Stevens, John Paul, 1920-2019

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John Paul Stevens (April 20, 1920 – July 16, 2019) was an American lawyer and jurist who served as an associate justice of the United States Supreme Court from 1975 until his voluntary retirement in 2010. At the time of his retirement, he was the second-oldest-serving justice in the history of the court and the third-longest-serving justice. At the time of his death, he was the longest lived Supreme Court justice ever. His long tenure saw him write for the court on most issues of American law, including civil liberties, death penalty, government action and intellectual property. In cases involving presidents of the United States, he wrote for the court that they were to be held accountable under American law. A registered Republican when appointed who throughout his life identified as a conservative, Stevens was considered to have been on the liberal side of the court at the time of his retirement.

Born in Chicago, Stevens served in the United States Navy during World War II and graduated from Northwestern University School of Law. After clerking for Justice Wiley Blount Rutledge, he co-founded a law firm in Chicago, focusing on antitrust law. In 1970, President Richard Nixon appointed Stevens to the Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit. Five years later, President Gerald Ford successfully nominated Stevens to the Supreme Court to fill the vacancy caused by the retirement of Justice William O. Douglas. He became the senior associate justice after the retirement of Harry Blackmun in 1994. Stevens retired during the administration of President Barack Obama and was succeeded by Elena Kagan.

Stevens's majority opinions in landmark cases include Chevron v. Natural Resources Defense Council, Apprendi v. New Jersey, Hamdan v. Rumsfeld, Kelo v. City of New London, and Massachusetts v. Environmental Protection Agency. Stevens is also known for his dissents in Texas v. Johnson, Bush v. Gore, District of Columbia v. Heller, and Citizens United v. FEC.

Archival Resources
Role Title Holding Repository
referencedIn Powell, Lewis F. Lewis F. Powell, Jr. papers [part 4]. 1921-1998. The Library at Washington and Lee University School of Law, Law Library
referencedIn Berger, Raoul. Raoul Berger Papers. 1921-2000. Harvard Law School Library Langdell Hall Cambridge, MA 02138
creatorOf Bruckner, D. J. R. Justice Paul Stevens collection, 1976. University of Illinois at Chicago Library, UIC
referencedIn Royal Worsted Mill. [Business records]. American Textile History Museum Library
creatorOf Powell, Lewis F. U.S. Supreme Court case files [part 2]. 1972-1987. The Library at Washington and Lee University School of Law, Law Library
referencedIn Paul A. Freund papers Harvard Law School Library Langdell Hall Cambridge, MA 02138
creatorOf Stevens, John Paul, 1920-. [Speech at the Annual Banquet of the American Judicature Society, August 6, 1982] / John Paul Stevens. New York Law School Library, Mendik Law Library
creatorOf Stevens, John P. John P. Stevens papers, 1955-1956. University of Alaska Fairbanks, Elmer E. Rasmuson Library
referencedIn Richard B. Cheney Files. 1974 - 1977. Richard Cheney's General Subject Files Gerald R. Ford Library
referencedIn Philip W. Buchen Files. 1974 - 1977. Philip Buchen's General Subject Files Gerald R. Ford Library
referencedIn Barry N. Roth Files. 1973 - 1977. Barry Roth's General Subject Files Gerald R. Ford Library
referencedIn Norman Dorsen Papers, 1953-2006 Tamiment Library and Robert F. Wagner Labor Archives
referencedIn John Paul Stevens biography Gerald R. Ford Library
referencedIn Harvard Law School Forums Records Harvard Law School Library Langdell Hall Cambridge, MA 02138
referencedIn Paul A. Freund papers Harvard Law School Library Langdell Hall Cambridge, MA 02138
creatorOf Powell, Lewis F. Lewis F. Powell, Jr. Papers [part 7]. 1921-1998. The Library at Washington and Lee University School of Law, Law Library
creatorOf John Paul Stevens papers, 1939-2019 Library of Congress. Manuscript Division
creatorOf Alderman, Edwin Anderson, 1861-1931. Commencement addresses at the University of Virginia, 1911-2006. University of Virginia. Library
referencedIn Powell, Lewis F. U.S. Supreme Court case files [part 1]. 1972-1987. The Library at Washington and Lee University School of Law, Law Library
referencedIn Robert Douglas & Company. [Audit reports for Royal Worsted Mill]. American Textile History Museum Library
Role Title Holding Repository
Relation Name
associatedWith American Judicature Society. corporateBody
correspondedWith Berger, Raoul, 1901- person
associatedWith Dorsen, Norman person
associatedWith Douglas, William O. (William Orville), 1898-1980 person
associatedWith Ford, Gerald R., 1913-2006 person
correspondedWith Harvard Law School Forum corporateBody
associatedWith Kagan, Elena, 1960- person
associatedWith Nixon, Richard M. (Richard Milhous), 1913-1994 person
alumnusOrAlumnaOf Northwestern university corporateBody
associatedWith Paul A. Freund person
associatedWith Powell, Lewis F., 1907-1998. person
associatedWith Robert Douglas & Company. corporateBody
associatedWith Royal Worsted Mill. corporateBody
employeeOf United States. Congress. House. Committee on the Judiciary corporateBody
memberOf United States. Navy corporateBody
associatedWith United States. Supreme Court. corporateBody
alumnusOrAlumnaOf University of Chicago. corporateBody
Place Name Admin Code Country
Chicago IL US
Fort Lauderdale FL US
Subject
Court administration
DEW Line
DEW Line
Occupation
Attorney
Founders
Judge
Jurists
Justices
Law clerks
Lawyer
Activity

Person

Birth 1920-04-20

Death 2019-07-16

Male

English

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