Posted on 02/13/2016 1:55:56 PM PST by Pan_Yan
Associate Justice Antonin Scalia was found dead of apparent natural causes Saturday on a luxury resort in West Texas, federal officials said.
Scalia, 79, was a guest at the Cibolo Creek Ranch, a resort in the Big Bend region south of Marfa. According to a report, Scalia arrived at the ranch on Friday and attended a private party with about 40 people. When he did not appear for breakfast, a person associated with the ranch went to his room and found a body.
U.S. District Judge Fred Biery said he was among those notified about Scalia's death.
"I was told it was this morning," Biery said of Scalia's death. "It happened on a ranch out near Marfa. As far as the details, I think it's pretty vague right now as to how," he said. "My reaction is it's really unfortunate with any death. And now, politically, in the presidential cycle we're in my educated guess is nothing will happen before the next president is elected."
(Excerpt) Read more at mysanantonio.com ...
God Bless his family and God Bless the United States of America.
Oh my.
The U.S. Constitution established the Supreme Court but left it to Congress to decide how many justices should make up the court.
The Judiciary Act of 1789 set the number at six: a chief justice and five associate justices.
In 1807, Congress increased the number of justices to seven;
in 1837, the number was bumped up to nine;
and in 1863, it rose to 10.
In 1866, Congress passed the Judicial Circuits Act, which shrank the number of justices back down to seven and prevented President Andrew Johnson from appointing anyone new to the court.
Three years later, in 1869, Congress raised the number of justices to nine, where it has stood ever since.
In 1937, in an effort to create a court more friendly to his New Deal programs, President Franklin Roosevelt attempted to convince Congress to pass legislation that would allow a new justice to be added to the court—for a total of up to 15 members.
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http://www.history.com/news/history-lists/7-things-you-might-not-know-about-the-u-s-supreme-court
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The news services have it now.
Scalia was a great one. His service will be deeply missed by our nation. His family is in our prayers and has our thanks for his long service.
Just hearing it on CNN... this is very disturbing.
They won’t do it though.
Pelican Brief is right.
They got him!
Ike appointed Warren he resigned before the election that year and the GOP stalled it thank God for Dirkson
“Will the GOP even stand up THAT much?!”
That’s the $64,000 question!
Sad day for his family.
Very sad day for the country.
I would make another comment but that would be in bad taste at this time
Scalia was 79, Ginsburg 82. Why couldn’t ....aw never mind.
What about all the June decisions?
No one will get the job under Obama.
We are soooo screwed.
There’s going to be a full court press to fill the seat before the election.
Obama might just appoint himself, and Congress would of course unanimously approve that.
Trump has stated he would find judges similar to Scalia and Thomas.
I hope Trump brings this up and “suggests” no replacement until 2017 by the new President.
Please tell me this isn’t true.
It won’t happen under Obama.
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