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Quiz about The Swing Vote of the Roberts Court

The Swing Vote of the Roberts Court Quiz

During October Term 2006, Associate Justice Anthony Kennedy was in the majority for every case decided five votes to four. But how much do you know about the man who is making decisions about many crucial issues?

A multiple-choice quiz by broadwaygal. Estimated time: 4 mins.

Author
broadwaygal

Time
4 mins

Type
Multiple Choice

Quiz #
266,206

Updated
Dec 03 21

# Qns
10

Difficulty
Average

Avg Score
7 / 10

Plays
295

One at a Time - Single Page - Timed Game

Question 1 of 10

1. Who nominated Kennedy to the Court? Hint

Jimmy Carter

Ronald Reagan

Bill Clinton

George H.W. Bush

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Question 2 of 10

2. Where was Justice Kennedy born? Hint

Chicago, IL

Sacramento, CA

Syracuse, NY

Seattle, WA

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Question 3 of 10

3. Unlike many Supreme Court justices, Kennedy never held a judgeship before taking his seat at the Supreme Court.

True

False

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Question 4 of 10

4. From what university did Kennedy receive his Bachelor's Degree in political science? Hint

Harvard

Stanford

Yale

Georgetown

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Question 5 of 10

5. In 2003, Justice Kennedy wrote the opinion of the Court in Lawrence v. Texas. What issue did this case deal with? Hint

Gay rights

Capital punishment

Abortion

Eminent domain

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Question 6 of 10

6. Which chief justices has Kennedy served under? Hint

Rehnquist and Roberts

Warren, Rehnquist, and Roberts

Burger, Rehnquist, and Roberts

Burger and Roberts

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Question 7 of 10

7. Who did Kennedy replace on the Supreme Court? Hint

Lewis Franklin Powell, Jr.

John Marshall Harlan II

Charles Merton Merrill

Harry Blackmun

8. Kennedy wrote "At the heart of liberty is the right to define one's own concept of existence, of meaning, of the universe, and of the mystery of human life". In what opinion was this written? Hint

Stenberg v. Carhart

Roper v. Simmons

Lawrence v. Texas

Planned Parenthood v. Casey

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Question 9 of 10

9. Has Justice Kennedy ever used international law to justify his decisions?

Yes

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Question 10 of 10

10. In PARENTS INVOLVED IN COMMUNITY SCHOOLS v. SEATTLE SCHOOL DISTRICT NO. 1 et al., a 2007 case that nearly reversed BROWN v. BOARD OF EDUCATION, what was Justice Kennedy's opinion? Hint

He sided with the unanimous majority, upholding the lower court's decision

He was in the three-member minority that voted to reverse the lower court's ruling.

He abstained from this case due to a conflict of interest.

He sided with the majority, reversing the lower court's ruling.

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Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts

1. Who nominated Kennedy to the Court?

Answer: Ronald Reagan

Justice Kennedy was Reagan's third choice for the nomination in 1987. Robert Bork was nominated first, but was not confirmed by the Senate because they felt he was too conservative. Douglas Ginsburg was then nominated, but he withdrew his name. Finally, Kennedy was nominated and confirmed by the Senate ninety-seven votes to zero.

He began his duties as an Associate Justice on February 18, 1988.

2. Where was Justice Kennedy born?

Answer: Sacramento, CA

He was born on July 23, 1936. At the time of his nomination in 1987, he was fifty-one years old. He is married to Mary Davis Kennedy, and has three children.

3. Unlike many Supreme Court justices, Kennedy never held a judgeship before taking his seat at the Supreme Court.

Answer: False

In 1975, President Gerald Ford appointed Kennedy to a seat on the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals. Prior to that, he held private practice in both San Francisco and Sacramento, and was a professor at McGeorge School of Law. He taught constitutional law.

4. From what university did Kennedy receive his Bachelor's Degree in political science?

Answer: Stanford

As well as attending Stanford, he spent some of his undergraduate time studying at the London School of Economics. He then received his law degree from Harvard Law.

5. In 2003, Justice Kennedy wrote the opinion of the Court in Lawrence v. Texas. What issue did this case deal with?

Answer: Gay rights

This case struck down laws against homosexual sodomy, and was viewed as a great success by gay rights advocates. However, Kennedy has also voted against gay rights, notably in Boy Scouts of America v. Dale in 2000, which upheld the Boy Scouts' ban on gay scoutmasters.

6. Which chief justices has Kennedy served under?

Answer: Rehnquist and Roberts

Kennedy joined the court when William Rehnquist was the Chief Justice. After Rehnquist passed away in 2005, John Roberts succeeded him as the Chief Justice.

7. Who did Kennedy replace on the Supreme Court?

Answer: Lewis Franklin Powell, Jr.

Powell was known for casting the deciding vote in Bowers v. Hardwick, which was later overturned by Lawrence v. Texas, which Justice Kennedy wrote the opinion for. Powell had been appointed by President Nixon in 1971, and he, like Kennedy, was considered a swing vote on the Court.

8. Kennedy wrote "At the heart of liberty is the right to define one's own concept of existence, of meaning, of the universe, and of the mystery of human life". In what opinion was this written?

Answer: Planned Parenthood v. Casey

This quote came from a joint opinion he wrote with Justices David Souter and Sandra Day O'Connor. This case dealt with the issue of abortion, and invalidated a Pennsylvania law that required married women to get permission from their husbands before getting an abortion.

Stenberg v. Carhart was also a case dealing with abortion. Lawrence v. Texas dealt with gay rights. Roper v. Simmons dealt with the death penalty.

9. Has Justice Kennedy ever used international law to justify his decisions?

Answer: Yes

This has led to criticism of him by many political commentators.

Kennedy was appointed by Chief Justice Burger to supervise American territorial courts in the Pacific in the late nineteen seventies. From this assignment, he also grew to enjoy travel.

10. In PARENTS INVOLVED IN COMMUNITY SCHOOLS v. SEATTLE SCHOOL DISTRICT NO. 1 et al., a 2007 case that nearly reversed BROWN v. BOARD OF EDUCATION, what was Justice Kennedy's opinion?

Answer: He sided with the majority, reversing the lower court's ruling.

This decision ruled that voluntary integration of schools, moving students from district to district based solely on race, violates the Constitution. It was a blow to civil-rights advocates who say that it will make it incredibly difficult to diversify schools.

Source: Author broadwaygal

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