Supreme Court justice talks to local judges, attorneys

Jace Radke

Friday, Sept. 20, 2002 | 9:25 a.m.

The first of two U.S. Supreme Court Justices visiting Las Vegas this month spoke to a group of more than 200 lawyers and judges Thursday at a luncheon at Bellagio.

Justice John Paul Stevens spoke at the Clark County Bar Association event, while Justice Anthony Kennedy is scheduled to be in Las Vegas on Sept. 27 for the dedication of the Boyd School of Law at the Unversity of Nevada, Las Vegas.

"It's rare that we get a justice visiting," U.S. District Judge Lloyd George said. "You have a chance to meet them periodically, but I can only remember Chief Justice (Warren) Burger and Justice (Byron) White visiting before."

Stevens spoke to the Bar Association about judicial activism and the question of whether judges should make law.

Stevens cited many examples of how Supreme Court decisions have led to laws, ranging from landmark cases such as Brown v. Board of Education to lesser known cases such as Printz v. the United States, a case that dealt with background checks for handguns.

Stevens advocated that judges must interpret the Constitution with a mind toward today.

"The preamble of the Constitution itself tells us to focus on the future instead of the past," Stevens said.

Stevens, 82, was born in Chicago, and after gaining degrees at the University of Chicago and Northwestern University, served in the Navy during World War II. From 1970 to 1975 he served on the 7th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals took his seat with the Supreme Court on Dec. 19, 1975, after being nominated by President Gerald Ford.

Stevens, who is visiting Las Vegas with his daughter, spoke to Nevada's federal judges before the luncheon.

"We didn't really discuss anything of substance, but he was extraordinarily pleasant and easy to talk to," George said.