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Antonin Gregory Scalia (March 11, 1936 – February 13, 2016[1]) was a Conservative jurist on the Supreme Court of the United States. He was an Associate Justice. Scalia was put on the Court in 1986 by Ronald Reagan and was the longest-serving justice on the Court. Before becoming a justice, he was on the District of Columbia Court of Appeals and was a law professor. He was a Roman Catholic[2] born to Italian American parents. He was the first Italian-American on the Court.
Antonin Scalia | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States | |
| In office September 26, 1986 – February 13, 2016 | |
| Nominated by | Ronald Reagan |
| Preceded by | William Rehnquist |
| Succeeded by | Neil Gorsuch |
| Judge of the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit | |
| In office August 17, 1982 – September 26, 1986 | |
| Nominated by | Ronald Reagan |
| Preceded by | Roger Robb |
| Succeeded by | David Sentelle |
| United States Assistant Attorney General for the Office of Legal Counsel | |
| In office August 22, 1974 – January 20, 1977 | |
| President | Gerald Ford |
| Preceded by | Roger C. Cramton |
| Succeeded by | John Harmon |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Antonin Gregory Scalia March 11, 1936 Trenton, New Jersey, U.S |
| Died | February 13, 2016 (aged 79) Shafter, Texas, U.S. |
| Spouse(s) |
Maureen McCarthy
(m. 1960; "his death" is deprecated; use "died" instead. 2013) |
| Children | 9 (including Eugene) |
| Alma mater | Georgetown University Harvard University |
| Signature |  |
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Scalia was born in Trenton, New Jersey, but grew up in Queens, New York. Scalia went to Georgetown University, the University of Fribourg, Switzerland, and Harvard Law School.[3] He began his career in Cleveland, Ohio and traveled to Chicago, Illinois during his early life.
Scalia was noted for holding a conservative approach to the law.[4] He also believed in originalism. This means he wanted the Constitution interpreted exactly as its framers had wanted it. Scalia and fellow judge Clarence Thomas often had the same viewpoints. He was friends with justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg.
Scalia died in his sleep on February 13, 2016 at a ranch in Shafter, Texas at the age of 79.[1] His death left a split in the court with 4 conservatives and 4 liberals. President Barack Obama said he would choose Scalia's successor in "due time". President Obama, former Governor of Texas Rick Perry, Governor of Ohio John Kasich, former Presidents George H. W. Bush, Bill Clinton and George W. Bush, Senators Ted Cruz, Marco Rubio, and Bernie Sanders, and Vice president Joe Biden all reacted to his death.
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On March 16, 2016, President Obama nominated Merrick Garland to replace Scalia.[5] After Republicans refused to give Garland a confirmation hearing, his nomination expired in January 2017. On January 31, 2017, President Donald Trump nominated Judge Neil Gorsuch to replace Scalia.[6] Gorsuch was sworn into office on Monday, April 10, 2017, in two ceremonies.[7]
In November 2018, Scalia received a posthumous Presidential Medal of Freedom from President Donald Trump.[8]
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