricting Commission
2015
Held that the Elections Clause of the Constitution permits Arizona's voter-approved redistricting commission to draw congressional districts, rejecting the state legislature's claim of exclusive authority.
West Virginia v. EPA
2022
Dissented from the majority's application of the "major questions doctrine" to limit EPA's authority to regulate carbon emissions from power plants under the Clean Air Act, arguing the decision dramatically curtailed agency power.
Loper Bright Enterprises v. Raimondo
2024
Dissented from the ruling overturning Chevron U.S.A. v. NRDC, which had required courts to defer to reasonable agency interpretations of ambiguous statutes. Argued the decision would create enormous uncertainty in administrative law.