Supreme Court of the United States
Samuel Alito
Associate Justice
Biography
Samuel Anthony Alito Jr. is an American jurist who serves as an associate justice of the Supreme Court of the United States. He was nominated to the high court by President George W. Bush on October 31, 2005, and has served on it since January 31, 2006. After Antonin Scalia, Alito is the second Italian American justice to serve on the U.S. Supreme Court.
Source: Wikipedia
Education & Career
Undergraduate
Princeton University, A.B., summa cum laude (1972)
Law School
Yale Law School, J.D. (1975)
Prior Roles
- —Judge, U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit (1990–2006)
- —U.S. Attorney for the District of New Jersey (1987–1990)
- —Deputy Assistant Attorney General, Office of Legal Counsel (1985–1987)
Judicial Philosophy
Alito applies a textualist and originalist approach, with particular emphasis on the text and historical meaning of constitutional and statutory provisions. He has written extensively on religious liberty and executive power.
Notable Opinions
Burwell v. Hobby Lobby Stores
2014
Held that closely held for-profit corporations are "persons" under the Religious Freedom Restoration Act and cannot be required to provide contraceptive coverage that conflicts with their owners' sincerely held religious beliefs.
Janus v. AFSCME
2018
Overruled Abood v. Detroit Board of Education, holding that public-sector unions cannot require non-members to pay "agency fees" to cover collective bargaining costs, as such compelled speech violates the First Amendment.
Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization
2022
Overruled Roe v. Wade (1973) and Planned Parenthood v. Casey (1992), holding that the Constitution does not confer a right to abortion and returning the issue to the states to regulate.