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Reuters has Supreme Court enters the John Roberts era.

At 10:35 a.m., new Chief Justice John Roberts opened the 2005-2006 Supreme Court session on Monday and launched the highest U.S. judicial body into the Roberts era, which could last for decades.

“On behalf of all the members of the court, it is a pleasure to extend to you a warm welcome,” Justice
John Paul Stevens told the conservative Roberts before the official opening in a brief ceremony attended by
President George W. Bush.

Stevens wished Roberts “a long and happy career in our common calling” as the country’s 17th chief justice. Roberts succeeds his mentor,
William Rehnquist, who died a month ago after 33 years as the court’s foremost conservative voice.

Roberts, at 50, is the youngest chief justice in more than two centuries. He takes over a court in which every other member has as least 11 years seniority and one, Stevens, has 30. In a lifetime post, Roberts could have a major impact on the legal system.

Roberts, who spoke of the need of judges to be modest before his confirmation, entered the courtroom with his eight fellow justices dressed in a plain black robe like them.

Gone were the four gold stripes Rehnquist added to each sleeve before presiding over the Senate impeachment trial of President
Bill Clinton in 1999 — an adornment inspired by a costume in a Gilbert and Sullivan comic opera.

Roberts said he was happy to announce the opening of the session that will run until June, then immediately went into the first arguments of the term.

And so the John Robert’s era begins for the United States Supreme Court.

In this artist’s rendering, U.S. Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts, right, with Justices Ruth Bader Ginsburg, left to right, David Souter, Antonin Scalia, and John Paul Stevens, takes the bench for the first time, Monday, Oct 3, 2005 in Washington.

Technorati Tags: John Roberts,Supreme Court, George Bush

New U.S. Chief Justice John Roberts (R) shares a light moment with U.S. President George W. Bush (3rd L) and the Archbishop of Washington, Theodore McCarrick (2nd R) on the steps of St. Matthews Cathedral in Washington, October 2, 2005.

Reuters has Supreme court to open term with new chief justice.

The John Roberts era at the Supreme Court begins on Monday, when the youngest U.S. chief justice in 200 years presides in a term that will include cases on contentious issues such as abortion, assisted suicide and financing of political campaigns.

As the 17th U.S. chief justice, the 50-year-old Roberts succeeds fellow conservative
William Rehnquist, 80, who died a month ago, in a lifetime job that positions him to help shape the American way of life for decades.

The Supreme Court opens its term tomorrow with a number of important cases (abortion, assisted suicide, and Anna Nicole Smith) that should be decided along the same philosophical lines as the Rehnquist court.

After tomorrow’s opening, watch the President name his next nominee, Federal Appeals Court Judge Priscilla Owen.

Technorati Tags: John Roberts, Supreme Court, Priscilla Owen

President Bush watches as Judge John Roberts is sworn in by Supreme Court Justice John Paul Stevens, Thursday, Sept. 29, 2005.

The 17th Chief Justice of the United States.

Congratulations Mr. Chief Justice Roberts………

Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman, Sen. Arlen Specter, R-Penn., speaks on Monday, Sept. 26, 2005 in the Senate in Washington, regarding confimration of John Roberts as Chief Justice of the United States.

The ASSociated Press has Roberts Heads Toward Easy Confirmation.

Judge John Roberts will be confirmed by Thursday and then attention will turn to the next nominee.

President Bush gave a hint today.

“I will pick a person who can do the job. But I am mindful that diversity is one of the strengths of the country,” Bush said Monday. He is under pressure from many quarters — including his wife — to pick a woman or a minority for O’Connor’s seat.

Although Flap was wrong on the date and time, he expects Judge Priscilla Owen to be named this Friday.

Senate leaders and the top two lawmakers on the Judiciary Committee speak with members of the media, Wednesday, Sept. 21, 2005, after a White House meeting with President Bush to discuss the second vacancy on the Supreme Court. The meeting was similar to one Bush held in July, one week before he nominated Roberts to fill the shoes of the late Chief Justice William H. Rehnquist. Left to right are Senate Democratic leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., Sen. Patrick Leahy, D-Vt., Senate Judiciary Committee chairman Arlen Specter, R-Penn. Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist, R-Tenn.

The senior Democrat on the Judiciary Committee announced Wednesday he will vote to confirm John Roberts for chief justice of the United States after leading lawmakers met with
President Bush to discuss candidates for the other high court vacancy.

The announcement by veteran Sen. Patrick Leahy (news, bio, voting record) came amid virtually unprecedented executive-legislative branch jockeying over not one, but two high court openings, seats left vacant by the death of Chief Justice William H. Rehnquist and the retirement of Associate Justice Sandra Day O’Connor.

Roberts’ confirmation was virtually assured even before Leahy’s announcement. The Vermont senator’s decision, made public shortly after he and three other leading senators met privately with Bush at the White House to discuss candidates for O’Connor’s place on the bench, came on the eve of the Judiciary panel’s vote on whether to favorably recommend Roberts’ confirmation.

Who cares?

Is this the attempt by Democrats to look reasonable in the Robert’s confirmation process. Judge Robert’s confirmation is assured and Leahy’s support is meaningless. But, then again, it is no surprise that Kennedy and Kerry will vote against the confirmation.

The Robert’s confirmation is guaranteed and the President is now moving to his next nomination.

Captain Ed has Dividing The Dems

Tehnorati Tags: John Roberts, Supreme Court, Patrick Leahy