William Rehnquist
- Born:
- October 1, 1924, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA
- Died:
- September 3, 2005, Arlington, Virginia, USA
- Nationality:
- American
- Profession(s):
- Lawyer, Jurist, Chief Justice of the United States
Early Life and Education
- William Hubbs Rehnquist was born in Milwaukee, Wisconsin to parents William Benjamin Rehnquist and Margery Peck Rehnquist.
- He served in the U.S. Army Air Forces during World War II.
- Graduated summa cum laude from Stanford University in 1948.
- Earned a Master of Arts degree in political science from Harvard University in 1950.
- Graduated first in his class from Stanford Law School in 1952.
Career and Major Achievements
- Clerked for Supreme Court Justice Robert H. Jackson from 1952 to 1953.
- Practiced law in Phoenix, Arizona, from 1953 to 1969.
- Served as Assistant Attorney General, Office of Legal Counsel, in the Nixon administration from 1969 to 1971.
- Nominated by President Richard Nixon as an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court in 1971 and confirmed by the Senate.
- Nominated by President Ronald Reagan as Chief Justice of the United States in 1986 and confirmed by the Senate.
- Served as Chief Justice until his death in 2005.
Notable Works
- Grand Inquests: The Historic Impeachments of Justice Samuel Chase and President Andrew Johnson (1992)
- All the Laws But One: Civil Liberties in Wartime (1998)
Legacy and Impact
William Rehnquist is considered a pivotal figure in late 20th-century American jurisprudence. His tenure as Chief Justice was marked by a conservative judicial philosophy, emphasizing federalism and strict constructionism. As explored in marie la verne biography of william, his decisions and leadership significantly shaped legal doctrine in areas ranging from federalism to individual rights.