"The Greatest Justices" List

[Paul Finkelman]

Curtis was pehaps "right" in someways in Dred Scott, although it was a very
narrow opinion; McLean's is actually much better; but Curtis was hardly on the
bench long enough to blink.  McReynolds wrote an important opinion.  But it was
just one!  It is hard to find anything in his career that merits high status.
As for "conservatives," seems that there are some on this list.  If you want an
important conservative, how about Rufus Peckham, who wrote Lochner!


--
Paul Finkelman
Chapman Distinguished Professor
University of Tulsa College of Law
3120 East Fourth Place
Tulsa, OK  74104

918-631-3706
Fax 918-631-2194

E-mail:  paul-finkelman at utulsa.edu



David M Wagner wrote:

> Agreeing with Brad Clanton yet trying my best not to be ideological, I
> suggest two Justices not heretofore mentioned:
>
> Benjamin Curtis: saw that Dred Scott misrepresented original intent, at a
> time when it was (obviously) easy not to see this.
>
> James McReynolds: full of bad manners, and bad attitudes undergirding them,
> but hey, if you want to talk about long-lasting influence, it's hard to beat
> Meyer and Pierce.
>
> David M. Wagner
> Regent University School of Law